Are you a homeowner or business owner with a serious mold problem? If so, would you like some professional help? Fill out our form and request a remediation.
Mold is Dangerous: 7 Tips You Need To Know
What is Mold?
Mold is considered to be an extremely small, dangerous element that belongs to the family of fungi. It can thrive on almost any surface especially cellulose-based objects.
Molds are present almost everywhere (8 Most Common Places to Look for Mold). Though they maybe harmful at times, molds are considered a big part of the ecological balance in the community; they play a major role in breaking down organic substances in the environment.
According to some recent studies, approximately 50 percent of homes are inflicted with unknown moisture dilemmas. And as we all know molds thrive best in moist places.
And to a large extent, all indoor mold growth is potentially harmful and should be removed promptly, no matter what types of mold are present or whether they can produce toxins. Awareness and sanitation should be observed to prevent the spread of molds in your homes.
Here are 7 ways to detect if your home has dangerous molds :
- Launch a search operation
- Use your sense of smell
- Is basement flooding one of your indoor problems?
- Windows mist over during winter
- Use home mold test kits
- Molds that are hidden
- Ask a Certified Mold Inspector
Check whether there is a visible signs of mold growth in your home. Molds are characterized by its cotton-like features that may appear in colors such as gray, white, black, or green. Black mold (A Definitive Guide to Black Mold) can be especially dangerous so be sure to watch for any signs of this type of growth.
They also bear a resemblance to furry materials that give the impression of stains or yellowing stuff. Usually they can be found from the outside of construction materials or home furniture.
Whenever you smell some mold odors, begin your search immediately. But you also have to remember that even if your home has no moldy smell it doesn’t mean that you’re already free from its threat.
Be sharp-eyed because some fragrance-free molds are still poisonous. Most of these species types grow in canals and in-between panels or dividing walls.
If yes, then there is a large probability that your house is filled with some dangerous molds. Rummage around for some indications of extra mustiness or water damage (How to Remove Mold After Water Damage).
Also check if there are water discolorations on walls and ceilings. Remember excess amount of moisture is the major culprit for mold exposure.
Winter season is characterized by coldness and generally when it’s cold, there is an excess in moisture. This excess amount of humidity in the environment can cause fungal growth which culminates the most in damp areas.
If this so happen, it is best to take precautionary measures to identify if there is really the presence of mold in the area. A house that is contaminated with fungi is more susceptible to further health issues.
Mold testing is seldom used to find out any dangerous threats of molds. These do-it-yourself test kits are designed to track down the presence of harmful molds that can trigger serious health problems.
Most of these testing devices are user-friendly and can provide reliable results in that instant. However, most health experts do not recommend testing for mold.
They believe it is more reliable and practical to have visual inspections of molds in your homes.
Most experts agree that the most perilous mold is the one that is unseen. This type of molds can swell up frenziedly for we have no idea where they are.
But in most cases, hidden molds can be discerned not by the naked eye but by its stale odor or by frequent clearing of the throat.
In instances wherein you cannot really detect of there are molds inside your house, you can ask the assistance of licensed mold inspectors. They have the proper know-how in pinpointing the exact location of undetected mold problems.
All in all, the key to total prevention of the threats caused by mold problems is utmost awareness of the problem. Be vigilant with your surroundings for any sign of mold growth. Early prevention is the best solution to all the hazards set off by this microorganism.
Further Recommended Reading :
Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team
We are renting a home and we feel like there is mold in about every room. I have been trying to find out how I can tell if this is dangerous to our family’s health and what I can and should do about it. In the only bathroom that has a tub/shower and the exhaust does not work and there is no window we seem to have major problems. The hot water leaks (not drips) in the tub really bad.
Esther Maher on September 28th, 2007What should we do about it??
HELP!!!!
We are renting a home that we feel has a mold problem. We are trying to find out if it is a dangerous nmold and what we need to do about it. There seems to be mold in almost every room of the house. In the only bathroom that has a tub/shower and no exhaust there is major problems. The hot water leaks (not drips) very badly and we just don’t know what to do or who to talk to here in Corbin, KY.
Esther Maher on September 28th, 2007Please help us out in whatever way you can.
Thank you so much.
I breathed in some mold… what do I do?
Irene on October 14th, 2007We live a house built in the 80′s. I am pregnant, so it’s harder to ignore the smell of mold. I am worried that this will be potentially harmful to my family. Would I be wasting my time with household kits? Should I call someone to come asap?
Kelly on October 15th, 2007thanks.
@Irene – Thanks for your question! I’ve posted a reply here: Dealing With Mold Exposure
-Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team
Joslyn on October 23rd, 2007Kelly! Thank you for your question. I’ve posted a reply here : Does Mold Affect Pregnancy?
-Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team
Joslyn on October 24th, 2007My son’s class put a pumpkin in a glass container with a thin layer of plastic wrap over the top (the plastic wrap is open on one side). This rotting pumpkin has been sitting in the classroom molding since the end of October. It just doesn’t seem like a healthy thing for the children (3 to 5 year-olds. Am I over reacting or is having a rotting pumpkin in the classroom a health hazard?
jen on March 1st, 2008Jen,
Mold exposure, even in small doses is never good for anyone to breathe – especially easily susceptible ages like younger children.
It’s definitely something I would address with the teacher as a concerned parent.
Are any of the children having symptoms like runny noses, frequent colds that can’t seem to ease or other physical complaints?
Ask the teacher what the purpose of leaving the pumpkin in the classroom is. Since the pumpkin has been there since October, I would submit that the experiment should be through. Your child’s teacher should have no objections the removal of a hazardous pumpkin.
Thank you for your question Jen and I hope everything goes well.
Best Wishes,
Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team
Joslyn on March 3rd, 2008In my house we have put clorox on some mold that has been there for a while, there is a couple of spots on the carpet in one room and a little bit on the wall.
Megan on March 31st, 2008How do I know how much mold is too much to be around?
Megan –
Well, really any mold is too much mold to be around. Though you shouldn’t worry much as long as your exposure is not repetitive for long periods of time and you are not showing any signs or symptoms of mold exposure.
Most of your concerns should lie with the mold that cannot be seen. Moldy carpet especially is a miserable thing to have to contend with. Replacing the carpet will most likely be easier than trying to remove it and continually keep mold from coming back.
My advice would be to have a mold expert look at the place since a do it yourself kit will obviously show up positive for mold if you have visible growth.
Best case scenario, you only have topical mold growth in those few places
and they’re easy to remediate. Worst case, unseen mold is growing everywhere beneath your carpet and behind your walls. It would be best to have it checked out.
Also, I would recommend reading the following for your own personal mold remediation use. It could prove to be useful.
5 Levels of Mold Remediation
Thank you so much, and I wish you the best in your personal fight against mold!
Let me know if you have any more questions, or comment back with an update =]
Joslyn from the MoldBlogger team
Joslyn on March 31st, 2008I am a renter and have had a leak for over two weeks now. The property manager is aware of the situation, but has done nothing to fix the problem because they don’t want the bill under their name…. I now see black dots around the leaks. What do I do and how do I know if this is dangerous?
Mara on April 11th, 2008Mara,
Unfortunately this situation is more common than what most people realize.
Most property managers and landlords do not want to deal with situations involving leaks and mold.
Try talking to him or her again and explain that the leak is causing mold growth, and if not fixed immediately, the mold will continue to grow as will the expense to fix it. The amount it will cost to fix the leak is one thing; the expense to have mold remediation done is an entirely different matter.
Mold growth in homes that are not taken care of immediately, is potentially dangerous. The best thing for you to do until the leak can be fixed is to follow the procedures for level I in the following post :
5 Levels of Mold Remediation
Continue to do so until the leak is fixed. You can remove the mold and limit the exposure amount, but it will continue to grow back until the actual problem and cause, the leak, is taken care of.
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Joslyn from the MoldBlogger team
Joslyn on April 13th, 2008THE PAST STORM WHICH WAS FAY HAS LEFT MY HOUSE MUGGY AND A LEAK IN MY LIVIN ROOM CEILING,WATER COMING UP THROW MY CARPET IN MY BEDROOM.MY LANDLORD TOLD ME TO KEEP A FAN ON IT. AND THAT IT WOULD DRY UP AND BE ALRIGHT.ABOUT THE LICK IN THE LIVING ROOM SOME ONE WOULD COME AND LOOK AT THAT.I TOOK A PICTURE OF WHAT I THINK IS MOLD ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE WHICH IS WHERE MY BEDROOM IS AND WHERE THE WATER HAD CAME IN I HAVE A TWO YEAR OLD SON,AND I HAVE ASTHMA WHAT SHOULD I DO?
ASHLEE on August 28th, 2008I had an upper respetory infetion kept out of work by DR., when returned to work was as to work paper and sort out, told supv., who said i would need Dr. doucmentation. Got it it said due to my condition I should be kept from vapo or fumes, the paper had been in fire and smelled of diesl fule,it was truck fire department used foam then water, thou iI did not work mIL SUPV KEPT MYSELF AND OTHER WITH DOCDUMEENTIONIN AN INCCLOSED AREA, now co-workers who nver had asthma now do keep getting head aches, I ended up by end of week in ER abd adminited to hospital 4 day with dbl phemone, ask I stated paper smell of fuel and other oder’s green mold on some edges burnt blk so could not tell if it was mold too but had mildew, could of this caused all these health syptoms?
mario tedana on September 12th, 2008We are building a house and we noticed some of the boards inside (framed walls) not yet dry walled have some mold on them some greenish, blackish and whiteish. When i wipe it with pure clorox and a rag, it cleans off, completey disappears. Is this good enough, or do I need to call in an expert. Is that expensive?
Susan Blankenbecler on September 13th, 2008The apartment I live in has had a sewage back up for the last 2 weeks. I can no longer flush my toilet.There is mold growing on the surface of the water in the basement. Also the ceiling collapsed in the aprtment above us and water leaks in steadily and badly when it rains. I have moisture in the walls and around the electrical outlets . The finishing nails are falling out of the ceiling and is starting to buckle. I have not been able to work due to being sick all the time. I have sarcoidosis. The landlady has been informed and refuses to repair anything. The building inspector and health unit have also been over, but they feel that this is not a health hazard. I dont know what to do. I was wondering if anyone has any advice as to get moved out ( as I have no income due to lost work) My husband does not make enough money . We have been trying to save first and last to go, but having great difficulty as my health is deteriorating. I`m frustrated tired and sick. Any advice?
Bonnie on September 23rd, 2008Are honey citron tea with some molds in the surface still safe to eat?
Is it still safe to consume honey citron tea with some molds in the surface, after removing the surface with molds?
Maestro J on January 6th, 2009Is it still safe to consume honey citron tea with molds in the surface, after the molds have been removed by scraping the surface?
Maestro J on January 6th, 2009Very interesting! I’m trying to research this subject and found many interesting points in this article.
Thanks!!
OrTa on January 29th, 2009RE: after a winter (burst pipe)flooding episode. The tiles in the kitchen were lifted only to show a particle board floor underneath. Can mold be cleaned up after settling INTO that type of flooring?
Carroll on February 20th, 2009My whole family has been experiencing the following symptons now for about 6 months..extreme fatique, dizziness, sinus infections, itchy eyes, bronchial infections, mono, anemia, breathlessness, increased food allergies, irritability..to name a few…we also have incredibly dark circles under our eyes..at the same time we are currently under a fair amount of stress..we definitely feel better when we are out of the house..but still spend so much time in the house..we have trouble waking up in the mornings as well as problems thinking clearly..i have had environmental dermal allergy testing done, and have found that i am extremely sensitive to stratybotrys, aspergillium and pencillium type molds..thes type of dermal testing suggests that I have been exposed to these molds in the last 6 months..which is why i think that we may have mold in our home which is affecting the whole family..we are arranging for mold testing to be done..I am wondering if we should start to make arrangements to move out, since we rent, and if these symptons can be permanent? Also I am having trouble with convincing my husband who also looks terrible (dark circles and tired looking), that this is a real issue…any suggestions??
Inger on March 8th, 2009My staff and I were constantly getting sick when we where at work and found out we had modl in our office from a leaking AC unit. We had chroinc fatique, bloody noses, sinus problems, headaches, eye ulcers, elevated blood pressure, dry cough, coated tongue, sores in the nose and terrible muscle and joint pain. Dr, in Dallas said I had octratoxin, and aflatoxin in my system as well as tricopascenes in my system. We were all exposed to mycotoxins and all (entire staff)have differnet levels of exposures.
sallie wagner on April 22nd, 2009My assistant now has MS and I am showing positive for Lupus. I have IGG defenciency (low in antibodies) and also show apositive screen for autoimmune artritis. I struggle dailey to get up and move. If I get energy and do anything physical, the next day I am down for about three days with severe muscle and joint pain. I am interested in what state you live in that yoru doctor told you about the possible mold in yoru bed? My doctors in Alabama are having a hard time connecting my exposure to the mold I had in teh foffice that I breathe in for proably three years.
I am very worried about getting sick. I have bought some tulip bulbs for planting and they got green mold on them. Last night after searching on several websites I spend about an hour cleaning them with a rug. After I was done and blowed my nose I saw that there was mold dust in my nose. what do I do? I feel fine now, but what if it starts growing in me?
Andros on June 28th, 2009We just found black and white fuzzy mold in one of our bathrooms at work. The toilets do leak but the landlord refuses to fix them. Also in our office there is black mold growing up the drywall. I am afraid that there is mold inside the walls because the roof leaked for about 8 months before the land lord came out to fix it. Is there anyway I can tell if there is mold growing in my walls???
Janine on August 18th, 2009We seem to have work place mold. How do we prove it? People are involved but seems like a cover up!
Erica on September 11th, 2009i’ve just discovered green n white furry mould growning on my 4yr old drawers under her bed,much to my horror when we pulled the 3 out it wasnt just on the backs as we 1st thought it was almost as if it had gone right through the base of the drawer,also on deeper inspection it is all on the underside of the slats of woods under her mattress.my husband has done a totally renovation to our new house which we moved in approx 3 mnths ago.my daughters bedroom was the room that needed the most work as it was full of damp,needed hackin off and joist replacing etc due to rot,anyway i am very concerned now about my daughters health as she has had numerous chest infections,tonsilitus n coughs an awful lot at night. wil it have done her health any damage??????
sian on November 1st, 2009My girlfriends house had mold in three parts of the house the kitchen, bathroom and in her room. The mold in the kitchen and bathroom where black and the mold in her room was peeling paint on the wall. They cleaned the mold up in the kitchen and bathroom. And scrapped it in her room. Is it still safe to be living there and was it safe while they were removing the mold to be in the house??
Monika on January 18th, 2010Thanks!
hi, i live in a second floor flat and have mold in every room around the window area and some on walls and ceelings, i have reported this to local council and enviromental health but still awaiting them to come out to inspect. i have been washing areas down but for the last 2 weeks kept them as want the inspector to see just how bad it is.Its getting me down now as i am a bit off a clean freek and its making the place look real bad i have had to throw lots off thing away because off this. it does seem to happen more in the winter with the build up of condinstation on windows. i have had someone out before and just put a barrier on the wall in my sons bedroom but it seems its not worked.. I have re painted all over in the summer,and was just wondering will i have to re do all rooms that have been affected by this mold??? is there something people can do to stop this mold from comming thro again??? could it be harmfull??? its black in places,green in others and a bit of the white fur. What can i do to provent it comming back? I just want it to go away for good. many thanks
rachel on January 20th, 2010I am 7 months preganat, and am very concerned about the mold problem in our rented flat. Since the heavy snow in Christmas week. The corners and side of all the Ceilings in the kitchen, dining room, bedroom, all the doors frames and handles and now starting to get worse behind the leather sofa and kitchen cupboards.
sarah on February 20th, 2010It is black mold, and although we are wiping it down, it only takes a day or two in this wet weather to reappear, and within a week, it is thick black.
I am really really concerned about my family’s health an my unborn child. As the landlords does not seem to acting fast enough. Obviously there is a leakage/condensation problem in the flat, which they are looking into. And we are using dehumidifiers, but thatsjust slowed the mold only by half a day or so.
What can we do as tenants living there to reduce the mold. And what kind of a health affect is it having on me and my unborn child. Should I just move or is it safe to live with?
Please help. And any further information you can provide will be great.
Thank you