How To Know If You Have Mold In Your Room

Common Causes Of Water Damage Leading To Mold Smells

There are multiple reasons why your house can smell moldy due to mold but they all have one common factor which was stated earlier

Water damage.

It can come in many forms:

• Roof leaks
• Appliance leaks such as your refridgerator line or ice maker
• Air conditioning leak
• Etc.

When these types of leaks aren’t cleaned up quickly, mold can start to grow and let off odors.

What Mold Looks Like

Molds are a type of fungus and can look like their fungal cousins, mushrooms and yeasts. Outdoors, molds can be seen gobbling up the dead organic matter on decomposing surfaces like fallen leaves and rotting logs indoors, house mold thrives in wet, humid environments like bathrooms and basements or anywhere that has recently flooded. There are thousands of types of mold, and their appearance can vary depending on the type of mold and where its growing.

The most common indoor molds are Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Black mold, or Stachybotrys chartarum , is also sometimes found in homes and other buildings. This greenish-black growth can grow on fiberboard, paper, dust, and lint, particularly in areas that may have recently flooded or suffered other types of water damage. While black mold can certainly look scary, the CDC says that Stachybotrys chartarum isnt any more harmful than other types of mold.

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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

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Is It Important To Test Mold

Mold growing in your bedroom no matter the type should be removed. The health risk is not necessarily tied to a certain type or amount of mold. Therefore, there are no federal limits on acceptable levels of indoor mold, and expert groups typically do not recommend routine testing for mold strains.

The important thing is to rid your home of any known mold immediately, or better yet, prevent mold from growing in the first place. Youll rest better knowing that youre doing everything you can to keep this silent invader out of your bedroom.

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• 1.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. . Basic Facts about Mold and Dampness. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from
• 2.Wood, R. A., Eggleston, P. A., Lind, P., Ingemann, L., Schwartz, B., Graveson, S., Terry, D., Wheeler, B., & Adkinson, N. F., Jr . Antigenic analysis of household dust samples. The American Review of Respiratory Disease, 137, 358363.
• 3.Seguel, J. M., Merrill, R., Seguel, D., & Campagna, A. C. . Indoor Air Quality. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 11, 284295.
• 4.Environmental Protection Agency. . A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from
• 5.

Water Leaks Or Flooding

If you have ever experienced flooding or a water leak in your home, there is a chance that there is mold growing where the water was. Mold can grow underneath floors and behind paint in your walls. It is commonly found behind the wall near leaky sink pipes.

Watch out for bubbles and cracks in your paint or wallpaper and keep an eye out for bulging or warped walls. This can be a strong indication of mold under the surface. Finally, you can search for water stains or discoloration on your walls, floors, and ceilings which could be a sign that mold is growing behind these areas.

Also Check: Killing Mold On Bathroom Ceiling

Your Bathroom Doesnt Dry Well

One of the major indicators of mold or mildew is the presence of water. Generally, water should drain from the tub after you are done bathing. In some situations, water does not drain. It may seep into the grout around the tub or even work its way behind shower tiles. Water seepage can cause mold or mildew to grow.

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.

Read Also: How To Clean Mold In Bathroom Ceiling

Condensation And Persistent Moisture

Whether there is excess moisture on your windows, or condensation dripping from your pipes, a damp home is an ideal breeding ground for mold, and can be an indicator that mold is already present in your home. The best dehumidifiers serve as a good solution to reduce excess moisture as they will set the humidity in your home to the level you indicate on the dehumidifier. They aren’t a permanent solution, however, and you should consider getting your windows swapped for double-glazed panes, or having them re-sealed by a professional.

If you’re finding moisture on pipes, a plumber can help diagnose the problem here. In some instances, putting insulation around pipes can prevent moisture build-up, and in others you can consider running warm-water pipes away from cold ones, to avoid excess moisture build-up.

Controlling Mold In The Bedroom

Keep in mind that its nearly impossible to keep mold spores from entering your home. Microscopic spores can come in through open airways, windows, and vents, or latch onto clothing and pets. Therefore, the best approach to preventing mold is to make sure your bedroom environment doesnt support its growth.

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Can Sleeping In A Room With Mold Kill You

No, it is not healthy to sleep in a room with mold and mildew. An interior mold of any kind of exposure is something to worry about and mold inside your bedroom is particularly so, simply as a result of the number of hrs you invest in your bedroom breathing it in while you rest. Beyond the instant allergy signs and symptoms, mold and mildew direct exposure usually create rest concerns, too.

Recognize What Are The Symptoms of Mold Exposure

If they enter into contact with mold, they may experience signs and symptoms, such as:

• a dripping or blocked nose.
• a dry cough.
• watery, red eyes.
• an aching throat.

So, how long you can really stay inside a room with mold? 2 days. Also even worse, if you dont take any action the mold will certainly continue growing until actions are taken to get rid of the problem. Drying out extensively may assist avoid prompt and long-term health problems. Permit areas to completely dry a couple of days before replacing damaged products.

Why Does Mold Grow Behind Wallpaper

Mold can grow behind wall paper due to the trapping over moisture. This is especially true in bathrooms where there is constantly a dew point created. The presence of a leak can accelerate mold growth behind wallpaper as well.

These problems can remain hidden for a long time because

Who thinks to actually look behind there?

I mean, you have to start removing wall paper just to see what’s going on.

That means if you ever had a leak in an area with wallpaper or humidity issues , the source of your mold smell may be mold trapped behind wall paper.

Taking moisture readings with a moisture meter may be a good first step. If your walls have been holding moisture for a long time, you may want to pull back the wall paper to further investigate.

Mold In The Air Conditioning System

Mold can grow on just about any porous material that is wet, but microbial growth can also form on one very important fixture in your home.

Your air conditioning system.

If you have cental HVAC, an air conditioning system involves three separate components:

• The compressor which is generally outside
• The air handler which is generally indoors where usually the blower and coils are located
• The Ductwork which is how the air is distributed throughout the home

Here is what you must know:

Mold generally won’t grow on most building material that makes up your air conditioning system.

The reason why is because most items aren’t porous.

That being said

In this particular case.

Also Check: Mold In My Ac Vents

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.

Mold Growth On Shower Surround / Tile

Showers can fail in 3 ways: supply line, vapor drive or a failure of the shower surround. Supply line issues are relatively uncommon, because they are noticed before major damage can occur. They tend to cause major, catastrophic leaks or none at all. Drain line leaks are slow enough to avoid detection, but substantial enough to cause rot and mold growth.

This is compounded by the fact shower surrounds are made of durable materials such as tile and fiberglass. Quite a bit of damage can lurk behind the tile before youll see an outward indication.

Nearly every home will experience mold & mildew in the shower at some point. Thankfully, mold growth on the bathroom shower tiles does not typically indicate a major health or structural problem. Weve conducted many air quality tests within bathrooms suffering from shower tile mold and never found an effect on the IAQ. Prevention, of course, is the best remedy. Weve found 3 methods that dramatically reduce mold growth on shower tiles. Squeegee after each shower use, run the bath fan for 1 hour and properly seal the grout.

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Persistent Cough Or Cold

Have you been fighting a cough that just wont seem to go away? Prolonged exposure to mold mayexacerbate respiratory illnesses, like persistent or recurring bronchitis and pneumonia. The first line of defense is to consult with your doctor for treatment and to rule out any other underlying illnesses. If there are other indications of a mold problem in your home, this must also be treated by professionals promptly and comprehensively.

Are you suffering from a pesky cough or cold that just doesn’t seem to go away? Mold in your home may be to blame. To treat the problem promptly and comprehensively, call the experts at ProClean Pensacola at 484-8500. #MoldRemoval#MoldRemediation#PersistentCough

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What Happens If You Eat Food With Mold

The thought of eating something moldy likely makes you want to gag. Most of the time, this is the only symptom youd get after eating moldy food. If somethings not right with your immune system and you eat something moldy, you might experience symptoms like:

• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• If you had an allergy to mold, then you might have symptoms connected with it as well

If you notice mold on your food that you dont want to throw away, then USDAs guide on handling moldy food will be for you.

Also Check: How To Clean Ceiling Mold Bathroom

Mold Can Be Very Bad For Your Home As Well As Your Health Read More To Learn About The Top Five Signs Mold May Be Growing Inside Your House

Every homeowner has fears when it comes to repairs and problems associated with the responsibility of owning a home. But, when the problem is mold, things start to look a little bit more complicated.

First, it can be difficult to even detect mold in your home if you cant directly see or smell it. Second, it can be even more difficult to get rid of, especially if its in a large or blocked off area. Whats worse, if you have mold in your house, you could be at risk for health problems.

If you suspect a your house may have a mold problem, or if youre wondering how to detect it, youre in the right place. In this article, we discuss some of the most pertinent signs of mold in your house and how to eradicate it! Keep reading to learn more.

How Toxic Is Mold

Any mold that produces mycotoxinsthe myco refers to fungusis toxic, and it can be quite poisonous. One of the more alarming varieties is Stachybotrys chartarum: Dense, black, and usually present where moisture has been a long-term, unresolved issue, like a damp basement or in an abandoned home, this fungus can trigger a suite of health issues, like persistent headaches, diarrhea, breathing trouble, and more. But other types can also cause issues, warns the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention : All molds should be treated the same with respect to potential health risks and removal. These are the signs of mold that you should be looking out for. Plus, learn the other ways your house could be making you sick.

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Most Common Places To Check For Mold In Your Home

If you have allergies or a chronic lung disease like asthma, youre probably very aware of the effect mold can have on your health. But even if you have a healthy immune system and no allergies, mold can cause a variety of health problems coughing, wheezing, and throat, skin, and eye irritation, to name a few. Mold is everywhere and, though you cant fully control your exposure to it outdoors or in public spaces, you can check for mold in common places around your home and take measures to prevent and remove it.

How To Identify Mold Vs Mildew In Your Home

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Mold and mildew are often spoken of together, almost as if they were the same substance. We fear mold and mildew growing below our homes in crawl spaces, under house siding, around the bathroom wall surround, and behind the sink. Excessive, pervasive mold and mildew can hamper a house sale or cause homeowners to move their bedroom elsewhere. Neither mold nor mildew is welcomed in the home, in any form.

Though the terminology can be confusing, mildew refers to specific types of fungus, including some types of mold. That said, not all mildew and mold should be treated the same. Safely eradicating mold and mildew is crucial to keeping you safe and your home in good shape.

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Can A Mouldy Bedroom Make You Sick

Mold inside your house can make you certainly sick, breathing in mold fragments or spores can inflame the air passages, creating a nasal blockage, wheezing, breast tightness, coughing, and throat inflammation. Long term exposure to high degrees of indoor dampness can decrease lung function and also cause persistent health issue such as bronchial asthma.

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Signs You Might Have Mold In Your Bedroom

You may know there is mold in your bedroom because you see it there. However, mold often grows in hard-to-see places where it might grow unnoticed for quite a while, until you have a significant mold problem on your hands.

Some indications that you might have mold in your bedroom include:

• a musty smell in the room
• symptoms of mold-related health problems, like those listed above
• significant water damage or flooding has occurred

Recommended Reading: Removing Mold From Ceiling In Bathroom

Differences Between Mold And Mildew

While mold and mildew are both fungi that need water, oxygen, and food in order to live and survive, they differ in a number of ways. Mold tends to have a higher profile and can even become fuzzy, while mildew is usually flat. Mold exhibits darker colors such as deep green and black mildew may begin as white, then turn brown or gray.

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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Signs Your Home Has Mold

ByJessica Stone, Andy Hartuppublished 14 July 20

Worried your house or apartment has mold? Here are the telltale signs you may have a damp or fungus problem.

Does your home have mold? If you own your house or apartment, mold can be an expensive issue to fix, and a persistent problem. And it isn’t just the cost either – many forms of mold are extremely bad for your health, if ingested over a period of time, so you need to get it sorted. If you’re in any doubt about whether you have mold, what type you have, or where it is concentrated, you should pick from any of the best mold test kits and check it out for yourself. They’re all inexpensive, and can help you start to fix the problem.

However, you need to know the early-warning signs in order to start your investigation. Mold can often grow in places you rarely inspect, and can even spread behind stud walls, chimneys, or large items of furniture like wardrobes. One of the most common places for mold to grow is in your HVAC unit, which will then spread it through your home. Many test kits will sample from your air con unit, but some won’t. In some instances you may even need to change the heating and cooling system in your home, if mold gets bad, so if this is the case you should consult our guide to the best central air conditioning units.

Hopefully, though, you’ll spot one of the signs your home has mold early, and get it fixed before it spreads.