Symptoms of Mold in a Home

Mold can be an invasive and silent enemy in your home. It tends to grow behind walls, under floors and in the cracks and crevices around your home. In short, you often can’t see it. However there are some clear symptoms of mold in your home. Understanding these symptoms and keeping an eye – and nose! – out for them can help you get ahead of any mold problems before they get too serious. We’ll take a look at some of the structural symptoms of mold in the home and then touch on some of the health-related symptoms you may find if mold is present in your house.

First things first: where does mold come from and where does it go?

Mold generally comes from moisture and bacteria trapped in areas with little light and poor airflow. Molds of all kinds thrive in areas where water is present – this is why you often find mold in the area around your bathtub or sink. These types of molds are easily seen – you’ll find unsightly black and brown areas where water tends to collect. THe more troublesome mold, however, is often found in inconspicuous areas where leaks and moisture may be present, like in your ceiling or walls.

Structural Symptoms of Mold in the Home

There are some fairly straightforward ways to tell if you have and find mold in your home. Mold often appears as black, brown or even in some cases, white, fuzz or markings in or around corners and cracks. Really, anywhere water or moisture can congregate for any length of time can be a perfect place for mold to grow and thrive.

1. Use your eyes – if you can see mold, you either have the beginning of a problem or a very advanced one. If you find a small amount of mold in your bathroom, you can likely take care of it with a bit of cleanser. If you see it on the side of a wall however, covered by molding or other areas, you may have a larger issue.
2. Use your nose – basements and crawl spaces are inherently more humid places but you really shouldn’t get a musty smell. If you venture down your stairs and find that you’re overwhelmed with the scent of your grandfather’s root cellar, you may have a mold problem.
3. Use your eyes…again – If you see moisture or water on your ceiling or wall, you want to take care of it quickly and efficiently or mold can grow.

Health Symptoms of Mold in the Home

There are a number of symptoms that you may experience even if you have a relatively small mold problem. Mold can be an invasive and silent enemy in your home. Because spores are inhaled, mold exposure can cause simultaneous damage to the nose and throat, esophagus, lungs and bloodstream. It can also irritate the eyes, nose and even the skin, in some cases.

1. Allergy/Cold Symptoms – if you find yourself with a runny nose, scratchy throat or cough and have never had these symptoms before, you could be dealing with a mold issue in your home.
2. Watery, Red Eyes – mold spores are constantly in the air when mold is present and can have a drastic effect on the eyes, making them either dry and scratchy or excessively watery.
3. Sinusitis – In more extreme cases, extended exposure to mold can cause a sinus infection, causing potentially serious complications.

Both the household and health symptoms of mold are easy to recognize but can often be confused with other problems, especially in the case of medical issues. The best thing to do is stop mold before it has a chance to start but keeping areas of your home dry and well ventilated. If you do get mold, consider hiring a professional to help you remediate the mold problem completely. A mold remediation company will be able to fully assess the extent of the issue and definitively eradicate the problem.