5 Signs You Have a Hidden Mold Problem

Mold can wreak havoc on the structural integrity of your commercial or industrial property. It can also cause health issues, including allergies and even life-threatening illnesses.

Fortunately, these issues can be prevented or remediated by knowing what to look for.

Signs of Mold

When mold gets in hard-to-reach places, it can often go unidentified. Pay attention to these mold warning signs in your home or commercial building:

1. Visible signs of mold growth: While mold that grows behind wallpaper and vinyl may be purple, pink or orange, mold growing in other places may be white, gray-green, gray-brown or black. You may be able to detect mold by looking for clusters of small, black spots or white, thread-like areas.
2. Past flooding: Your building may be more likely to experience mold growth if it has suffered flood damage in the past.
3. Water leaks: Metal pipes, windows or other areas where condensation often forms can be safe havens for mold. If water leaks occur behind hidden surfaces or walls, subsequent mold growth may be undetectable.
4. Signs of water damage: You are likely dealing with mold-producing problems if you notice discoloration on ceilings, walls or floors. You may detect cracking, bubbling or peeling paint or wallpaper.
5. Mold odor: While not all molds produce a smell, some give off a persistent musty odor.

When to Call a Professional to Find and Remove Mold

How do you know when to call a specialist to deal with mold removal? Here are a few scenarios that signal the need for professional help:

• You can smell mold, but you cannot find the source of the problem.
• There is so much mold that you cannot solve the overgrowth alone.
• There are young children, elderly persons or other highly susceptible people frequently in your building. This could include those with a weakened immune system caused by chemotherapy, HIV or an organ transplant. Individuals with respiratory conditions such as allergies or severe asthma may also be more susceptible to mold-related health issues.
• Lead, asbestos or other hazardous materials are present and will be removed or disturbed along with the mold.
• The moisture has caused structural problems within your property.

How to Find Hidden Mold in Your Commercial or Industrial Property

You can test for mold in a building using several methods. To detect mold in the walls, dip a swab in diluted bleach — one part bleach, 16 parts water — and dab it on the wall. You can assume the spot is mold if the area lightens quickly or returns after cleaning.

Other ways to find hidden mold in your property include:

• Use a mold test kit.
• Inspect the ductwork.
• Look for outside leaks.
• Probe the area with a screwdriver.
• Check for plumbing leaks.

Let URI Help You Remove Mold Growth

Hiring a mold remediation specialist will help you remove and prevent mold in your commercial building.

If your company has experienced an emergency or natural disaster involving water, trust the Unlimited Restoration team for mold remediation services. Unlimited Restoration, Inc. has proudly served commercial and industrial clients since 1996 with mold remediation. With multiple locations in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast, our network provides fast 24/7 dependable emergency response with timely arrival onsite to customers across Delaware, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC.

To learn more about our expert mold removal services, contact our team today.