Can Black Mold Spores Travel In The Air
Yes. Mold spores are airborne and can attach themselves to peoples skin, clothing, shoes, shopping bags, furniture, carpets, and even pets. Once spores enter your home, they can settle onto any surface and start to multiply. They can also enter your house through open doorways, open windows, and HVAC systems.
Mold spores are microscopic and are virtually found everywhere. They are naturally found in the air we breathe, both indoors and outdoors. Since spores are tiny and lightweight, they become airborne easily, every time we vacuum or walk on the carpets or even sit on our couch.
Problems In The Attic Leading To Musty Odors
Odors that are caused by issues in the attic can be a nuisance because they are not simple to diagnose.
The most issue to diagnose is of course roof leaks. You start seeing stains when it gets bad enough and you easily figure it out.
Unfortunately, it’s not always quite that simple.
There are other issues that can arise in the attic that can lead to your home smelling like mold.
It could have been a problem brewing for years since the day your house was built or it could have been due to the things moved around by people that were doing work in the attic.
Why Does Mold Form In Homes
Mold forms in homes because, in many cases, a home is the ideal place for mold to grow particularly in basements and other areas which may be dark and moist, and have a similar temperature all-year-round, due to furnaces and water heaters.
Essentially, there are mold spores in the air at all times and once they find a place thats hospitable to them, theyll start reproducing, causing a visible mold problem.
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How Can You Test The Air In Your House For Mold
Youd know if you had mold right?
Dont be so sure. Some mold can be so undetectable that it is not even visible. It can travel unseen through the air in the form of spores and spread effortlessly through any home or building. This spread can lead to troubling health issues like:
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Respiratory illness
Spore test kits are one of the ways that technology has helped simplify remediation. Once you know where to check and have your test kit ready, you can get to the bottom of whether or not you may be dealing with an infestation. However, youll also need to know where to look or mold and how to remove it.
In this guide, well share how you can test the air in your house for mold.
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How To Test For Mold
You probably dont need to do mold testing or buy a mold test kit, especially if the fungus is visible. Because the health effects of mold vary from person to person, the CDC says that if you can see it or smell it, it should be removed, no matter what type of mold is in your home.
While its not possible to completely eliminate mold in your house, you can prevent a build-up by cleaning up any wet or damp spots and fixing any existing water leaks.
Neither the CDC nor the EPA recommends doing routine mold samplingsboth organizations point out that there are no federal limits for mold in buildings, so people cant check their apartment complexs compliance with the law, for example. Plus, the testing can be expensive.
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Mold Symptoms And 11 Signs That You Have Mold In Your House
Did you know that, according to the EPA, Americans spend 90% of their time at home? The professionals in the MOLDY documentary suggest that over 50% of the US population has mold and mildew problems, and 28% of the population has a genetic predisposition to mold-related health problems.
If your health is a priority, you need to understand the symptoms of mold exposure so you can act quickly to protect yourself and your family members.
In this short article, we will share the typical signs of mold exposure so you can get the better of this nasty fungus.
Most often, when we see mold on items, we simply throw away the damaged item. Some household mold can pose a much greater danger.
Some molds release a compound called mycotoxin that can cause breathing problems, migraines, and permanent neurological damage. Milder symptoms may consist of a runny nose, sneezing, or an obsessive odor.
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Signs Mold May Be Growing In Your House
There are over a thousand different varieties of mold with black mold being the most common found in households. You may notice that some molds vary in color from brown or green, to blue and pink, and even white. No matter what type of mold it is, you need to get it out of your home as soon as possible.
Mold is not always easily detectable. It is most commonly found in basements and bathrooms where condensation and moisture tends to be high. It can also be caused by poorly ventilated dryers, dishwashing machines, flooding or leaks.
Here are five things to consider when searching for mold:
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You Find Dark Or Colored Spots On Your Walls
Mold can appear in many shapes, textures, and colors. It can look like anything from green, dripping slime definitely something youd notice to an innocuous-looking grey fuzz. If your walls are coming out in spots, its worth double-checking that there isnt a leak in the pipes or uncontrolled humidity in the room.
If you have a pre-existing breathing problem that seems to flare up after long periods at home, mold could be the culprit.
Most species of household mold wont bother people without breathing issues but can aggravate asthma in individuals who already suffer from the condition. Consider scheduling a doctors appointment and a mold inspection if your breathing problems seem to worsen without a clear cause.
Getting A Diagnosis For Mold Sickness
While symptoms to mold exposure are not uncommon , many health care professionals struggle to pinpoint the cause behind these symptoms.
Often only a few people or one person and not everyone, in a home or workplace experience symptoms. This is frustrating and confusing for the sick person. When their doctors cant find any reason for the illness, they can start to feel like the sickness is all in their mind.
People suffering from mold exposure can often be misdiagnosed with disorders such as:
- Depression
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Your Attic Insulation Is Lumpy
Wave off the spider webs and take a closer look at the insulation in your attic. Attic insulation that is very lumpy and uneven-looking may mean a bigger problem, says John Bodrozic, Co-Founder of HomeZada.The insulation could be in bad shape due to unforeseen roof leaks, which could also mean potential mold issues. If your attic has poor circulation or improper ventilation, it could create ideal conditions for mold growth.
Dont Ignore These Warning Signs You Have Mold In Your House
Mold may look innocent, but it poses a serious threat to your health and your home.
If youve seen any of these signs you have mold in your house, dont delay. Call in a professional mold remediation company to remove this dangerous substance from your home.
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Symptoms Of Mold In Your House What Does Mold Look Like
Mold is usually a black, white, brown, green, gray, or yellow, fuzzy growth. Sometimes you can see it. Sometimes you cant because it is hidden in the dark recesses of your home. Places like attics, crawlspaces, basements, behind cabinets, inside floors, etc. are great places for mold to grow.
Water Damage Leads to Mold
Its not easy to see mold, but if you have any water leaks in your home, you are much more likely to find it! Flooding is of course a major problem, but usually people notice when pipes have burst or flood waters have invaded their homes. These are dramatic events!
Not all water leaks are this dramatic! Slow leaks over time can cause just as much damage because they go unnoticed.
However, tiny cracks in pipes and hoses, and clogs in drains can become a nightmare if forgotten long enough. Tiny leaks over a long period of time can cause as much or more damage than flooding water type events. Because they go unnoticed, tiny leaks can cause more damage than most people realize. Remember we talked about how mold has plenty of food sources in your home? All it takes is that tiny bit of extra moisture and mold starts growing. In most cases it starts within 48 hours!
The main sources for mold growth in homes are water leaks from faucets, roofs, hot water heaters, ground water damage and even sewer backup. Find the water leaks and find the source of the problem.
How Fast Do Molds Grow
Moisture behind baseboards and cabinets, wet carpet tack strips, in crawl spaces, basements, and other hard to reach areas are a ticking mold time bomb. Once enough moisture is present, molds can begin to grow in less than 48 hours! Even with fans going and mopping up the water, it may not be enough to prevent mold growth.
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Other Places In The Kitchen
Wooden cutting boards, trash cans, behind the stove and windows and window sills in the kitchen are like heaven for mold spores. They feed off of these places, so keeping them clean and dry is critical for keeping mold at bay.
To keep your kitchen mold free, be sure to:
- Ventilate when cooking and doing dishes by opening a window, using a fan, or both
- Wash the dishes every day, so they dont pile up in the sink
- Clean and dry the stove top, microwave, counters, cabinets, and window sills regularly
- Clean out the inside of your fridge and your fridge drip tray often
- Take the trash out every day
Water In The Foundation
Look out for a build-up of water around your homes base. This can lead to foundational problems for your home if there is a lot of water. At your homes foundation, gathering rainwater can be prevented by sloping your yard outwards from your foundation. In the same line of thought, damp basements are another culprit. Usually, there is no good ventilation in basements. This is an indication that basements could contain higher humidity or moisture amounts compared to other rooms in the home. Also, basements are often colder which means more condensation occurs which leads to humidity and basement.
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How To Identify And Treat Mold In Your Basement
- Working Time: 3 – 4 hrs
- Total Time: 3 – 4 days
- Yield: 80 square feet of basement wall
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Estimated Cost: $30 to $60
If any place in the house will grow mold, it’s the basement. Basements collect and trap moisture, and moisture is one factor that leads to mold growth. And because basements have less natural light and airflow than other parts of the home, that mold will not die off on its own.
Some strains of black mold can be a health hazard. Plus, mold can quickly decay organic materials such as wood, leading to structural failure. This means that identifying and treating mold in the basement should be a priority as soon as you believe that you have it.
How Does Mold Hide
Mold spores are very tiny, microscopic, in fact. That means they cannot be seen by the naked eye, only by a microscope. They are also very lightweight and easily drift in the air from place to place.
Since mold spores are so tiny, they can end up in all sorts of places, like under floorboards, inside walls, and in a home’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning ducts. Most strains of mold grow rapidly and all it takes is a bit of moisture for a few mold spores to turn into a whole lot of mold. Mold can flourish in hidden places like these before finally making itself known.
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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. Some of the most common places to check for mold in the kitchen include:
Your Wallpaper Is Peeling
While some discoloration and scruffiness are bound to strike your wallpaper eventually, unusual peeling or surface abnormalities like bubbling or cracking can signal the presence of moisture in the wall. Moisture is a reliable precursor to mold.
Keep an eye on your walls and make sure to pay attention to any areas that feel damp or look warped.
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Sign 6 Of Mold In House: Physical Symptoms Of Mold
Do you experience frequent headaches, an inability to focus, memory loss or dizziness? The toxic substances of mold can cause these symptoms in addition to allergic reactions or in more severe cases asthma attacks. Those with weak immune systems are especially susceptible to the health risks associated with mold.
If you are experiencing one or more of these signs of mold in your house, be sure to take immediate action and contact a professional, such as Crossroads Property Rescue, for further inspection and/or remediation. We provide emergency property restoration and decontamination services to Morgantown, West Virginia and the tri-state area of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Western Maryland and all of Northern West Virginia. Were available 24/7 at 855-DRY-3222 .
Does Black Mold Smell Worse Than Regular Mold
Black mold refers to a type of mold called Stachybotrys which is just one specie. Because takes a large or hidden chronic leak for black mold to grow for a long time, the odor of black mold is typically more potent than other mold spore types.
The odor that Stachybotrys lets off can also be much more harmful to your health as well because the off-gassing can let off toxins.
But don’t be fooled, many other species of mold can cause an odor outside of black toxic mold.
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Signs You Have Mold Inside Walls And How To Deal With It
When it comes to mold inside walls, The Mold Twins have been on well over 1,200 calls in Los Angeles alone. We know we can provide you the best tactics to deal with the potential dangers of it, how to determine if there is, and what you should do to remove it.
Identify Areas Known To Harbor Mold
When you believe you smell mold, go on the hunt to find it. Look near water supply pipes, around water drainage lines and sewage pipes, anywhere near dryer vents and in laundry rooms, under sinks, in the ceiling above a finished basement, near bathroom exhaust vents, around sump pumps, and inside wall cavities.
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How To Tell When Mold Is Behind Your Walls
Mold may be a part of nature, but its one natural thing that you never want to see in your home. Even the most minor examples of mold can be visually unappealing and potentially cause health issues, especially for people who are allergic. Learn about what causes mold in the home, what to look for, and how to prevent and treat it to keep every room in the house clean and safe.
How Do I Detect Black Mold Inside My Walls In The First Place
Peeling wallpaper can also be a symptom of mold. While some scruffiness and discoloration tend to eventually strike your wallpaper, unusual surface or peeling abnormalities such as crackling or bubbling can be a sign of wall moisture. And remember, a reliable precursor to mold is always going to be moisture. Make sure to pay attention to any warped areas that feel damp.
To keep mold from growing in your cooling or heating systems, you can have a specialist check them regularly. Another indication of mold in the house is dark grout between bathroom tiles. Even if this type is most likely the harmless type, there could be flooding in the adjacent room or a leak in bathroom plumbing that could produce a more toxic fungus type that only professionals can remove. A sample sent for testing will let you know whether or not your shower is harmless.
Mold could also be the culprit when you have pre-existent problems with breathing that after long periods at home seem to flare up. Many household species of mold wont affect persons that do not have issues with breathing. However, in individuals suffering from asthma, it could aggravate it. Consider a mold inspection and a doctors appointment if the problems with your breathing seem to get worse with no clear cause.
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How Long Do Mold Symptoms Last
The tricky thing about mold exposure is that its different for each person. The amount of time mold exposure symptoms persist depends on:
- What type of mold they are exposed to,
- How long the exposure has been,
- How well their bodies eliminate toxins
Those who process toxins well can see their symptoms disappear as quickly as a few days.
Others who eliminate toxins slowly can experience symptoms for much longer. They could be ill for months or even years after the source of mold is eliminated.
