Black mold is well known to cause a variety of health issues on top of damage to wherever it manifests. Of course, that can lead to hundreds of dollars in repairs. But there is a true secret to making sure that mold doesn’t become a hazardous and expensive house guest. It includes catching it while it hasn’t had the opportunity to grow and spread to unmanageable levels. While the only way to truly identify whether or not your building has this material in it is to seek out proper black mold testing, there are certain tell-tale signs that you can keep an eye out for. By knowing what to look for and becoming your own sort of first response “black mold tester”, you can be ready to call in the real experts for when anything happens.
Wet, Dark Rings, And Spots
Seeing brown/black/blue markings on any part of your home can be indicative of mold growth patterns. In fact, these usually appear as spots, rings, or splotches, and may grow over time. Unfortunately, these marks may be indicative of more severe growth that can’t be seen.
Strong Smells
Musty, pungent odors that are mainly relegated to one area are often a good indicator of some sort of mold problem. Some describe the smell as being similar to something old and wet or rotten wood. In order to verify that a strange odor in your home is or is not an issue, call a quality black mold tester.
Previous Water Damage
Anywhere there’s water, there can be mold. Rain that got through the roof, leaky pipes, and flooding can all become serious issues if not monitored and taken care of. This can raise colonies of black mold that can be fairly difficult to get rid of.
Respiratory Issues
What you might dismiss as allergies, or a seasonal cold may be an indicator of irritating mold in the air. Coughing, runny noses, sneezing, and other allergy-like symptoms are all signs of such an irritant being in the air. One way that you can determine if your issues are related to mold is by seeing if your health issues persist after leaving the home or wherever the offending area may be. Of course, the only way you can be sure is by seeking out proper black mold testing.
Degradation of Material
Seeing warped, rotten, or sunken in materials (particularly wood) are all signs that part of your home may be slowly eaten away by mold. If you can, try to inspect the damage as closely as possible. And try to feel around for any unusual softness in the material.
Don’t Delay on Receiving Black Mold Testing. Call IndoorDoctor Now!
Black mold can be an incredibly hazardous material that you want to identify and eliminate as soon as possible. By seeking out the services of a proper black mold tester, you can get the peace of mind in knowing the severity and source of the issue. And, of course, get actionable steps on how to tackle it.
To get your home air quality properly inspected, you can contact the trusted experts of IndoorDoctor. You can do that through our online form or call 800.466.1522.