When you have mold hidden away in your house, a moldy smell might be the only clue that it’s there. Don’t ignore mold odors if you can’t see any mold. You should thoroughly inspect your home before any mold problems get worse.
Common signs you may have mold:
You are suffering allergic symptoms
You notice a mold smell
You have had a water problem, for example: flooding, leaking pipes or a leaking roof
Water stains or discoloration on walls, floors or ceilings in your house
Surface abnormalities like peeling, bubbling or cracking of the paint or wallpaper and/or If your walls are bowed, bulging or warped
If you can see mold growth, even if it’s only small, you should take action immediately. Small mold patches can spread and the fact that there is mold shows that the conditions in your home are right for mold growth. Visible mold growth could be a sign that there is a much larger problem hidden away from view. Common places where mold often grows is on substances high in cellulose such as drywall, under carpets, in insulation or in ventilation ducts.
Recognizing Mold
Some mold growth looks white and thread-like. Other mold appears as clusters of small black spots. Mold can be black, gray-brown, gray-green or white in color. Mold growing behind wallpaper made of vinyl can even appear orange, pink or purple.
It’s always best to hire a professional to do the mold inspection for you. Thanks to their experience and their knowledge of spots where mold most often hides, you can be sure that if there’s any mold in your home that they will find it. Be sure to let them know about any leaks, floods or any other moisture problems you’ve had in your home.
Mold inspectors use special equipment like moisture meters and fiber optics as well as air quality tests. This way they can find any and all hidden mold while barely disturbing your home. These tests allows them to find hot spots where mold is most likely growing and will aid in determining if they should be looking into hidden areas such as behind walls or in floor/ceiling joists.
