Do I Have Mold in My Home? – Warning Signs You May Have a Problem

8/12/2022 (Permalink)

Do I Have Mold in My Home?

The first thing we need to understand about mold is: yes, you do have mold in your home. Mold is ubiquitous, meaning it is found everywhere. Mold in normal amount is not necessarily unhealthy or destructive. When you have increased level of mold is when you have a problem.

What causes an increased level of mold? Molds thrive in areas with high moisture levels. In fact, all mold needs to survive is a food source which is anything cellulose and water. Typically, your home or business is kept well below the 60% relative humidity needed for elevated mold growth. But if you have any sort of water intrusion from a flood, roof leak, or seeping basement the moisture level in the air could increase to a level that is prime for mold growth. What do you need to look for?

Water Spots: Water spots on sheetrock, ceiling tiles, or basement walls typically indicate a water intrusion of some kind. As mentioned above a water intrusion can elevate moisture levels in the air to promote mold growth. You need to find the source of the water. SERVPRO of Carthage-Joplin can safely assist you in this area.

Discoloration: Not all discoloration is mold growth but many times it is a tell-tail sign of elevated mold growth. When you discover the discoloration ask yourself if there is a reason to believe the conditions are right for mold growth? Did you suffer a water intrusion lately? Is the discoloration near a water source like nearby plumbing that could have a small leak? Again, a professional is best suited to further investigate.

Foul Odor: Plain and simple, mold stinks! Literally stinks. Based on the type of mold, the amount of mold, and how good of a sniffer you have it could be a very faint odor or it could be quite pungent. If you believe the odor is mold related you should bring in a professional.

Mold is nothing to ignored.  It also can deteriorate you home value as it eats away at the structure and finishes costing you money to repair. Mold is a topic that many time makes people uncomfortable because they have seen extreme examples of how harmful mold can be when out of control. Remember every story of extreme mold clean up usually started small with one or more of the above listed signs. Don’t let a small problem in your Carthage, MO, MO home grow out of control. If you see the signs call SERVPRO of Carthage-Joplin for an evaluation.