Mold is one of the scary realities of living in a house. No matter how new or clean your home is, there is always the chance that mold is lurking somewhere. Not all mold will harm you, but some is truly dangerous and possibly even deadly. Mold tends to be out of sight, out of mind. Still, it’s important to know your mold status. Here are three signals around your home that will tell you it’s time to check for mold.
Water Damage. If your home has sustained water damage at any time, past or present, then you need to seriously consider getting the area checked for mold. A scheduled water damage restoration may be the perfect opportunity. Even if water damage appears to be slight, water can collect behind walls, under flooring, or other places where it can grow out of sight. Even if the water damage happened a long time ago, a mold colony could still be thriving. Even if you don’t currently have water damage, it’s important to maintain your home so that it doesn’t happen sometime down the road. Focus on your roof, windows, gutter systems, and especially the basement.
Allergies and Headaches. One of the classic telltale signs of a black mold infestation is when residents experience allergy-like symptoms and headaches. Some people are badly allergic to mold, but it’s not good for anyone. Even if your symptoms are slight, this could indicate a larger problem in your house that could begin to spiral out of control. Pay attention to the way you and other people feel when inside your home. Do your guests sometimes feel unwell when they come to visit? The situation is especially problematic for you, because you live and sleep in your home. Don’t put your health at risk with a mold problem.
Weird Smells. If your house smells mildly musty or spicy or just plain weird, you might need to consider the mold possibility. Humans live their lives in a certain way, and this creates certain smells. If you detect odors outside of this normal spectrum, it’s time to start looking for the source.
Old House. Time is one of the biggest factors in whether or not a home will develop mold. Mold spores fly through the air all the time. They’re literally all around us. It’s only a matter of time before mold will start to colonize the proper environment. If your home is more than a few years old, crafty mold spores may have found the opportunity to bed down and create a moldy metropolis. Even if you don’t detect mold in any of the above ways, a simple mold test may be worth your time…and your health.
Mold always finds a way. If it has found a way into your home, it’s time to take action. But if you haven’t detected it yet, perhaps you should take a moment to reflect on the considerations above. You could be saving yourself a bigger problem down the road. Good luck!