Mould Inspection in Limassol

A city of very different buildings

Limassol stretches along the coast, and its housing changes as you move through it. There are the new glass-fronted towers on the seafront, the dense blocks of flats from earlier decades behind the coast road, the older stone and plastered houses around the castle and the old town, the tourist apartments to the east towards Germasogeia, and the village houses in the hills behind the city. Each has its own weak points, so an inspection reads the building before it reads the mould.

Causes that are easy to mix up here

Limassol homes produce a few look-alikes that lead people to fix the wrong thing:

• Air-conditioning drip or roof leak? A wet patch on a ceiling near an indoor unit can be condensate from a blocked drain line rather than rain. Our article on mould around AC units in Cyprus explains the link.
• Salt bloom or mould? White, fluffy deposits on lower walls close to the sea can be salts coming out of the masonry, not growth at all. Our guide on telling the colours and textures of mould apart helps.
• Balcony water or condensation? Damp along a balcony door threshold can come from rain driven in at floor level or from moisture inside the room; the readings show which.
• A smell with nothing visible. A musty odour in a sealed apartment often comes from inside a wardrobe, behind a panel or under flooring; see what a musty smell is telling you.

What the inspection gives you

An inspection starts from €75. Every affected room gets moisture readings. The results come back as a room-by-room moisture map on your phone, with a written report and your quote. The report sets out the fixes that would stop the problem, such as upgrading an extractor, insulating a cold spot or finishing in an anti-mould coating. The inspection fee comes off the price if you go ahead.

If the source is hidden, thermal imaging can be added from €275. Air testing, from €175, measures the air in the home, and laboratory testing from €750 is there when you need formal results.

Buying, selling or renting in Limassol

Property changes hands often here, and many flats are rented to people new to the island. A fresh coat of paint can hide a problem for a viewing. An inspection before you sign gives you facts rather than guesses; our guide to checking a property for mould before a sale lists what to ask.