Hidden Mold: The Very First Signs and How to Prevent It from Growing at the Earliest Stage

Mold can be a stealth weapon. It sneaks up on you and your home when you do not know what kind of signs to look for. Learning the early warning signs of a mold invasion can prevent damage, save your health, and keep your home safe.

The dangers of mold

Not all varieties of mold are that bad. Some are mild and not very toxic. Yet if you do not identify the right type of mold growing in your home, you can end up in a very dangerous situation.

Some molds, like mycotoxins can enter your body and cause severe illnesses. In some cases, the damage cannot be reversed, thus making it very important to learn the very first signs of mold entering you home and how to stop it from growing.

The early warning signs of mold growth

It is important to learn the early warning signs that you have mold growing somewhere in your home. These signs help protect you and give you time to take the right action. Here are some of those signs to help you know you have a mold problem:

#1. Your chimney smells weird– if you have a chimney and do not use it often, it is a great place for mold to grow and get a foothold in your home.

#2. Your eyes start to water and sting– you will need to track your allergic reaction to mold for about two weeks to see which room your allergies are triggered the most. People are allergic to mold.

#3. Your skin tingles– people are also allergic to mycotoxins and one sign this type of mold is in your home is when your skin tingles. You may also get hives and other allergic responses.

#4. Your asthma is triggered – mold spores can get inside your body and set off your asthma. When your asthma is getting worse, check for mold in your home.

#5. Your wall’s bubble– the mold gets behind the paint and causes it to bubble up. When that happens you need to find the source first before stopping the mold growth.

#6. You begin coughing even though you are not sick– mycotoxins can trigger chronic coughs when no other illness is present.

#7. Your floor feels squishy– like bubbling paint, mold can get underneath your flooring and cause it to rise up and lose its adhesive grip. Mold can spread quickly, especially when the wood is rotting.

#8. Your house has a musty smell– if you smell a musty odor even after you cleaned your home that is a sign that you have a mold problem in your home.

#9. Your attic insulation is lumpy– mold growth is not smooth. It will make a lot of things uneven and look unnatural.

Preventing mold growth

If you suspect you have a mold problem there are steps to take to prevent the situation from getting worse. The key is to act fast in finding the mold and eliminating it from your home.

Here are the ways to prevent mold from going from bad to worse:

#1. Buy a dehumidifier– or an air conditioner. You need to reduce the humidity levels in your home. Mold loves hot and humid conditions, not cool and dry. Dehumidifiers work best for this purpose. Check out expert reviews through this website.

#2. Cut down moisture in your bathroom– either wipe the walls down after your shower or just open a window to let a lot of the steam out. Help your exhaust fan and get the humid air out before it aids mold growth.

#3. Don’t ignore wet clothes– dry them immediately in the dryer or out in the sun but don’t let them stay damp for very long.

#4. Don’t hang damp clothes inside to dry– the moisture will add to your humidity problems and encourage mold growth.

#5. Clean up liquid messes right away– it only takes mold a day or two to start growing, so do not leave any liquid messes lying about. Clean them up and protect your home and family.

#6. Use exhaust fans and vents- keep the hot humid air moving out of your bathroom, laundry room and kitchen by turning on exhaust fans in each room. Also make sure your dryer is vented to the outside.

#7. Empty drip trays- not just in your dehumidifier but in your fridge and other appliances that use one. Standing water can encourage mold growth especially when you do not clean the trays.

#8. Open windows and turn on ceiling fans– increasing your ventilation helps keep the humidity levels down and mold growth at bay.

#9. Get rid of wet carpet– take the carpet away from those areas that get wet often. The carpets retain moisture and help mold to grow on them.

How to eliminate mold problems

Here are some steps you need to take in order to get rid of any mold problems that have gotten a very good foothold in your home:

#1. Correctly identify the right areas where you have mold growth. Anything less means you are wasting your time.

#2. Use the right solutions that kill mold. Bleach is one and borax is another. Don’t use ordinary chemicals that do nothing but remove the spores you can see. Mold will come back and be stronger than it was before.

#3. Throw away moldy pieces of wood, upholstery, wall paper, curtains and other items. Cleaning them is not the answer.

#4. When you clean mold, wear protective gloves, face masks and goggles. The right safety equipment will protect your health from deadly mold toxins.

Professional Mold Remediation Services

Now that you know the early warning signs of mold growth in your home, it is time to do something about it. You can choose to do it yourself and use the remedies listed above. However, this will take time from your busy schedule and there is no guarantee you will get all the mold or even locate the right areas. Attempting to remove mold on your own can also be dangerous and make the problem worse.

Or you can call in mold remediation professionals and have them do it for you. They know where to look, what to look for and how to get rid of the mold in your home the right way. Plus, they will address the moisture sources that started the mold growth.

Let the professionals handle this problem as they have the training to do mold removal safely. That way you get some peace of mind that your home is safe and free of mold