Mold is a fungus that may appear in your home without you knowing. It can grow in HVAC systems, behind appliances and installments (like showers or toilets), or in your attic or walls. If this problem worsens, your health could be at stake. How do you know if there is dangerous mold in your home?
Look for it.
Simple as it may sound, many people don’t often go looking for this fungus. However, looking under sinks, behind washing machines or dishwashers, or along your walls and ceilings can help with detection.
Mold is something that’s easy to spot. Often, you’ll notice a fuzzy substance on a wall or appliance that may be pale green, white, yellow, grey, or black. If it’s black, take immediate action to get it immediately removed. Black mold is the most dangerous.
When behind paint, mold will cause the wall to bubble or become warped in some way. Fabrics or any other place that may have been exposed to water may also have yellow or fuzzy growths on it.
This fungus can sometimes be detected through smell. If something smells musty, search it for anything looking fuzzy or discolored.
Think about water or piping issues.
If you have had any floods or burst pipes in the past, there is a high probability that mold has grown and thrived in the damaged area. Check the damaged location for signs of water damage or musty smells.
Even if you had the damages immediately attended to, there is a high possibility that the fungus made its way into the cracks between your walls or floors as water seeped through. Make sure you thoroughly inspect any previous areas of water damage.
Take a test.
Mold test kits are available in various stores. This is an inexpensive option to ensure there are low levels of dangerous molds in your home. However, no DIY test kit is completely accurate so it’s always a good idea to have a professional inspect your home.