Mold plays an integral role in the natural world, aiding in the decomposition of organic material. However, mold can become a serious problem when it starts growing in unwelcome places such as our homes and offices. Not just impacting your health and that of your loved ones, mold can also cause structural damage to your house and result in long-term damage. Hence, it is important to regularly assess the mold risk in your home and address the problem before it exacerbates.
Seeing Mold
Have you spotted mold on your walls and ceilings? Usually appearing as patches of brownish black dots, mold cannot go unnoticed if you have light colored walls. Another common place for mold to grow is the wall area surrounding your window, particularly if the surrounding environment is humid. When you spot mold patches in your house, it is important to identify the source and not just focus on getting rid of the unsightly mold. If you do not tackle the root cause, the mold will inevitably return after you have gotten rid of the affected area.
If you are aware that the air in your home is of high humidity, you may want to check hidden corners regularly. This can include but are not limited to, the wall area behind furniture that you do not usually see and the cabinet area below sinks.
Smelling Mold
Have you noticed a musky smell in your house that seems to get stronger when you enter a certain room, or disappear altogether in another room? If you can see mold on the walls as well, that is a pretty good sign of where the source may be, but if you have been noticing an unusual smell that is not going away, it is a good idea to identify the source immediately. Common causes of mold include leaking pipes, so if the smell is coming from your kitchen or bathroom, it may be worth investigating.
Sick Building Syndrome
Have you heard of “sick building syndrome”? As the name suggests, it is a condition that afflicts occupants of the same home or commercial building. Symptoms include nose and throat irritation, increased sensitivity to odors, voice hoarseness, dry itchy skin, coughing, nausea, dizziness, cold or flu-like symptoms, and dizziness. If you have a pre-existing respiratory condition that seems to get worse when you are at home, do not discount it – it could point to mold. Though there are many possible causes of sick building syndrome, if you suspect that mold may be the culprit, get your home inspected immediately.
Get Your Home Tested and/or Inspected
If you suspect that your house has been infested with mold, get it checked immediately. You can do this on your own with an ERMI dust test, which tests for the presence of mold through collection of dust particles. However, if you are unsure how to do so, engaging a professional would be the wisest course of action and give you complete peace of mind.
At Iris Environmental Laboratories, we provide mold inspection services to help you identify the source of your mold problem and eradicate it from your household. Call us at 1800-908-6679 to find out more about our mold inspection services, or fill up our online form and one of our consultants will be in touch as soon as possible.