Mold. The mere sight (or smell) of this unpleasant fungus growing inside your home is enough to make you want to tear down your walls. It can stop a home sale in its tracks or lead to serious health hazards. But, mold can be sneaky, not always visible to the naked eye, making it hard to find, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Below, our team of mold damage experts explains some of the more common signs there’s mold living in your home.
Causes of Mold
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, mold can be found virtually on any surface in your home, including wood, paper, carpet, and more. Its appearance can range from green or black to fuzzy and gray. When present, mold releases tiny spores that float through the air and can be easily inhaled. Left unattended and untreated, it can cause serious health problems and irreparable structural damage to your home. To thrive, grow, and multiply, mold spores need three things; dampness, warm temperatures, and a food source, like organic or carbon-based materials such as wood, drywall, paper products, carpets, etc. Since mold tends to grow in dark, high-moisture areas, there are certain places where you’ll most likely find it. The most common areas of mold growth are basements, bathrooms, crawl spaces, kitchens, and other poorly ventilated rooms. Now that you know the causes of mold and where it’s most likely to grow, below are the signs you may have mold in your home.Musty Odors
One of the telltale signs of mold growth is a stale, musty odor permeating your home. As mold grows, it releases microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOC) into the air, which is a gaseous chemical substance that gives off an unpleasant pungent odor.Moisture or Condensation on Walls
Too much humidity in your home can create the perfect environment for mold. If you notice water or condensation on your walls and windows, it’s a sign you might have a mold problem.Visible Growth
Sometimes, you can see the mold growth itself. As we mentioned earlier, mold can come in several colors, shapes, and textures, the most common being gray, black, and green, but it can also be white, pink, purple, brown, blue, and red! Textures include fuzzy, powdery, velvety, or slimy.Stains
If you spot stains, peeling wallpaper, discoloration, or notice bubbling, cracking, or peeling paint, you’re likely dealing with a mold problem. Dark blots on walls or ceilings typically mean there’s mold growing between the floor above and the ceiling below. Additionally, you may also notice rust or black spots near the air vents in your ceiling or floors, indicative of high moisture and usually mold.Mold Damage Experts in the Greater Philadelphia Area
To help stop or eliminate mold growth in your home, you need to control all of the contributing factors, which is almost impossible to do on your own. That’s where our mold remediation services come in! The Restoration 1 of Chester County team focuses on the source of moisture and then works to control the outbreak. Using highly advanced technology and innovative techniques, we can restore your property to its pre-disaster state. Connect with us at (610) 890-4258 at the first sign of mold to prevent a small problem from becoming a costly emergency.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Lori has always had a passion for construction and property management. Lori is IICRC-certified in Water and Fire Remediation and Restoration, and has a cumulative experience of 15 years of which she spent 12 years serving the Chester,
Delaware, and Montgomery counties with exceptional attention to detail and uncompromising dedication to each of her clients. She is a seasoned professional with a deep understanding of the field, and can be relied upon for a thoroughly professional experience.