Signs Of Mold In Your Home
Mold can grow anywhere in your home, and can be caused by many different issues. Check for signs of mold in your home using the picture below.
Attics
One of the leading causes of home mold is from poorly insulated attics. Poor insulation leads to temperature swings that can cause moisture to develop in the attic space over time. Mold uses the insulation as a food source and grows thanks to constant moisture. Here are a few other issues we’ve seen:
- Improperly installed or insufficient insulation
- Lack of sufficient ventilation or blocked insulation
- Kitchen or bath venting to the attic
- Clutter eliminating air flow and cardboard boxes absorbing moisture
Living Spaces
The living spaces, including bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and especially laundry rooms and bathrooms can support mold growth too. Be on the lookout for signs of mold from issues like:
- Leaks around windows and doors due to wood rot, caulking cracks, and faulty installations
- High humidity rooms such as laundry rooms and bathrooms that aren’t ventilated properly.
- Leaks from refrigerator ice maker lines, dishwasher and washing machine connections
- Lack of exhaust ventilation in areas of high humidity such as kitchens and bathrooms
- General plumbing leaks
Basements & Crawl Spaces
Basements and crawl spaces have all of the right conditions for mold. It’s very important to control moisture in basements with a good dehumidifier year-round. In addition to moisture control, keep an eye out for places water can enter your home, and try to keep clutter down where possible. Here are our top checklist items when we do a visual assessment:
- High humidity
- Undersized, unused or not having a dehumidifier at all.
- Clutter eliminating air flow and cardboard boxes absorbing moisture
- Unsealed and/or non-operating sump pumps
- Foundation wall and floor cracks that leak after storms
- Insufficient crawl space ventilation and/or vapor barrier
Exterior
You may not think about it very often, but the exterior of your home is something you should check out a couple of times each year. Looking for signs of water damage, and anything else from the list below can help you take control of a mold issue fast.
- Roof leaks and flashing issues
- Improper grading
- Clogged gutters, downspouts not discharging water away from the building
- Lawn sprinklers too close to the building
- Gaps around electrical fixtures and pipes penetrating the exterior skin
- Leaks around windows and doors due to wood rot, caulking cracks, and faulty installations
Any of the signs above can lead to your home becoming a home for mold too. Take a few minutes to look for the signs above each time you visit some of those key areas in your house. We recommend examining your home’s basement, exterior, and attic at LEAST once a year to look for new issues that may have been caused by weather.
If you suspect you have an issue from the list above, call us to talk to a professional about getting a visual assessment today!
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- Home Owners
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- Home Owners
- Real Estate
- Property Managers
- Environmental Specialists
- Home Inspectors
- Healthcare Professionals