Perla IrishDiscovering black mold in the home is a homeowner’s worst nightmare. Although mold can seem harmless at first, over time, it can cause damage to your home.
Mold is also difficult to remove once it begins to spread.
You want to catch the mold and remove it as soon as possible to prevent spreading and damages.
Knowing the signs of mold is the first step in keeping your home healthy and mold-free. Do you know how to spot back mold signs?
There are a few things to be on the lookout for. In the guide below, you’ll find several signs of black mold in the home that you should be aware of.
Continue reading below to learn all the signs and how to remove the mold as well.
A Musty Odor
Have you walked into your home after a day at work or running errands and smelt something weird? A smelly trash can might be the culprit, but if the smell is a musty odor, then it might be mold. To eliminate any other reasons for the smell, you can clean your home.
Conduct regular cleaning of your home to see if the smell goes away. If the smell remains, then mold could be hiding behind your walls or ceilings.
Do your best to determine where the mold is coming from.
If you’re having a difficult time finding the location of the smell, then it could be coming from the air conditioning.
When mold grows inside the HVAC unit, the spores and smell are circulated throughout the home. This could make it difficult to pinpoint an exact location because it’s in the air.
Be sure to check any areas inside the home where moisture is high, such as the bathrooms, laundry rooms, and under sinks.
Water Damage
Water damage in the home is one of the first signs that mold might be growing inside.
Even if the water damage happened in the past and was already corrected, if it wasn’t cleaned properly, it could have created the perfect environment for mold.
Check any areas in the home where past water damage occurred. You should then inspect the entire home for any signs of current water damage.
If you see water spots or rings on the ceilings, discolored paint, or moisture on or around windows, then there could be mold.
Mold grows well in humid environments.
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High Humidity Levels
Have you noticed high humidity in your home? You may notice high humidity in the home if there’s moisture on your windows or inside the air conditioning closet or laundry room. If you use humidifiers in the home, then this might cause high levels of humidity.
A good way to be sure if humidity is too high inside your home is to have a humidity test done.
This test will determine the levels and will advise you if the levels are too high. You can then try to reduce the humidity in your home and test again until it’s corrected.
Using a dehumidifier and opening bathroom windows while showering can help reduce humidity levels.
Dark Tile Grout
Because showers and bathrooms in general naturally have high humidity levels, it’s not uncommon for mold to grow there.
Bathrooms should be one of the first places you check. If you see dark tile grout, then this could be mold.
Mold might also grow on the caulking around the tub as well. Do keep in mind that although there might not be signs of black mold in your bathroom, there are other types of mold to be on the lookout for. Mold grows in other colors such as pink, orange, white, brown, and more.
If there was a recent leak in your bathroom, then there could be mold growing in other places around the room also. Check around the toilet and under the sink too.
Peeling Wallpaper
Although wallpaper won’t last forever and will eventually need replacement, sometimes peeling or bubbling wallpaper could mean mold growth.
When moisture’s trapped behind the wallpaper in the walls, it damages the wallpaper and provides the perfect atmosphere for the mold.
Pay close attention to wallpaper on the walls or even paint. Check for damp areas and any warping of the paint or paper.
Visual Signs
Some signs of black mold are more difficult to detect than others. Seeing the mold, however, is a good sign that mold’s present in your home.
Check for dark spots on the ceilings or walls. Check all of the high-humidity areas in the home mentioned above.
Those are the most likely places to find mold. Remember, black mold will produce black spots or spores, but mold isn’t always black.
It could grow in several other colors, so if you find something suspicious, then don’t hesitate to have it checked out.
Decline in Health
Unfortunately, mold can cause health issues. Have you felt as though your home is making you sick? When allergies are causing you issues while outdoors, your home should be your safe place.
You shouldn’t feel worse while inside your own home. A decline in health, noticing feeling ill (a common cold, headaches, allergy symptoms), or an increase in current health issues (asthma) while inside your home is a sign that mold is present.
Black Mold Test
If you believe black mold is growing in your home, then the next step is to have a black mold test done.
Professionals will test for mold in your home. Testing for black mold should be done only by professionals who can give you the correct information about the type of mold and where it’s growing.
If mold is found, then you can begin preparing for black mold removal. HCI Environment will determine the exact location of the mold, the extent of it, and then begin the remediation process to help save your home.
Is There Black Mold in Your Home?
The signs of black mold listed above will help you determine if your home has been compromised.
If you believe your home has mold growing inside of it, then be sure to have it inspected, tested, and removed as soon as possible.
Use this information listed above to help you throughout the process.
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