Don’t think just because your bathroom is free of mold, the rest of your house is too. Nope. Mold likes any damp and warm environment.
That’s right, you might not even know it, but you could have mold in your basement, dry walls, under the kitchen sink, or even around your plumbing pipes.
The fact is, long-term moisture almost always leads to mold growth. The CDC says that it’s not only after natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods that your home is at risk of mold growth, but any excess moisture and standing water contributes to mold growth in homes and other buildings.
And, we’re sure you already know this, but mold can be dangerous and bad for your health. It most certainly needs to be taken care of as soon as possible. The elimination of mold involves mold inspection, testing, and remediation by a professional and reputable restoration company like Blackmon Mooring & BMS CAT.
Mold is a silent and invisible pest. It can be causing you harm without you even knowing it’s there. In this post, we take a look at the possible signs your home may need mold inspection services and remediation.
Signs Your Home May Need a Mold Inspection
The most obvious sign of mold is actual visible signs of the organism. When you can physically see mold in your home, it’s time to call in the experts. But as we said, mold is often silently and invisibly at work. Here are a few things to look out for when dealing with this threat.
Water damage
Water damage brings moisture into your home, and moisture and mold are best friends. First off, find the cause of the water damage. If you’ve recently had flooding, it’s essential to check for mold once your home has been cleaned and dried.
If you see water stains or discoloration on your ceilings, floors, or along where your plumbing pipes are installed, it may be time to call in the experts to check for possible mold growth.
Other visible signs of water damage include paint or wallpaper bubbling, cracking, or peeling. Acting quickly is key to eliminating mold.
Water leaks
If you have any leaks in your home, you should get them repaired immediately. If you ignore the problem and let your faucet drip, drip, drip, you may be in for a big surprise.
Mold growth materializes and spreads quickly. From a leaking tap, water heater, toilet, or plumbing pipes, mold can spread through your home and even into your HVAC system.
And remember, sometimes leaks happen where we can’t see them, behind walls and in the ceilings. This is when mold starts to grow silently, without us knowing.
Humidity
Because high humidity can lead to mold and mildew growth, the EPA suggests humidity levels should be below 60 percent in your homes, ideally between 30 and 50 percent.
If you live in an area with high humidity or you use humidifiers, dryers, and steam radiators regularly, it may be a good idea to have your humidity levels in your home checked.
You can also install fans in bathrooms and the kitchen, use a dehumidifier, and keep your windows open on dry days.
Damp smell
Do you sometimes think you can smell something musty and moldy? It may be a sign you have mold or mildew growing somewhere in your home. Watch out for the smell getting stronger after rain or when the seasons change.
Previous flooding
Of course, if your home has flooded at some stage, the likelihood of mold growth somewhere within your home is very high. The thing is that mold growth not only happens straight after a flood, but it can be a long-term issue. That’s right. There is always a chance the mold can continue to be an issue for a long time after flooding. So regular checks are vital if your home has experienced severe water damage from flooding.
Health symptoms
Generally speaking, if your allergy symptoms improve when you leave your home, you may be dealing with mold-related allergy symptoms.
The most obvious signs include sneezing fits, throat irritation, cough, respiratory issues such as chest tightness, wheezing, struggling to breathe, sore and itchy throat, runny nose, nasal and sinus congestion, sinus headaches, etc.
Mold inspection is an excellent way to ensure your home and family are safe from mold. That way, you can tackle the problem in its early stages before it becomes a severe risk to the structure of your home.
How We Can Help
Hiring a professional mold removal and restoration company to tackle mold inspection and testing makes sense. Blackmon Mooring & BMS CAT offer home mold inspection, removal, and remediation services that have helped thousands of residential and commercial customers recover from mold situations – both big and small.
Find out more at www.bmscat.com.