How to Detect Mold Inside Walls
Mold on walls is a common issue that often gets overlooked, but it can have serious consequences for both your home and your health. When water damage occurs, mold can start growing incredibly fast—sometimes within just 24 to 48 hours. This means that even small leaks or spills that aren’t dried up quickly can lead to mold problems. As mold spreads, it can cause visible damage like stains, warped walls, and peeling paint or wallpaper. More importantly, mold releases spores into the air that can cause allergic reactions, respiratory issues, and other health problems.
Why Mold Grows Inside Walls
Mold thrives in environments that are damp, dark, and poorly ventilated. Understanding why mold might be growing inside your walls is the first step to detecting it. Here are common causes:
- Water Leaks: Leaks from pipes, roofs, or windows can introduce moisture into your walls, creating an ideal environment for mold.
- Condensation: Poor insulation or significant differences between indoor and outdoor temperatures can lead to condensation, which provides moisture for mold.
- High Humidity: Areas with high humidity levels, such as bathrooms and basements, are particularly susceptible to mold growth.
Problems Caused by Mold
Mold growth is particularly concerning because the mold will continue to eat away at affected building materials and increase the damage as it spreads. Mold will also compromise the air quality of your home and pose as a health hazard to any and all occupants. Among some of the health concerns that mold presents are eye irritation, coughing, nasal issues, and throat irritation.
Knowing the amount of damage mold can cause, it is important for you to know how to detect mold in your home. However, it can sometimes be difficult to spot mold because it can be hidden. One case of this is mold growth behind your home’s walls.
Primary Signs of Mold Inside Walls
Here’s what to look for when finding mold behind the walls:
Discoloration and Stains
Because mold growth is often a result of water damage, water stains can be an indicator of the presence of mold. As such, if you spot water stains on your walls, then it is likely that there’s mold growing behind them. Water stains can be yellow or brown in color, so look out for such colors on your wall. If the spots are damp, then that’s an obvious sign of moisture problems as well.
Another indicator of mold growth is discoloration, which can occur even if you have repainted your home’s walls. Discoloration can also happen in the event that damage has been done from within. This is because the mold will still be visible on the wall’s surface.
Mold can appear in many shades, from black to white to brown to gray to green. If your wall has vinyl wallpaper, mold will look pink, orange, or purple in appearance.
Surface Changes and Deterioration
Your walls’ appearance can change significantly if there’s mold growth behind them. In addition to discoloration and stains, your walls may deteriorate. Paint or wallpaper can crack, peel, or bubble because of moisture and mold growth. Furthermore, your walls may become warped or even bow or bulge when there’s a water issue, which often leads to mold growth.
Odors
In the event that you are unable to visibly spot any signs of mold growth, you’ll likely still be able to smell the mold. Mold gives off a musty odor. It is similar to an earthy smell that you would find in a damp forest.
If you get down and smell the electrical outlets, then you will be able to more easily sniff out whether there is mold growth behind your walls. It sounds like a silly thing to do, but outlets have good access to the space behind the walls in your home.
How to Detect Mold Without Damaging Walls
To detect mold inside walls without causing damage, you can use several tools and techniques:
- Moisture Meter: A moisture meter can measure the dampness inside your walls. High moisture readings suggest that mold might be present.
- Infrared Camera: This device detects temperature differences in walls, which can indicate areas of moisture where mold might be growing.
- Boroscope: A boroscope is a small camera that can be inserted into a wall through a tiny hole, allowing you to see inside without significant damage.
How to Investigate Mold Without Using Any Tools
If you suspect mold inside your walls, follow these steps to investigate:
- Visual Inspection: Begin by closely examining the wall surface for any signs of mold or moisture. Focus on areas around windows, doors, and plumbing fixtures, as these are common spots where moisture can accumulate.
- Smell Test: Use your nose to detect any musty odors. These smells can help you pinpoint where mold might be hiding.
- Tap and Listen: Gently tap on the wall and listen for hollow sounds. Hollow spots might indicate that there are spaces behind the wall where mold could be growing.
- Cut a Small Hole: If you’re fairly certain there’s mold, consider cutting a small inspection hole in the drywall to take a closer look. Make sure you have the right tools and protective gear before you start.
What to Do When Finding Mold in Your Home
If you discover mold in your home, it’s essential to seek professional mold remediation services. Experts can thoroughly assess the damage, contain the mold, prevent further spread, conduct necessary repairs or replacements, and even treat your home in a way that minimizes the chances of mold returning.
Restoration professionals should be IICRC-certified and experienced in removing mold growth of all sizes. After you make the call, their specialists will quickly arrive to inspect the area and contain it to prevent further spreading.
Licensed restoration companies utilize the latest products and equipment to completely eliminate mold at its source. After a thorough remediation process, they will ensure that all affected areas are restored to their original condition, giving you peace of mind that your home is safe from unhealthy living conditions.
About Vince Sandri
Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.
