Hidden Mold In Homes

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Hidden Mold in Homes & Buildings
People may suspect there is hidden mold in a structure if a building smells moldy, but they cannot see the source, or if they know there has been water damage and people are reporting health problems. Mold may be hidden in places such as behind dry wall, wallpaper, and paneling, or it may be located above the top side of ceiling tiles or under of carpets and carpet pads.

Other possible locations of hidden mold include areas inside walls around pipes due to leaking or condensing pipes, the surface of walls behind furniture where condensation may form, inside ductwork, in roof materials above ceiling tiles caused by roof leaks or insufficient insulation and countless other places.

When elevated levels of mold are found indoors they can cause allergies, trigger asthma attacks in sensitive individuals and even lead to infections in some people. 

In order to grow indoors, mold needs moisture and food. Many building materials and furnishing make for an ideal food source for mold.  Moisture is a key factor influencing mold growth indoors and controlling indoor moisture can dramatically help to limit its growth.  Moisture control is crucial as mold can begin to grow indoors in as short as 24 to 48 hours when conditions are right.

Investigating hidden mold problems may be difficult and requires caution when the investigation involves disturbing potential sites of mold growth. For example, removing wallpaper can lead to a massive release of spores into the air if there is mold growing on the underside of the paper.

People who think they may have a hidden mold problem should consider hiring an experienced professional who specializes in these types of investigations.

These are just a few things to know about hidden mold in homes and buildings, to learn more about this or other health & safety, indoor air quality and environmental issues call IAQ Solutions.