How to Find Hidden Mold in Your House

Everyone hates to find mold in their home or building because of the wide-ranging effects it can have on your health and your property. Mold feeds on the surfaces it affects, using organic substances found in wood, drywall, and other building materials as a food source. If mold growth is not removed, it will cause extensive damage to the affected surfaces which could affect the structural integrity of your home. This is what makes hidden mold growth so dangerous. Mold can develop anywhere it has a moisture source and a food source and it often forms in hidden places behind walls and ceilings.

It can be difficult to tell if you have hidden mold and if no action is taken, it will only get worse. You must be able to identify the signs of hidden mold so you can act before it causes even worse damage. Mold can occur anywhere it finds a damp location where it can feed upon the organic components in your building materials.

When looking for mold in your home, it’s important to keep an eye out as well as a nose out for possible signs. Often mold can hide behind furniture or appliances, making it more likely for you to smell the mold than see it for the first time.

What are the signs of hidden mold?

Many homeowners may never suspect mold in their homes unless they can see it. However, hidden mold can remain undetected for a significant period and cause plenty of unseen damage. Make sure you look for these common signs of hidden mold growth:

• Odor: Mold has a distinct musty smell that is more apparent with significant mold growth. Mold has a unique smell which is a musty smell. Once you perceive the small in your home just know that mold is around the corner.

• Water damage: If your home or building has recently experienced water damage, there is a chance there is mold growth as well. Mold is a common side effect of water damage because it needs moisture to grow.

• Health effects: Exposure to mold spores can cause a range of allergic reactions including runny or stuffy nose, itchy eyes, skin irritation, or itchy throat as well as respiratory infections. If anyone experiences these symptoms in your home but the symptoms disappear when they leave your home, it could be caused by mold.

• Physical Damage: Check for cracks, watermarks, bulges, or soft spots in the walls and ceiling. These could be signs of mold damage.

Also, check these areas when looking for mold in your house –

• Behind wallpaper, paneling, and drywall
• The opposite side of the ceiling tiles
• Underneath carpets and rugs
• Wall surfaces behind furniture
• Areas near pipes
• Air ducts
• Crawlspaces

Keep in mind that mold is a sign of excessive moisture and water intrusion and can be visible or hidden behind many different surfaces. Whether it’s from a leaking pipe or previous water damage, mold can lead to costly building repairs and even adverse health effects, which is why it should be handled promptly

What about mold testing and detection?

If there is good reason to suspect hidden mold growth in your home, you must call a mold removal professional to deal with the issue. These professionals use advanced mold testing systems such as the InstaScope testing system to find hidden mold growth. With the InstaScope system, the testing equipment is used to measure the amount of mold in the air outside the home which serves as a baseline measurement.

The mold remediation professionals will then test each room within the home and compare the measurements to the baseline. Rooms with high mold levels are investigated further and treated with mold remediation. Hidden mold could be causing unseen damage in your home and affecting your health. By consistently checking for the common signs of hidden mold growth, you can find and remove the mold before it causes major damage.

What is mold? What causes mold in your home?

Mold is, by broad definition, a type of fungus that sprouts from microscopic spores floating in the air. When clusters of mold spores grow on surfaces, they start to reproduce and become visible to the human eye. If you have mold allergies, asthma, or another lung condition, even breathing in the microscopic pores can trigger an attack. If you don’t, you may not even be aware that there is mold in your home until you see it or smell it (a damp, musty odor is a good indicator that mold is growing nearby).

All homes have the key ingredients needed for mold growth: the presence of mold spores, a surface for it to grow on, oxygen, warmth, and darkness. When you add moisture, whether from a water leak, stagnant water, or high levels of humidity, into the mix, that’s where mold problems begin.

Knowing where mold is commonly found in homes can help you prevent and treat it so you can keep your home and body healthy.

Where to check for mold in your bathroom?

You may love a long, hot shower but, unfortunately, so does mold. The warm, wet environment of a bathroom is practically an invitation for mold growth. Bathrooms that lack proper ventilation (from a window, a fan, or ideally, both) are especially prone to attracting mold.

• Shower and bathtub: Showers and bathtubs are one of the most common places you may find mold. With repeated use, these areas tend to be damp most of the time. If you aren’t properly ventilating during and after your shower or bath, mold spores will thrive.

• Sink and toilet: The presence of water, combined with the humid nature of bathrooms, makes sinks and toilets prone to mold growth. The surface of the sink and counters, if not cleaned and dried, are the most noticeable places to check.

• In the walls and on the floor: From top to bottom, mold growth is likely in a bathroom. In addition to the places mentioned above, pay attention to any water leaks coming from the walls or floors, these leaks can cause mold to grow quickly.

Where to check for mold in your kitchen?

From long-forgotten leftovers in the back of your fridge to the not-so-easily forgotten dishes that pile up in the sink, there are ample surfaces for mold to take up residence in your kitchen.

The added levels of humidity from using the stove and running hot water from the sink can cause kitchen mold to grow quickly.

• In, on, and under the kitchen sink
• The refrigerator and pantry
• Microwave and stove

Where to check for mold in your bedroom?

Generally speaking, your bedroom may not seem like a breeding ground for mold and, with properly controlled humidity, it may not be. However, all indoor spaces are susceptible to mold, so it’s worth checking for, just in case.

• On your mattress
• Windows and window sills
• Air conditioning and heating vents

Where to check for mold in your living room?

It’s clear now that mold can form in any room of your home. The living room is no exception. From meals in front of the TV to the household plants you use to keep the air fresh, the chance for mold growth is compounded with every element you add.

• Couch and curtains
• Indoor plants
• Fireplace and chimney