Top 4 Signs That Your Home May Be Infested with Mold
Mold infestation is scary. What’s even scarier is that many families today are living without knowledge that their home is infested with harmful mold. These families aren’t stupid: the signs of mold are not always as obvious as we’d like them to be. Invisible mold is often the cause of mold infestations that go unnoticed.
Of course, invisible mold is not actually invisible. Most of the time, invisible mold is simply just mold that has just colonized in a place in our homes that we don’t see, such as between walls or above ceiling tiles.
So how can we detect this invisible mold? It can be tricky, but there are a few signs that may alert you to its existence. Invisible mold is equatable to a black hole in astronomy. You can’t see the object itself, but you can see the effects that the object makes on its environment.
So let’s check out the signs that your home may be infested with invisible mold (because visible mold, of course, is enough of a sign on its own):
1. Smelling a Moldy Odor
If you come home from work every day and notice that something just doesn’t smell right, it may be because your home has been colonized with mold. Most describe the odor as “musty,” “earthy,” or “damp”. If you notice such an odor in your home, you’ll need to call for a mold inspection at your earliest convenience.
2. Water and Moisture Problems
If you’ve recently had any water and moisture problems, there’s a really good chance that mold has colonized your home. These problems can include flooding, leaky pipes, high condensation, sewer backup, or even simply living in an area with high humidity. Mold can begin to colonize damp areas in as little as 48 hours, so it is essential that you get a mold inspection if you’ve had any water problems in your home or business.
3. Heightened Allergies
While allergies are seasonal and, for many people, completely normal, allergic responses that are particularly bad could mean that your home has a mold infestation. Even harmless molds can produce extreme allergic reactions out of people, and mold in Illinois is no exception.
4. More Serious Mold Exposure Symptoms
The symptoms of harmful mold exposure can range from mild to lethal, and there are many symptoms that could be present as a result of being exposed to harmful molds. We’ve made a blog post going into greater detail on the symptoms of mold exposure, and you can check that out here. If you or any of your family members are showing symptoms of mold exposure, it is extremely necessary to use one of our reliable mold inspectors. At this point, the mold is affecting your health and it becomes an incredibly serious issue.
So, there you have it. While mold doesn’t always present itself in the ways we expect, there are still other ways to tell if your home likely has a mold infestation. Be alert, and keep your eyes (and nose) open for these signs. If you think you might have an infestation, call us. Our certified mold inspectors will be able to tell you the extent of your mold problem and exactly what kind of mold that has colonized your home.
Tags: chicago, chicago mold removal, illinois, illinois mold, Infestation, midwest, mold, mold allergy symptoms, mold growth, mold inspection illinois, signs of mold