How to Check Your Home for Mold

The best way to treat mold is prevention. By conducting regular spot checks, you can treat small patches of mold and prevent a larger problem. Part one of this blog discussed common indoor molds, where they are likely to grow, and the health dangers they can cause. With this basic knowledge of indoor molds, you can better address the situation. Listed below are two simple ways of spotting signs of mold in your home.

How to Check Your Home for Mold

1. Know by sight. Mold has a distinct spotty appearance and comes in various colors, including black and dark green. When looking for mold, start with rooms that have the most moisture—basements, bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. It’s also safe to assume that if you spot a water leak or a damp area in your home, mold is probably growing nearby. So, check around windows, doors, or pipes. Unexplained damage or discoloration to walls or flooring may also be a sign of mold.
2. Know by smell. Sometimes mold is hard to spot with eyes alone. Mold can grow in hidden places, such as underneath carpets or on the back of drywall. Luckily, mold can sometimes be detected in a home based just on smell. As mold grows and takes nutrients from things such as wood, paper, or organic fibers, it produces a distinct odor. If a particular room has a very musty smell—similar to that of soil or rotting leaves—it is probably an indication of mold growing somewhere.

Periodic mold checks are an important part of home maintenance. Using these two tips and a little know-how, homeowners can easily scan the premises for mold. For the hard-to-reach areas or for expert mold advice, homeowners should contact a Best Pick mold remediation contractor.