How To Identify Black Mold

3/21/2022 (Permalink)

Follow These Tips, Identify Black Mold, and prevent Mold Damage in your Kaysville, UT Home.

If your Kaysville, UT home has a musty, earthy smell, it’s a sure sign that there is mold growing somewhere. When there are no visible spots, getting a mold inspection done by a professional mold damage restoration company will determine the type of fungi that has invaded your home.

What Is Black Mold?

Although “black” may be in its name, Stachybotrys mold isn’t always that color.

Although typically dark, it can range from dark green to dark brown. In some instances, they have orange hues or white specks. Regardless of the color, it often appears fuzzy and grows in a long line like a stain. Nigrospora and Cladosporium are commonly found. They are dark in color. 

Even if you don’t see the mold, its unique smell alerts you to a problem. The smell emitted actually comes from microbial volatile organic compounds, which are gasses produced during reproduction and feeding. As it continues to grow, it releases spores into the air. Once these microscopic spores are floating around, it may affect indoor air quality. This type of mold is most commonly found in the following areas:

• On or near cellulose materials, such as drywall and wood
• Damp areas, especially basements
• Behind walls and ceiling panels
• Condensation prone areas, such as the bathroom and kitchen
• Grout and sealants

Why Get a Mold Inspection?

When you find house mold, know you have a problem. When you can’t see it, you still know there is a problem. If mold is left to flourish, it may mean bigger problems down the road. Since mold spores find new places to build a new colony, the structure of the home is at risk. Large areas of mold eventually need to be replaced, which may get costly.

Calling a professional for an inspection helps ensure that doesn’t happen. Along with the expertise and tools to locate hidden mold, professionals will be able to create a plan of action to eradicate the problem and return your home back to like new. It is worth contacting a professional when:

• There is a musty, moldy smell that lingers but no visible mold.
• The home has experienced recent flooding, plumbing leaks or other moisture issues.
• Mold has been detected before and the homeowner wants to ensure the issue was properly taken care of.
• If it is a new home you are purchasing, there may have been undocumented water damage.

Any home, such as a vacation home, that has been unoccupied or closed up should get a mold test. Varying levels of humidity may have provided the right conditions for mold to form.

While finding or smelling any mold in your home is unpleasant, it is important to know what you are dealing with. A professional mold inspection helps provide those answers, along with solutions to solve the problem.