Is Mold Hiding in Your Property?

One of the best ways to detect mold is to simply apply your sense of smell. If a room or a particular area of a property smells earthy or musty, you may have a mold problem on your hands. Whether the mold is “black mold” or any other color, you should call a mold removal specialist.

And that company should be one of Columbus, Ohio’s finest names: iDry Columbus. We’ve inspected thousands of properties and performed thousands of successful remediation projects. These have included two local hospitals.

In this time, we’ve seen some common issues and places to look in many cases that can help you stop mold from growing in your property. Inspect them and carry out any necessary repairs correctly. You may save yourself expensive water or mold removal work later.

Here are a few common questions you should ask yourself:

Bathroom Exhaust Fans – Does it work? Is it used?

The bathroom exhaust isn’t only to remove only to remove foul odor. When bathing, water quickly increases the humidity or moisture in the air. If you close the door and don’t switch on the fan, the air can’t exchange or be removed, which causes moisture to build up. Left saturated, the building materials such as the drywall absorb this moisture swiftly and mold grows soon afterwards.

Does the Exhaust Fan Vent Outside the Structure?

Inspections of many attic spaces have found that improper ventilation of bathroom exhaust fans caused mold to grow. Venting of these units must be done to the outside to prevent a build of condensation in the attic space.

Is the Roof Ventilated?

There are many different forms of ventilation for the attic space. A very common issue that we see is the improper installation of insulation along soffit vents. Baffle vents must always be used to prevent insulation from covering the natural airflow of these vents. If you suspect a ventilation issue, contact a local licensed roofing contractor or our office for a quick inspection.

Attic mold is very common. Most houses have it in some form or another; however, the kind of mold depends on many factors. A visual inspection and onsite tools won’t determine this. We’d need to take a sample of micro-organisms, and then test the sample at a certified laboratory. The results will always be a mix of the airborne spores inside the residence and are often compared in volume and identification to the outside. Keep in mind that your indoor environment changes rapidly: Any air test is only indicative of that particular point in time.

The mold’s color won’t tell you anything about it. Many of the molds that can produce a mycotoxin are the result of water or moisture and are typically found in basements, attics, kitchens, and bathrooms or areas where there has been significant flooding.

For some quick tips in prevention, visit our water damage prevention page.