What are the first signs of a fungus or mold in our home?

October 10th, 2022

Molds are scary, especially in our homes. They can be the cause of health problems for the occupants. However, molds are symptoms of underlying problems. It may be water infiltration or a lack of ventilation that causes an accumulation of humidity. There is always a cause that must be identified to permanently get rid of fungi and mold in our homes. The following article will try to inform you about the first signs that reveal the presence of fungi and mold in your home.

How to spot mold

Molds are sometimes obvious. It is sometimes easy to see dark circles or spots, often black, green, brown, orange, yellow or white. They can form on walls, ceilings, in ducts, in the attic or in the crawl space. Besides their color, molds can also have a powdery or foamy appearance. Your nose can also give you clues to the presence of mold or fungus. You might then detect a musty or earthy smell. Some types of mold are not visible to the naked eye. They can develop in the house and colonize different materials such as wood, plaster walls, paper, fabric, carpets, etc. You may even find some in ventilation and air-conditioning ducts. Other times they are in hidden or hard-to-reach places like inside walls or in false ceilings.

A variable level of danger

All mushrooms do not have the same level of danger and, in other words, all are not harmful in the same way. There are three main categories of mold spores: allergens, pathogens and toxins. Allergens can harm people with allergies or asthma. Spores in the pathogen category can cause infections or illnesses, especially in people with weaker immune systems such as babies and the elderly. Finally, toxins can produce mycotoxins. They are dangerous agents for all and to which one can be exposed by ingestion. You could then suffer from a chronic cold, asthma or any other disease of the respiratory system. Again, it is especially the elderly and young children who will suffer the most.

If you think you have mold or fungus in your home, do not hesitate to contact building inspection experts. They will be able to give you the facts and tell you how to get rid of the problem before it affects your health or the structure of your home. They will also be able to advise you in order to prevent the problem from coming back because, as we said at the beginning of the article, mold or fungi are the symptom of a problem that must be fixed at the base, otherwise you risk seeing the problem reappear again and again.