If you live in a heavy rainfall area where the walls tend to be full of moisture and the basements prone to flooding, Mold maybe like your next-door friend. This fungus that is almost invisible to the naked eye may be invading your home, and you are living with it without knowing what it is doing to your health.
Although, most of the mold species need not be necessarily dangerous or to panic about, the structural damage of the house and its negative impact on the health that should worry you the most. The people having mold in their home usually suffer a lot from allergies and respiratory issues. They also feel sore, itchy throat, watery eyes, and irritated skin that surprisingly get better when out of the house.
Hence, mold is a nuisance and cannot be allowed a free space in your home. Here are some things that act as a warning sign and tell you about its invasion in your home –
You are Smelling a Strange Odor
The odor generated from the presence of mold is unlike any foul odors you have come across. It is a bit of damp and musty and often strong and unpleasant. The reason for such a strange smell can be blamed upon the microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) produced by the mold. Unfortunately, you cannot overcome it even if you clean and vacuum your home a hundred times.
You are Facing Flu-like Symptoms Quite Frequently
Detecting mold in the initial stage can be a little difficult. You get to know it is there when you can see it coming out of the walls in the form of black/brown spots. However, the problem must have been there since when you started getting sick too often. You may not be able to pinpoint exactly, but it could feel more like a viral infection and cold symptoms coming on again and again.
You are Feeling Itchy
Well, summers do come with a little discomfort inside and on the surface of the body, but the kind of itchiness that one feels from the mold isn’t the same – it doesn’t subside even with the best of the anti-allergy lotions or creams and if it does, you will see it coming back once you visit the mold-infected areas in your home.
You are Having Breathing Problems
Most species of household mold aren’t much problematic for people without breathing issues. But, the people who are already facing respiratory ailments like bronchitis or asthma can find their problems aggravating and even worsening due to long exposure to mold. An immediate doctor’s appointment and mold inspection is what you would need in this case.
You are Finally Witnessing Spots on the Walls
The worst stage of mold infestation is when you can visibly see a ton of spots on the tiles grout or walls. It can be anything from green, dripping slime or a grey fuzz that you wouldn’t have seen before. Once you see, it is an indicator that there is a big problem on your hands and you need help from a mold specialist as soon as possible.