When To Suspect Your Home Has A Mold Problem And When To Call Professionals For Help

Mold is so common that you might have mold growing in your house right now. Mold spores float through the air all the time, and when they land on a food source and have the right humidity and temperature surrounding them, the spores will spread and thrive. Here's a look at a few indications that your home has a mold problem, where to look for mold, and when to call for professional help to get rid of it.

When To Start Looking For Mold

Mold is often accompanied by a musty odor, so if you keep getting whiffs of a mildewy odor, try to track down where it's coming from. You might also suspect a mold problem when you have allergy symptoms and can't figure out what's triggering them. If your home has high humidity or has had a water leak, you should suspect mold is growing somewhere even if you can't see it or smell it.

Where To Look For Mold

Look for mold in places that might get wet, such as an attic after a roof leak, the basement, bathrooms, and under the kitchen sink. Mold can also grow behind wallpaper, between the walls, or under carpet. It's not always easy to find mold.

Mold may even be in your HVAC and ducts. If you can't find out where the mold is coming from, you may need to call a mold removal company to find it and get rid of it.

How To Remove Mold

Most of the mold you encounter in your home can be removed with mold cleaning products you buy at the store. This includes things like mold that grows around your bathtub, washing machine, and other small areas in your home. When mold covers the ceiling of your attic or a wall in your house, it's time to call in a mold removal expert. Removing large areas of mold is dangerous, as it can spread spores around and make your situation worse.

The mold removal company can kill the mold and remove building materials damaged by it. It's not enough to just remove the mold from a surface, as it can grow back. The mold has to be killed or sealed in place once the visible mold has been removed. Since wood is porous, it's difficult to remove wood from it entirely, and in that case the contractor may use a product that seals the wood so spores can't escape.

You might need to make some changes around your house once the mold removal is complete so mold doesn't start growing again. Fix water leaks and drips, and if humidity is high in your house, run a dehumidifier or increase ventilation to keep your home drier.