Thursday, March 21, 2024

How To Find Out If You Have Black Mold

How To Remove Mold From Shower Curtains And Liners

How To Test For Black Mold In 5 Minutes
  • If your shower curtain or liner is plastic, a mold and mildew spray thats safe for plastic, like Clorox Tilex Mold and Mildew Remover, can be used to get rid of mold. Simply spray on, wait until the stains disappear and rinse off.
  • Another option: Wash your plastic liner in the washing machine on the delicate cycle with warm water, laundry detergent and bleach. If the shower curtain is fabric, its best to wash it on the warmest setting possible according to the care instructions.

How Can I Check For Mold

Its best to hire a professional to help you identify and remove mold, especially if youre allergic or vulnerable to it.

You should also consider hiring help if the mold covers more than 10 square feet or if its hidden behind wallpaper, ceiling tiles, or other areas.

Here are some steps for identifying and removing mold.

How To Identify Black Mold On Other Surfaces

Black mold has a distinct look that should signal to you its presence on other surfaces in your home. It may look dark green or gray, depending on where it is growing. It also may simply look like black, fuzzy spots growing in dark and wet corners of the floor, ceiling, walls and other areas.

If other surfaces in your home have been exposed to moisture, humidity or water and have this type of growth on them, you should suspect that the spores are actually black fungus. The spots may even be difficult to sweep or scrub and only be removed and killed if you spray bleach or ammonia on them.

Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Mold On A Bathroom Ceiling

Products And Tools Youll Need To Test For Mold In Your Home

The only thing you need to test for mold at home is a test kit. In addition to the ones previously mentioned, there are several options available:

  • Pro-Lab Mold Test Kit: This kit includes three tests. Your sample can be tested for an additional $40 fee, with results delivered by e-mail or via the companys app.
  • MoldCheck Multi-Test Kit: This kit includes supplies to perform ten tests, which is great for an entire home or monitoring an ongoing infestation. However, there is no lab testing option, so you will need to find your own if you need identification.
  • ImmunoLytics Mold Screening Test Kit: Perform eight tests with this kit. Each plate can be tested for $33 each.
  • My Mold Detective: If you are looking for a more advanced mold monitoring option, the My Mold Detective is a reusable air sampling pump that collects samples in just five minutes. The device comes with four sampling cassettes that can be tested in a lab for $35 each.
  • My Mold Detective Additional Samples: The My Mold Detective can be used again and again, so order as many samples as you need to keep tabs on your mold problem.

What Are Black Mold Health Symptoms

Black Mold Removal

We all know mold isnt welcomed in the home, but did you know too that breathing in the presence of mold can harm your health? There are over 2,000 different species of mold and the most dangerous of all is called Stachybotrys Chartarum, also known as black mold or the invisible killer.

Why is black mold so dangerous? Black mold releases toxic spores that linger in the air and attack your respiratory health. The potency of these toxic spores has proved to be the most detrimental to human health.

Black mold often appears as slimy and greenish-black. If its water source runs out, it can also appear as dry and powdery. Black mold is also dangerous because its sometimes difficult to distinguish from other species of mold.

The following are health symptoms associated with black mold exposure:

  • Eye irritation

In severe cases, symptoms caused by inhaling black mold can lead to the following health troubles:

  • Vomiting
  • Asthma
  • Respiratory complications

Sometimes mold invades spaces that are hard to see and reach. It spreads fast, burrowing into walls and ceilings and hiding in cupboards and under carpets. Quite often, people are exposed to black mold without even knowing it. If you or anyone in your home is experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms without knowing why, you may be exposed to mold.

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How Does Black Mold Get Inside A House

Mold spores can find their way inside by hitchhiking on clothes, pet fur, and air currents straight into your home. But spores can not usually survive without plenty of water. This is why you will often find black mold around water-damaged areas. For example floods or leaky pipes.

Materials like drywall, carpet, or gypsum board can soak up water, creating a perfect home for a black mold colony. And you really want to prevent this if you can. If you find water damage at home, its key to remove all the affected materials to prevent mold from growing.

Testing For Mold In The House

If you suspect you have mold growth in your house, its important to determine the type of mold and severity of the growth with a mold inspection. In some cases, mold has been suspected of making people sick, causing allergic reactions, and leading to expensive repairs if left untreated.

Also, bear in mind that mold remediation only removes the symptom. Therefore, if you want to have peace of mind about the health of you, your family, and your home, then locate the source of the moisture leaking into your home and make those repairs as you clean up the mold. When testing for mold in the house, professional services are available to help you find hidden mold and moisture problems in your home.

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How To Detect Mold In Walls

If there is an area of your home where you think mold may be present in the walls due to smell, a strange appearance of the wall, or any other factor there are a few ways you can test this.

The simplest way is to probe the area with a screwdriver. If the area is soft or the screwdriver easily pierces the drywall, mold likely has rotted the surface away, and youll be able to see it once a hole has been opened up in the surface. Be careful when doing this and do not do it near any wiring or electrical outlets.

You could also use a fiber optic camera to look around inside after opening a hole in the wall, but at this point, you may as well hire a professional inspector. A professional inspector has the tools required to examine the wall thoroughly, and ensure that its mold free or detect any potential issues.

How Fast Does Black Mold Spread

Housecleaning Tips : How to Identify Black Mold

Mold begins to grow as soon as its spores land on a damp, fibre-rich material and it can spread around the house within 24 to 48 hours. It colonizes in one to twelve days and grows at one square inch per day. In less than a week, it can cover surface areas of several square feet.

Unfortunately in most cases, mold is widespread and already a big problem before a problem is even suspected by the homeowners.

Also Check: Shower Ceiling Mold Removal

How Much Does Black Mold Removal Cost

Simon C. Burbank CA.

The investment to remove black mold removal is also dependent on the severity of it, the location, is it hidden in walls, crawl space, attic, inside HVAC & dusting system all dictate the cost for removal.

You can expect to pay a high of $9,800.00 to a low of $560.00 on an average.

Looking For Signs Of Mold In Your Home

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, its important to keep an eye out as well as a nose out for possible signs. Often times mold can hide behind furniture or appliances, making it more likely for you to smell the mold than see it for the first time.

Black mold will have a strong earthy, dirty, and musty smell and is the laymans term used for Stachybotrys mold. This type of mold can have a particularly strong smell making it more noticeable when starting to form. Unfortunately, mold only needs water, organic matter, a dark environment, and time to grow, meaning its often found in places that arent heavily trafficked in the home.

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Essential Oils Extracts And Tinctures

So many herbs have antifungal properties. The active compounds are extracted from herbs, and the essential oils deliver concentrated amounts of beneficial compounds that will kill spores inside the body.

Oils are most commonly preserved as tinctures and taking 10 30 drops, 3 x a day for three months will guarantee results. If taking a powder form usually ½ to 1 teaspoon, mixed in a little warm water, can be considered daily, also for about 3 months.

Yes, you can also take the natural fresh herbs instead of the more potent oils, especially if you want to prevent rather than cure.

Black And Toxic Molds

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The term “black” mold is misleading at best. First, while the terms “toxic” and “black” mold are commonly used interchangeably, only one is recognized as black mold by most professionals: Stachybotrys chartarum, sometimes called Stachybotrys atra. Other common indoor toxic molds include – but are not limited to – Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria. Furthermore, Stachybotrys isn’t actually black, but a greenish-black color instead. Finally, with more than 100,000 known types of mold, many of them are black. Unless they are Stachybotrys, however, they aren’t “black” mold and may not even be toxic.

Read Also: How To Clean Black Mold Off Ceiling

Early Signs Of Black Mold In Your Home

Identifying mold growth typically happens after a water breach. This may be a leak, a flood, or even simply a condensation that is allowed to remain.

As water is a necessary ingredient for mold growth, discovering this type of breach is an indication that you may also find mold thriving in your home.

Some of the signs of black mold in your house may be a musty smell, dark-colored tile grout, and warped drywall.

In many cases, homeowners are able to easily identify the obvious places where mold has spread. The issue comes in the more hidden spaces that require professional assistance to identify and properly dry, disinfect, and restore.

What Are The Mental & Neurological Symptoms Associated With Black Mold Exposure

Black mold produces toxins that can kill neurons in the brain and can impair a persons mental faculties. Exposure to black mold toxins may cause mental & neurological conditions, like nervous disorders. Symptoms of mental & neurological effects of black mold exposure include altered behavior, mood swings, and irritability.

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How Do I Know If The Mold Has Been Fully Removed Once It Is Been Remediated

Bill W. Santa Clarita CA.

You can always hire a third party mold inspector to verify. Always make sure you hire a Los Angeles black mold removal expert, youll see their work and they will provide you spectacular results giving you peace of mind.

They should also provide you a great warranty as well.

How To Tell If Black Mold Is Hiding In Your Walls

How To Remove Black Mold From Your Bathroom Ceiling

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Black mold the words alone are enough to make you cringe. Its the last thing you need in your home. Any mold can cause problems for people who are allergic, of course, but those molds referred to as black or toxic are particularly dangerous. Chances are, if the conditions inside your home are hospitable to mold, youre going to have it. If you suspect the mold is black or toxic, however, consider hiring a professional to remove it for you.

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How To Tell If You Have Black Mold Growing In Your Home

Though not all indoor mold is toxic to all persons, many people are susceptible to the ill effects of black mold symptoms and growth. Black mold refers to a particularly virulent type of fungus known as Stachybotrys Atra. It’s important to be aware of suspected black mold symptoms and growth inside your home and seek professional treatment to eliminate this most toxic fungus.

Stachybotrys Atra is naturally present in the soil in most climates. However, migrating spores infiltrate houses and other structures. Inert spores remain dormant until exposed to moisture that triggers active growth. Once black mold growth begins, millions of live microscopic reproductive spores are released into the air. These spores contain mycotoxins which produce physical symptoms in most people when inhaled or ingested in sufficient concentration.

Symptoms of Black Mold

Troublesome physical symptoms should always be reported first to your physician before assuming they are mold-related. Here are some of the ill effects black mold may cause:

  • Lung congestion and other breathing difficulties.
  • Chronic coughing, sneezing and respiratory irritation.
  • Eye irritation and redness.
  • Headaches, nausea and other flu-like symptoms.
  • Impaired concentration and depression.

Signs Of Black Mold Growth

For important information about neutralizing black mold symptoms and growth, contact the mold remediation specialists at Rytech, Inc.

How Do I Get Rid Of Black Mold

Your best option for getting rid of it involves calling a professional remediation service. The remediation contractors use professional equipment and cleaning chemicals to kill the spores and eliminate infestations. They also wear safety gear like goggles and respirator masks to avoid breathing it in and cordon off the areas where they work to prevent spores from spreading to other parts of your home.

Also Check: How To Clean Mold Off Bathroom Walls And Ceiling

Where Is Mold Found In A Home

A research study found that Stachybotrys preferred a very high relative humidity within wallsapproximately 97%which indicates that relative humidity could be an important risk factor . For black mold, you may consider smaller microclimates that may harbor such humidity levels: sweating pipes, under sink cabinets, front loading washing machines, standing water, roof leaks, damp cars, windows with condensation, etc. Generally, common places to check for mold growth include the kitchen, bathroom and laundry room.

However, humidity alone is not the only requirement for mold growthmold requires nutrients to grow. Any environment that has nutrients like cellulose or other organic matter can harbor mold if the humidity level is right. To further enable mold growth, an environment that has poor air flow and minimal disruption is ideal. For example, you can find mold on wallpaper, furniture, drywall, overly-packed bookshelves or overstuffed closets.

Is Mold Really A Big Deal

8 Signs You Need a Black Mold Detox

The answer depends, but it can definitely turn into a huge deal for the building and your health. Even regular, run-of-the-mill mold can make you miserable and should be dealt with immediately. However, mold that is left untreated can develop into black mold, which is toxic to humans and can make you extremely ill.

Read Also: Best Way To Remove Mold From Bathroom Ceiling

What To Do For Black Mold

If you see a patch of what you think might be black mold, don’t touch it remember, says Anderson, that disturbing the mold is what causes the spores to release its toxins. “Don’t attempt to wipe it or spray it or put any chemical on itthat’s just going to make it angry,” she says. “The best thing to do is contain it.” She recommends covering the entire area with plastica bag or dropcloth will worksecured around the outer edge of the mold area . “If you have HVAC running into that room, shut the vents so they’re not pulling anything into the other rooms,” Anderson adds.

What Does Black Mold Look Like

When you want to identify positively the signs of the dangerous type of this fungus versus the regular type, you need to know for what characteristics to look. The toxic variety can look dark green or black in color. It may also be gray, depending on where it is growing in your home.

You can also identify it by its odor. The odor is one of the tell tale signs of it that can help you detect its presence. It may smell musty and like mildew where it grows.

Also Check: How To Fix Mold On Ceiling

How To Prevent Mold And Mildew

  • Keep things clean.
  • Increase ventilation in the affected area with exhaust fans.
  • Install dehumidifiers to reduce humidity.
  • Ensure that sources of natural ventilation such as windows remain open, if possible.
  • Make sure that sources of mechanical venting such as HVAC vents remain open and unblocked.
  • Inspect vents for clothes dryers and ensure that vents are clean and that they are attached.

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How Long Does It Take To Remove Black Mold

How to search for hidden mold in your home

Armen D. Glendale Ca.

The time it takes for Black mold removal, is all dependent on how severe the growth is, the location of it, what caused the mold to grow in the first place, sewer wastewater, or freshwater leak.

We have removed black mold in 4 hours for lite contamination, and up to 4 days for severe contamination.

Having the proper certified black mold removal agents makes the removal process safe and very effective.

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How To Tell If Mold Is Toxic

Mold is a nasty problem to deal with for any home or business-owner. In the wake of a disaster such as a storm, its possible for mold to start growing in as quickly as 1-2 days. Whats even more alarming is when that mold turns out to be toxic, posing a serious risk to you and anyone else on your property.

To clarify, its not that the mold you are dealing with in and of itself is toxic. Its that certain strains of mold, like the notorious Stachybotrys chartarummore commonly known as black moldproduce mycotoxins. Its these mycotoxins which may cause a burning sensation in the throat and lungs, chest pain, persistent coughing, fever, rashes, and migraines. Prolonged exposure to Stachybotrys may lead to serious health issues, including breathing problems, fatigue, sinusitis and other pain in the sinus cavities, and even depression.

How to tell if you may be dealing with toxic mold in your home:

  • Watch out for a nasty smell: The most common sign that you arent dealing with any ordinary mold is a musty odor, sort of like rotting dirt of rotting leaves. Mold thrives in dark, damp, humid environments, so follow your nose to cramped spaces in your home if you detect an unusual smell.
  • You start experiencing health problems: If you experience respiratory issues or any of the other symptoms mentioned above, call someone to deal with your mold as soon as possible. Rashes, coughing, and feelings of fatigue are only likely to worsen the longer you wait.
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