What steps do experts take to find hidden mold growth as part of a mold remediation process?
Before mold remediation can be performed, it is necessary to find mold growth. Oftentimes, it is hard to locate mold growth since such growth is not always visible. So, let us look at the steps experts take to find hidden mold growth in your home. We will also look at things technicians look into when searching for mold problems.
Challenges in Finding Hidden Mold
Technicians know that mold flourishes in dark corners and often starts growing on hidden surfaces. As such, experts check these common locations where hidden mold growth is found:
- Wallpaper and paneling
- Drywall’s back side
- Within utility tunnels, for example the sections inside walls that consist of water pipes and the pipe chases
- Damp locations present behind walls and within crawlspaces
- Over acoustic liners which exist within ventilation ducts
- Over ceiling tile’s roofing material
- Padding and backing of your home’s carpets
What are the details that technicians look into when searching for mold growth?
Experts analyze the following while investigating mold growth in your home:
- Musty odors that point toward mold issues in your home.
- Analysis for determining if white and soluble material (fibrous) found in crawlspaces inside your home is alkaline salt or mold infestation.
- Examination of your home’s ventilation system to look for moisture issues that often result from poor condensation of pan drainage, inadequate roof drainage, and/or a very high percentage of relative humidity inside ventilation ducts.
Mold or Something Else?
Technicians also make sure that they are investigating a mold problem and it is not something else.
Such analysis become necessary since there are many things which look very similar to mold but are not the same. Some examples include:
- Alkaline crystals present over concrete walls
- Paint on the back side of drywall
- Some types of stains present over your carpet