While mold can grow year-round in just about any condition, summer is prime time for mold growth in your Kansas home. The summer heat and humidity combined with storms and sneaky rainwater could mean some bacterial hot spots.
4 Telltale Signs of a Mold Problem
Here are four telltale signs of mold in your home:
1. Seeing Mold Growth
Seems like a no-brainer, right? This might seem like an obvious clue, but the truth is you cannot always see mold. It could be growing on beams in your attic or within your walls where there is an unseen water leak. Something that looks like a spot of dirt or soot on a wall could really be a few mold spores, and there could be a larger mold colony growing in the wall or surface behind it.
The other truth here is some mold just looks odd! Black, gray-green, brown, white; you name it, mold comes in quite a wide array of colors. So, if you see a strange-looking speck on the wall, keep reading! Some of the other telltale signs coming up could help you narrow down what that odd-looking growth is.
2. Off-Putting Smell
We’ve all checked into a damp, mildew-smelling hotel (or motel) room at least once in our life, right? That is a very clear sign of a water problem … which can lead directly and quickly to a mold problem. If you smell a foul, damp odor, it is wise to try to pinpoint the source and have a mold inspection done.
3. Water Problems
Mold is caused by moisture. Therefore, if your home has a moisture problem, it can easily be a breeding ground for mold growth. Here are some signs of moisture problems:
- Stains on the walls, ceilings or floors, or discoloration (evidence of past flood events).
- Bubbling or cracked paint.
- Peeling wallpaper.
- Warped wood floors or walls.
- Surfaces are damp to the touch.
- Visible water leaks.
- Condensation on surfaces.
These could all be signs of mold growing beneath the damaged surface and indicate the previous owners may not have properly handled the cleanup and remediation after the initial water damage happened. The longer an actual water leak is allowed to go on, the more likely it is that mold will start to grow in the affected area. This is especially true when a leak goes undetected for some time, like from a pipe hidden in a wall cavity. It could take some time for enough water from a small leak to do enough damage to be seen through a wall or ceiling.
4. Allergy Flare-ups
Pay attention to your health – and the health of those around you. Do allergy symptoms seem to be getting inexplicably worse? Are some people in the homesick and just not recovering? These are more signs of mold! In recent years, doctors have come to acknowledge a condition called Chronic Inflammatory Disease, which is caused by mold exposure. People are genetically predisposed to be sensitive to mold, so while four people in a home are completely fine, a fifth could be very ill from the exposure.
If you are concerned about mold in your home, it is very important to call in a professional mold removal company like Lamunyon Dry Out & Foundation Repair quickly. Mold spores have the ability to go airborne and can travel throughout your home’s duct system and cause problems throughout the structure. Don’t wait until the problem blossoms to have it removed, contact experts as soon as possible.
