Mold Remediation Blog

falg with caution signs about mold in your home

7 Alarming Signs That You Need Mold Remediation

Hi there, are you dealing with a mold problem?

Wondering when is mold remediation required?

The Good News is…  understanding the common signs you need mold remediation is simple. But let’s start from the beginning.

What Is Mold Remediation?

Remediation means “the action of remedying something, in particular of reversing or stopping environmental damage.

Homeowners commonly mistake mold remediation for mold removal. Yes, it’s true that the mold is going to be removed, but ‘mold remediation’ is a process. It takes hard work and meticulous attention to detail.

How long the process or project takes depends on a variety of factors. One of these factors is the location of the problem.

 

The Most Common Places Mold Shows Up

  • In the bathroom, especially without proper ventilation.
  • Under sinks and around plumbing throughout the home.
  • Within the wall system, drywall, floorboard, the ceiling, etc.
  • Under carpeting and other fabrics or upholstery, temporarily hiding the infestation.
  • Behind the refrigerator and areas in the kitchen, which are rarely cleaned.
  • In the attic, and again, this is especially common without proper ventilation.
  • Around leaky windows and doors.
  • In the basement or crawlspace around piping and ductwork.
 

The key takeaway here is to contact professionals sooner rather than later. Don’t play with mold. As soon as you spot any of these signs, reach out and get professional help!

Sign #1: The Signature ‘Musty’ Smell

What is musty? It’s stale. It’s dank. It’s damp and distinct. Most of us recognize the smell as alarming, even if we can’t yet see the mold. The smell can change and become more intense as the mold grows and evolves. And no, simply ventilating the area doesn’t remove the odor.

Sign #2: Water In Areas Where It Shouldn’t Be

One of the core needs of mold is water and moisture. Whenever water is in an area of your home, it shouldn’t be; mold is likely to start appearing. Here in our part of the country, we see upticks in calls for mold inspections after major storm systems roll through. 

The internet is filled with pictures showing people’s basements and crawlspaces filled with water and mold after major weather systems hit. Here’s an example:

 

Water under house image by atlantic foundation

Sign #3: This Includes Humidity At Levels Above 60%

Does the existence of water always mean mold? No. But there are certain thresholds and environments where it’s a sure thing. 

Whether we’re talking about your bathroom, attic, or both, whenever an area reaches then sustains 60% humidity without proper ventilation…mold! 

Sign #4: Visible Mold Spores That Change Colors

different color samples of mold from haywardscore.com

As a general rule of thumb:

Mold can be any color. While most mold growth is often black, grey, or greenish, it can be brown, purple, orange, pink, yellow, red, white, or even a combination of colors. The color of mold can be influenced by food source and humidity level, even light.

For homeowners, it really doesn’t matter what color the mold is; it needs to be remediated. 

Sign #5: Neglected Leaky Pipes

One of the more common signs are leaky pipes which homeowners have chosen to procrastinate on. Why?

leaky pipes that have been neglected

Often it’s because they a) don’t know much about plumbing and b) are hesitant to call local plumbers. They figure they’ll just leave the area alone for now and clean it with some bleach down the road. Unfortunately, this isn’t a wise approach.

Sign #6: Undiagnosed & Unaddressed Ventilation Issues

mold resulting from blocked soffit vents

Guess what one of the most common causes of mold growth in ventilation areas is? Improperly installed bathroom exhaust pipes! They collect moisture, attract mold, and spread it from there.

If the ventilation in your roof isn’t doing its job properly, the mold will take root. Always pay special attention to ventilation around more moist areas of the home like attic, kitchen, basement, bathrooms, and crawlspace. 

Sign #7: People Have Adverse Reactions To Areas Of Your Home

Unfortunately, this is still one of the most common ways people find out they have mold in their homes. Over time, occupants realize they feel much better outside than inside! Why does it take a while to figure out? Because the reactions to mold are extensive and vary widely, so the symptoms of mold allergies are confused with other ailments. 

Wrapping Up: At The First Sign Of Trouble, Call The Professionals

If you’ve got a mold issue, or suspect you have one even though you can’t see mold yet, don’t hesitate to call the professionals. Mold is dangerous. And mold is NOT something for amateurs to mess with. 99% of the time, all that happens is the problem because 10x worse!

For homeowners in the Charlottesville and Washington DC areas, along with parts of Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland, contact Valor Mold. We’re your local family-owned mold remediation company with a reputation you can trust. 

Why Choose Us

We remove mold the right way… and it would be an honor to hear from you.

96% Success Rate

96% Success Rate

Your home is in the best hands—our chemical-free remediation has the highest success rate in the industry.

Instant Mold Testing

Instant Mold Testing

You get the answers you need—our special mold testing provides 99% accurate results on the spot.

300+ Happy Clients

300+ Happy Clients

You can trust our process—we’ve performed over 300 successful projects since we opened in 2006.

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