Locating and Identifying Mold Growth

Mold growth can catch you by surprise if you don't know what to watch for and if it's just left alone the consequences to your health and pocketbook can be very high. This reader may be facing just such a problem:

"A week ago I noticed that my bathroom sink had leak, it was just a small leak and I was able to fix it myself but now I've noticed that the bathroom has a musty odor to it. When I looked under the sink I saw some small black spots on the wall. What should I do?"

If your leak went unnoticed for a long enough time there could be serious water damage under the sink. That unaddressed water could have provided the moisture needed for mold growth. The longer that pipe leaked, the more water was provided and the more mold growth will present.

For more information on finding and identifying mold growth you can read this article on how to tell if there is mold in your home, it goes into more detail on what to look for. When small mold growth spots are visible they are often just the tip of the iceberg and there could be mold growth absolutely covering the inside of the wall.

If you suspect mold growth in a room it is strongly recommended that you call a professional. When mold is disturbed, millions of spored get released into the air and they can be harmful when breathed in, especially to children, the elderly and anyone with allergies or a weak immune system. If the area is not properly cleaned and disinfected there is a chance that the mold growth will return after time.