How to Detect Mold in Walls
Detecting Mold in Walls
A sighting of mold on the wall is enough to cause a homeowner distress. Aside from the disgusting sight, this fungus can make you and your loved ones sick. Apparently, it is not always easy to detect mold in walls. Even with drywall water damage, mold growth can be subtle, appearing like dirt on the wall.
Here are Several Ways to Detect Signs of Mold in Your House:
Mold Testing
Mold grows on damp areas in your home. For instance, the black stuff in your shower grout lines is mold. However, water seeps through your walls, creating moist environments conducive to mold growth. It is easy to miss such surfaces, especially if the infestation looks like a dirty surface.
Just because you are not seeing black spots on the wall does not mean you do not have a wicked case of mold. Mildew contamination passes for dirty walls because most of the growth is underneath the surface. There is a way to ascertain the wall condition if you suspect the discoloration is mold or mildew growth.
A Mold Test is Quick and Easy. You Will Need the Following:
- One part bleach
- 16 parts water
- A swab and a bucket
Dilute the bleach in water. Take a swab, dip it in the solution, and wipe it on the suspected wall. The area should quickly whiten. If it’s dirt, the surface will remain clean. If it is moldy, the dirty look reappears because of new growth.
Probe the Wall with a Screwdriver.
Probe the Wall with a Screwdriver
Mildew is the only type of mold that does not affect the integrity of your wall because it grows on the surface. Other types of mold grow beneath the surface enough to cause rotting on the wall material.
You can ascertain the affected region has mold by probing with a screwdriver. The fungus causes wood to rot, making it easily crumble. Softness or crumbling indicate the presence of mold.
Look for Leakages
Leakages are among the leading causes of mold in walls. Water damage under the kitchen cabinets, bathrooms, and other regions next to water pipes has mold growth because of water sweeping through the walls.
Assess for slow plumbing leaks by running water and analyzing the drip for mold. Noteworthy, water travels far on absorbent surfaces like drywall. Therefore, the fungus growth location may not be the leakage area.
Contractor Plumbing License and it’s CFC1431245.
Look for Outside Leakages
Surface molds grow from external leakages. Find out where the water is trickling from to ascertain dumpiness. Regions where water percolates wick into the foundation or wall and floor slabs, triggering mold growth.
Remediation for Mold in Walls and Other Areas
Elimination is the next step once the mold assessment affirms the presence of the fungus. The best way to remediate is by hiring professional mold removal services.
Mold remediation is a management technique that contains out-of-control mold situations. Mold remediation is vital once there are signs of mold infestation. The steps in the remediation process include,
- Find a water damage solution. For instance, you need to repair or replace faulty water or sewage pipes to prevent leakages.
- Isolate the contaminated area – mold spores disperse to propagate growth to other house regions – this creates a never-ending problem. Seal the affected area to contain the fungal infestation.
- Remove all contaminated surfaces and seal them in plastic bags.
- Clean the non-porous surfaces and the contaminated surfaces.
- Dry the clean surfaces
- Conduct a visibility test to ensure the area is free from dust, debris, or other contaminants.
Replace all contaminated material
Local Mold Removal Services in South Florida
A mold infestation in the home is hazardous. It weakens the house structure, damages property, and causes health problems, such as respiratory illness and allergies. Hiring residential mold restoration professionals is essential because of the dangers inflicted by this fungus.
At All Pro Restoration LLC, we are experts at eradicating mold in walls and other areas in homes and commercial buildings. Call us at 239-217-1616 for more information on mold removal services in Miami. You may also request a quote online.
