Identifying Mold in Your Portland Home: 5 Common Signs

November 21, 2022

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A mold inspection can be your best defense in combatting mold growth before it gets too bad.

At some point, you’re going to run into some sort of water damage in your home. There are many common reasons your home can experience some sort of water damage. From leaks in the roof to a flooded basement, there’s no shortage of issues. Due to this, you should also be on the lookout for mold. If you find mold in your home, you should take steps to remove it immediately. But how do you know what you’re looking for? Today we’re going to take a look at the 5 most common signs of mold (and why a mold inspection is beneficial):

Why Should I Get Rid of Mold?

Before we dive into what to look for, let’s first talk about the problems mold can cause. First, there’s the damage it can lead to in your home. Mold likes to feed off wood and drywall. If it’s untreated for a large period, it can eventually lead to severe structural damage. This damage can be dangerous to you and costly to repair.

The other reason you should get rid of mold is that it can cause health issues if it’s not removed. Mold spores can grow and spread throughout your home. The more you breathe in, the more likely it is that you’ll develop health issues. This includes asthma, allergies, or other serious respiratory issues. If you want to protect your family’s health, you need to get the mold removed from your home as soon as possible.

5 Signs of Mold

Now that we know why you should get rid of mold from your home, here are 5 signs you should keep an eye out for to identify it.

A Musty Smell

Have you noticed that there’s an odd odor that you didn’t smell before? The air smells musty, like an old book. This can be a sign of mold growing in your home. At the very least, this is a sign that you have some sort of water damage. Untreated water damage leads to the growth and spread of mold if it hasn’t happened already.

Spotting or Discoloration

If you’ve come across an area where you see dark spots, it’s probably mold. Mold can be a multitude of colors: brown, black, orange, green, or white. It may also have a fuzzy-looking texture to it. This is the most obvious sign of mold. Don’t try to clean it up yourself. Household bleach is great at cleaning a lot of things, but not mold. Mold needs a specialized cleaner to effectively get rid of it and keep it from growing back.

You’re a Little More Under the Weather

Have you noticed lately that you’re coughing more? Or maybe you feel like you have a cold or allergies that just won’t go away. Maybe your asthma is flaring up or you’ve developed asthma and aren’t sure why. All of these could be signs that mold is growing in your home. As mold grows, spores make their way into your ventilation system. This spreads through your home. Breathing in these mold spores cause allergies to flare up, asthma to get worse, and other ailments that don’t improve with time. Removing mold won’t just help your home. It helps the health of you and your loved ones.

Bubbles Form on Your Walls or Ceiling

Much like the musty smell from earlier, this is more of an indicator of serious water damage in your home. If you notice an odd bubble in your wall or ceiling, this means that you probably have water damage behind the wall. This needs to be addressed as soon as possible. It also means that you most likely have mold in this area, since at this point, water damage has been forming for quite some time.

Water Damage in General

Any area where you find water damage in your home is most likely going to be coupled with mold growth. Unless you address the water damage within the first 24 hours of it starting, you’re going to have mold to deal with on top of whatever damage you find. Just like fixing your water damage, always have a professional come out to remove mold from your home.

If you’re worried about mold, hiring a mold inspection company is your best bet. They can either help ease your mind or provide the necessary treatments to kill it at the source.

If You Think You Have Mold in Your Portland Home, Call PNW Restoration for a Mold Inspection

Did your home recently suffer water damage? Do you suspect mold inside your Portland home? If so, give us a call today at (503) 352-5209. The team at PNW Restoration is available 24/7. We have staff on standby for emergencies. Call us today and get your mold inspection quote.

Table Of Content

Why Should I Get Rid of Mold?

5 Signs of Mold

If You Think You Have Mold in Your Portland Home, Call PNW Restoration for a Mold Inspection

For 24/7 Emergency Response call

Water, Mold & Fire Damage Restoration Services in Portland, OR

Call: (503) 352-5209

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