When it comes to things that no homeowner wants to find in their home, mold is near the top of the list. But while no homeowner wants to find mold growing in their home, it can actually be quite difficult to identify when it does grow. If a homeowner doesn’t know what to look for, a lot of mold can look extremely benign, like just some dust or dirt that needs to be swept up. Here is what every homeowner needs to know in order to find and identify mold growth in their home.

Signs and Appearances of Mold

Looking for mold is tricky because it can take on just about any appearance. Most people are familiar with the ugly black stains that grow on shower curtains, but that’s just one way mold can appear. Mold can take on many different shapes including:

• Dirt, dust, and soot
• Salt or sugar
• Loose threads

To a Gallatin homeowner who doesn’t know better, mold can look just like an ordinary mess, and in addition to these shape, it can also be a variety of different colors. Black, gray, brown, green, and white are all common colors of mold that homeowners may encounter.

Sight isn’t the only way a homeowner can identify mold growth. Mold has a tendency to grow in places that don’t get seen very often, so homeowners need to rely on their other senses to discover it. One sign of mold that homeowners may notice is that it has a very distinct musty smell. If a homeowner smells something strange, it may mean there is a colony of mold hidden somewhere out of sight.

Where Mold Grows

As briefly mentioned before, mold typically grows in places where homeowners are slow to find it. Under sinks and around pipes are common areas for mold growth, especially if there are any leaks. Other popular places for mold to grow include in basements and crawlspaces, in walls and ceilings, or on windowsills. Also look for mold in bathrooms and kitchens where there is water. It is possible to find mold growing out in the open, but if a homeowner discovers mold growing like this in their home, it’s likely a bad sign. If mold is growing out in the open, it can mean that there’s already a large colony of mold already established in the home.

The Effects of Mold on Health

The reason it’s so important to remove mold from a home as quickly as possible is because of all the damage it can do to someone’s health. What makes mold difficult to identify when it comes to health concerns is that it starts out so mild that homeowners can easily mistake it for something like seasonal allergies. Here are more examples of symptoms homeowners may encounter:

• Coughing and sneezing
• Congestion
• Sore throat
• Runny or itchy eyes
• Skin irritation or rashes
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Difficulty breathing

If left untreated, mold can cause life threatening diseases such as asthma, certain types of cancer, liver and kidney failure, neurotoxicity, and more.

If a homeowners thinks they have found or have found mold growth in their home, they can purchase a mold testing kit from a local hardware store in order to verify. Some mold colonies can be gotten rid of without calling in help, but others will require professional help. In most cases, mold removal is not a DIY project. In these cases, find a reputable mold remediation specialist to hire quickly in order to minimize damage to the home and everyone living in it.