If you think you have mold you should call us for a free inspection but if you want to check for yourself or you don’t live in the Nashville area, we’ve pulled together a few steps that can help you quickly identify if you have mold, and how severe your mold problem may be.
Mold problems almost always start with a water intrusion issue. If you’ve had an indoor water issue (think burst pipe or a drainage issue) and you didn’t dry out the space in <24 hours, chances are there is mold growing.
According to a recent report from the Federal Facilities Council, a shocking 43% of buildings in the U.S. have current water damage, and 85% have past water damage.
Even minor moisture issues can cause issues including:
If you find a space and want to check to see if an area is still damp, you can use an indoor humidity tester.
Here is a great inexpensive tester you can use.
As a rule of thumb, you’ll want your spaces and drywall to be below 50% humidity. If it’s higher, you probably have an active water issue.
Oftentimes, homes with elevated indoor mold levels show signs in a few common areas Here are the ones that we see most consistently:
Northern-facing window frames: These windows tend to get less sunlight, staying cooler and damper, which encourages mold growth, especially if there’s condensation.
Inside of toilet tank covers: The enclosed, moist environment inside toilet tanks can be a breeding ground for mold, particularly if the water inside sits for long periods.
Behind headboards of beds: Headboards, especially those placed against external walls, can trap moisture and dust, leading to mold growth that you might not see right away.
Around or in HVAC vents: Your HVAC system can circulate moisture and dust, which can accumulate in the vents. Additionally some vents will attract condensation which mold loves.
Above stove hoods: Cooking releases steam and moisture. If your stove vent isn’t working properly or is trapping moisture, mold may begin to grow in or around it.
Jacuzzi tubs: these are breeding grounds for mold and some tests have shown that over 80% of them have fecal matter bacteria growing in them which is just gross.
Around the edge of your washing machine seal: The rubber seal on front-loading washers is constantly exposed to moisture and soap residue, which can lead to mold, especially if the door is closed between uses.
Anywhere floodwater has come into contact with the house: Floodwater often carries mold spores. Even after the water has receded, moisture trapped in walls, floors, or furniture can promote mold growth.
In the crawlspace: Crawlspaces are often damp due to poor ventilation, making them ideal spots for mold to develop.
Kitchen sinks and garbage disposals: full of bacteria and because it’s always damp oftentimes mold
In the attic: Mold can grow on the underside of roof decking, especially if your attic is poorly ventilated or if there are roof leaks. Look along the peaks and rafters for signs of mold.
Along the peak of the roof: Look at the topmost corner of the ceiling in your home. This is where warm, moist air rises and can get trapped. Poor insulation or ventilation here can create moisture buildup, leading to mold growth.
If you see visible signs of mold or moisture, or if you notice warping or water damage anywhere around your home, you should get a mold inspection. We can perform the inspection for you, or you can go with someone else you know and trust. The important thing is to get it checked out asap. A professional inspection will help determine the extent of the issue and will recommend any follow up mold testing.
You can view more detail on our inspection process here.
There are several types of mold testing available, and costs can vary widely (we’ve seen bills go as high as $10,000!). Generally, we recommend a simple non-viable air test which we can perform during our inspection or we can recommend independent testing. A normal mold test should rarely cost you more than $600.
There are many different types of tests which you can read about on our mold testing overview.
There are multiple techniques for dealing with mold and we compare them in more detail in our mold remediation comparison table. While we’re biased toward dry fogging, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of each option:
Rip and replace: This involves tearing out contaminated materials, like drywall or flooring, and replacing them with new materials. This is often costly, invasive, and time-consuming but may be necessary for severe mold infestations.
Spot treatment: Focuses on treating only the areas where mold is visibly present. This may feel really good but just temorarily hides a bigger problem. Also when you spray mold with chemicals it gets mad and spores out looking for somewhere else to go which can make any health issues worse.
Ozone treatment: Ozone generators can kill mold spores in the air and on surfaces. However, ozone can be very harmful to humans and animals and does not prevent future mold growth. It also tends to make things damp.
Pure Maintenence dry fog treatment: Dry fogging uses a fine mist to penetrate even hard-to-reach areas without leaving moisture behind. The fog kills mold on contact and, when followed with a protective antimicrobial coating, can prevent mold from regrowing for months.
A la carte treatment: This is what most peoplke need to do. It is a comprehensive approach that combines fixing water issues, repairing cosmetic issues and dry fogging to ensure the mold problem is gone and doesn't come back.
Once the mold is gone, keeping moisture under control is key to preventing it from coming back. Here are a few ways to do that:
Install moisture detectors: Like smoke detectors, moisture detectors can alert you to potential issues before they become serious. Place them in areas that commonly experience moisture, like basements, bathrooms, and laundry rooms.
Dehumidifiers: Use dehumidifiers in damp areas to keep humidity levels below 50%, which is where mold thrives.
Open windows during day: Unless it is hot and muggy, it is best to always open windows during the day or when you leave the house. The goal is to keep a healthy airflow throughout the house.
Install crawlspace/attic vents: You should have one square foot of squared vent for every 150 square feet of space.
Install a vapor-barrier in crawl space: Lots of water comes up from the ground and is unavoidable. For this reason it may be important for you to encapsulate or partially encapsulate your crawlspace or basement.
Yes it is a lot but if you've read this far, mold has probably seriously impacted you or your families health. We are happy to chat through any questions or help in any way. Call us anytime at (615) 486-2217. That number forwards to one of our cell phones.
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