How To Tell If There’s Mold In Your House

Air Conditioning And Heating Vents

You probably prefer your bedroom to be at the optimal temperature for you to get a good nights rest. While using the AC and heating unit are fine , its possible for mold to grow in the vents.

To prevent mold from contaminating your bedroom, you should:

• Use a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the air
• Dry up any condensation you find on the walls and windows
• Invest in a mold-resistant mattress or, at the very least, a waterproof mattress cover

Your Chimney Smells Weird

Chimney sweeps dont only remove dangerous creosote buildup they can clean out toxic mold too. Moisture can accumulate in the porous bricks and mortar of a chimney. Rusty chimney caps or flashing that needs repair allow rain and snow to seep in, creating an environment for mold to thrive. That may be the reason you smell something funky on days when the wind is blowing in a certain direction. Fix the cap and flashing and call the chimney sweep to extinguish the mold issues. Watch out for these other scary ways your fireplace could be toxic, too!

Im A Los Angeles Renter And I Keep Telling My Landlord That I Think There Is Mold Inside My Walls What Should I Do Becca Los Angeles

Hire a Los Angeles mold inspector, especially if you know there was a leak and the property owner didnt dry it down properly. You can certify mail the landlord for your records, and deduct it off next month rent.

Most often, most Los Angeles mold inspectors will not open walls without owner of property consent.

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To Test Or Not To Test

Stachybotrys is usually greenish-black and somewhat slimy or wet, but may also appear grayish with a sooty, powdery texture. Additionally, other molds may look similar. That’s why it is impossible to tell if any given mold is black mold by looks, smell or even location. The only way to determine a mold species is examination under a microscope. Testing is costly, advises the CDC, and isn’t really necessary. Any mold can cause health problems, as they point out. Therefore, you should arrange to have any mold in your home removed, no matter what type it is.

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How To Tell If You Have Mold In Your House

It can be hard to tell if you have mold in your house. Obviously, if you see mold somewhere, youve got a mold problem in your house, but mold can hide in walls, ventilation ducts, crawl spaces, and in other hard-to-see areas.

A common way to check for mold is to smell for it. A musty smell in an area of your home is often an indicator that there is some kind of mold present. Symptoms like a persistent runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing and throat irritation could also be indicative of mold.

In addition, anywhere that has been exposed to a significant amount of moisture such as water damage from flooding is a potential area where mold may be growing. Look for water where it shouldnt be, and check areas which may have flooded in the past.

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How Can I Test For Toxic Mold

If you suspect or fear toxic mold is growing in your home, you wont need any special tests. A test such as the viable test kit we learned about above will detect all kinds of molds present. By sending your petri dish to a lab, you can get a better idea of which types of molds that are growing and then take the correct actions.

The next step should always be to consult a professional for further tests and investigations. Test kits are more of a guidance than something to fully rely on.

Its also important to understand that simply because its called toxic mold, it doesnt mean its toxic to you. As we mentioned above, molds that produce mycotoxins can affect some individuals, while others wont be affected.

However, if you suspect that you have been exposed to toxic molds, your doctor can run a few tests. A blood test can help to determine if youve been poisoned by checking biotoxins in your blood .

Signs Of Black Mold And How To Get Rid Of It

Do you know if theres mold in your home? Mold grows in areas that are dark and damp, like bathrooms or around heating and cooling units that produce condensation.

The thought of any type of mold growing in your home might have you reaching for the nearest scrub brush and cleaning agent. Before you start scrubbing, be sure to evaluate what type of mold youre facing. While you dont want any mold in your house, black mold may pose more health risks than other types.

Learn more about black mold so you can identify it and prevent it from contaminating your home.

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Common Mold Hiding Places

All mold needs to grow is moisture, darkness and warmth, but where exactly should you look when you suspect a mold problem? Here are a few common places around the house where mold is likely to grow :

• Behind appliances such as a refrigerator or dishwasher.
• Behind drywalls where plumbing pipes are located.
• Underneath cardboard or old newspapers.
• Beneath sinks.
• Under carpets, particularly in the padding.

Preventing Mold In Your Home

The best way to keep your family safe from black mold is to prevent it from growing. Since mold grows in damp, dark places, you should aim to improve ventilation and reduce humidity in areas that are prone to mold.

In your bathrooms, for example, you can use a shower squeegee to remove excess water from shower walls and bathroom mirrors. You can also install a vent fan or open a window when showering to allow humidity to leave the room. These steps help reduce the moisture in your bathroom and make it more difficult for black mold to grow.

Make searching for black mold or potential growth areas a part of your spring cleaning routine. The sooner you catch a mold growth, the better chance you have to get rid of it before it causes health problems.

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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.

Look For Shapes And Patterns

Most molds show up as big, unsightly splotches on wooden surfaces. This is especially true in attics given the lack of disturbance and likelihood of small water leaks in the pipes that run through them.

As previously mentioned, these can be in different colors, as well, although green and white seem to be two of the most common.

Something to keep an eye out for, though, is mold that grows in a pattern.

Black mold has a tendency to form perfect circles or crescent moon shapes as it spreads. If you see this type of formation, youre not dealing with average mold and should contact a professional to remove it as soon as possible.

Failure to eliminate this type of mold could pose a health risk to you and your family.

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Surface Changes And Deterioration

Your walls appearance can change significantly if theres mold growth behind them. In addition to discoloration and stains, your walls may deteriorate. Paint or wallpaper can crack, peel, or bubble because of moisture and mold growth. Furthermore, your walls may become warped or even bow or bulge when theres a water issue, which often leads to mold growth.

How To Remove Mold

• Wear old clothes and shoes that you can launder or throw away after the cleanup work.
• Wear special N-95 or P-100 respirators, in addition to goggles and gloves.
• Set an old box fan or a cheap new one in a window to ventilate the room while working. Throw it out when you’re done cleaning, because the spores are almost impossible to clean off. Tape plywood or cardboard around the window openings so the spores can’t blow back in.
• Wrap and tape moldy carpeting in 6-mil plastic, and double-bag mold-infested debris in garbage bags for disposal.
• To control airborne spores, moisten moldy areas with a garden sprayer while you work.
• Turn off your furnace and air conditioner and cover ducts and doors to contain spores.
• Keep your wet/dry vacuum outside when you vacuum.

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What To Do When Finding Mold In Your Home

Make sure to call the experts at ServiceMaster to properly remediate your mold problem.

Be alert of any of the aforementioned signs. Such things are likely indicators that your homes walls have mold growing behind them. Considering the damage that mold can have on not only your homes building materials but also yours and others health, it is important that you address any mold growth immediately.

With that being said, if you find your home has mold growth, then you should seek professional mold remediation services. Professionals can thoroughly tend to the damage, contain the mold, prevent further damage and spreading, conduct necessary repairs or replacements, and even treat your home in a manner that prevents mold from returning.

Restoration professionals should be IICRC-certified and experienced to remove mold growth of all sizes. Shortly after receiving your call, their experts will be on their way to inspect the area. They will then contain the affected area to prevent the mold from spreading.

Licensed restoration companies use only the latest products and equipment in order to completely remove mold at its source. After a thorough remediation service, we will ensure that all areas have been restored to their original conditions, giving you the peace of mind that your home is safe from unsafe living conditions.

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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Colored Or Dark Spots On The Wall

Mold can develop in many colors, textures, and shapes. It can look like anything from green slime to a harmless-looking grey fuzz. If there are unusually colored spots on the walls, you should make sure that theres a pipe leak or uncontrolled humidity in the area. If so, mold is the likely perpetrator of various spots on the wall.

How Do I Prevent Mold In My Apartment

Improve Your Apartments Ventilation One of the best ways to prevent mold from growing is to improve air circulation inside your apartment. Moisture is a key factor that helps mold grow, and mold growth is inevitable if humid air is stagnant in your unit.

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You Feel Like You Have A Lingering Cold Or Are Battling Flu

“It is pretty tough to detect until it starts coming through the walls because mold, as you know, is a problem with some sort of leak somewhere,” Hayes-Raitt said. “So the problem starts behind the walls. But if you’re getting sick, it might be because of a mold problem.”

If you’re dealing with symptoms that you can’t exactly pinpoint, it could be that you’re stressed, haven’t been taking care of yourself, or wound up with some sort of virus, of course, but it could also potentially be that you’re dealing with mold.

If possible, Hayes-Raitt said that one of the best ways to determine if the sickness you feel is related to the house or not is to leave for a few days and then return home. If you feel those same symptoms coming on again, it might be the result of something more than a cold or virus.

Condensation Around The Windows

Mold is often found near windows. It may not be a lot of mold but even a small amount of mold can damage paint and cause health problems.

Mold is less likely to occur on newer windows. Condensation is common on old, single pane windows but rarely on dual pane windows.

Also, make sure the window is set correctly so air isnt entering the house through the sides of the window.

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Trust The Experts Trust Proclean

Our highly-trained, certifiedmold removalprofessionals follow a proven, step-by-step process to make your home or business safe again.

First, we visually inspect the area to find any potential mold, tracing it to the source if possible. Then, our team contains the affected area and removes moldy, non-salvageable, porous material and implements negative air pressure technology to keep harmful mold spores from traveling from the air to your lungs.

Next, we utilize advanced HEPA filtered vacuums to help eliminate mold on non-porous surfaces, then set up air scrubbers with HEPA filters.

Finally, we ULV fog with a powerful antimicrobial solution to ensure that we treat the deepest, darkest corners of your home then, we clean and sanitize the remaining salvageable contents as necessary.

The moment you notice mold, you must act. Even a small amount of mold in the home can multiply quickly, and its entirely possible that there is more existing mold than what meets the eye.

today to ensure the safety of your home and health of your loved ones within it.

Test For Mold In Your House Before Its Too Late

If you believe your home might have mold growing inside it, then you need to test for mold in your house before it begins to take over. Mold can grow quickly if not addressed and can cause health issues of all sorts.

Keep your home and yourself safe by checking for mold today.

For more topics on the home, be sure to visit us regularly!

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Tips For Mold Prevention

Wondering how you can prevent mold from affecting your home? Here are a few tips that may help you prevent mold from forming altogether.

Testing For Mold In Your Home

If you hire a professional mold inspector to come to your home, theyll take samples from three areasthe air, the surface, and surrounding dust. They send these samples to a third-party laboratory to find out the concentration and kinds of mold in those particular areas.

However, this procedure takes time and isnt cheap. Fortunately, testing for mold in your home is a relatively easy task that can give you faster results and save you money. If youve done everything you can to prevent mold but still have reason to think the air you breathe is compromised with mold spores, check strategic locations for visible signs of mold.

Common areas of mold growth include:

• Areas around plumbing lines, even behind the drywall
• Below sinks
• Coils of HVAC air handlers or ductwork
• Between the furniture and exterior walls, particularly in basements or concrete block houses

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Warping Or Paint Peeling

Warping or paint peeling doesnt mean you have mold but its another sign of moisture. If the moisture doesnt dry up, mold will surely grow.

If you see warping or paint peeling you may have to remove a section of a wall to see whats happening within.

Once you find the cause, fix it and repaint or replace the warping.