6 Signs of Mold In Your Utah Home
Wondering if you have mold in your home? If it isn’t caught early on, mold can cause considerable issues to your health and even the infrastructure of your house - so it’s important to know the signs of mold when you see them.
Utah’s dry climate might mean that we don’t have a whole lot of mold outside, but you might be surprised to know that indoor mold can still be a big problem. In fact, the air pollution in Utah’s indoor environments is actually higher than the air pollution outdoors!
Mold grows on moisture, and so if you’re not careful, the air conditioning units and humidifiers you use in your home can create the perfect environment for mold to flourish.
Signs of Mold
Here are six signs of mold in your Utah home:
#1 - You Smell a Strange Odor
One of the most characteristic signs of mold is the recognizable odor it gives off. This varies slightly depending on the kind of mold and the volume of the growth, but in general, mold has an unpleasant musty, damp smell.
As mold grows, it releases spores into the air. In some cases these can be circulated through the air vents to other rooms: when this happens, the whole house can end up smelling like mold, even if the problem itself is only in one room. Don’t dismiss persistent odd smells in your house - they could be indications of a bigger problem.
#2 - You See Mold or Discoloration
The most obvious sign of mold is seeing the mold itself. Tell-tale patches or speckles can be the signs of a bigger problem, so never ignore them even if the affected area seems small. For example, mold on a ventilation grating can indicate an infestation in the vents, and mold by an electrical wall socket can mean that you have mold in your drywall.
Mold can come in a wide variety of colors but it is most commonly green, brown, and black. If the speckling is white, it is likely to be in the early stages and you may be able to catch it and clean it away with bleach before it gets bad enough to warrant a bigger replacement job.
#3 - Your Allergies Are Better Outside
A mold infestation can have repercussions on your health and wellbeing. Some people find that after living in a house with a mold problem, they experience breathing issues, coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, a sore throat, congestion, and the list goes on.
The CDC reports that living in a house with a mold problem can set off and exacerbate symptoms for people with asthma, as well as intensifying allergies for those who are already sensitive.
A clear sign of mold in your home is if your symptoms actually improve when you spend time outside of the house. Allergies like hay fever are triggered by the pollen and dust in the outdoor air, so for most people going indoors should relieve their symptoms. If the opposite is true for you, it may be mold in your home that is causing your reaction.
#4 - You Have Damp Patches In Your Home
If there are areas in your home that have a persistent problem with dampness for any reason, you should keep a watchful eye out for mold. A poorly-ventilated bathroom or a consistent drip from a pipe in the wall can be the perfect conditions for mold to grow, and damp patches can be a sign of mold growing within the wall.
A small damp spot on a wall may not feel like an urgent problem, but if left for too long, water will cause significant damage even if mold never gets involved - so don’t wait! Pay attention to the signs of damp and don’t ignore them.
#5 - Your Air Conditioning Vents Smell Weird
It’s a good idea to check your vents for any discoloration or mold on the outside or inner side of the vent grating, but that’s not the only way to know if you have a mold problem in your vents. A sign of mold in your ventilation system is an odd or earthy smell when the fan is turned on.
Spores from mold inside the vents can be circulated into your air by the motion of the fan, and this could be what you are smelling. Your air ducts should never smell strange, and if the smell of your house changes when you turn on the water or the AC, you should get your ventilation system assessed.
#6 - Your Home Has Flooded
If you have experienced flooding in your home, whether it was just a leak or a significant crisis, it is important to be on the look out for signs of mold.
Causes Of Mold
Knowing what causes mold can help you to prevent it, or, failing that, at least to catch it much more quickly.
Mold can grow anywhere with consistent dampness and water. Good ventilation systems keep air moving around the house, which allows for a dry atmosphere with little chance for mold to grow. Poor ventilation allows moisture in the air to settle onto surfaces, which is one reason why it is so important to keep your air ducts clear and clean.
In addition to poor ventilation, leaks and dampness or standing water are also causes of mold: anywhere that resists drying out will eventually grow mold if it is not regularly cleaned.
If You Think You Have Mold
If any of these signs of mold seem familiar to you and you’re worried you have a mold problem in your home, don’t worry! Mold is an annoying problem but it can be taken care of as long as you act quickly.
If you are concerned that you may have mold growing in the air vents in your Utah home, call Crystal Clean Vents today to schedule your air duct cleaning services. You can even set up an in-home air duct inspection to check to see if your vents really do have mold - and the best part is that this inspection is totally FREE.