Where to Check for Mold Growth In Your Home

7/30/2018 (Permalink)

Where to Check for Mold Growth In Your Home

While water can certainly damage the inside of a home, it’s usually the mold that can occur after the water damage that can be much more damaging to a home’s interior. The other danger of mold growth is that it can go days even months undetected due to the fact that it tends to happen in areas we don’t normally look at. But starting today, you can change that. Below we will cover the common areas where mold can grow and that you should check on a regular basis especially if you suffer from water damage.

Check Around and In the Washing Machine

With a washing machine, there are several areas where water can leak and lead to mold growth. The first place to check often is the water connection in the back of the washing machine. Over time, the connection may come loose or be damaged from the washing machine shaking during operation. The other place to check often is the drain of the washing machine. With a front loading washing machine, the drain can usually be found below the washing drum. A lot of times, there is a catch area that can become clogged with fabric and particles. This needs to be checked and cleaned every few months to ensure the water drain out correctly.

The last area to check is around the seal of a front loading washing machine. You’ll sometimes find lost socks and particles inside the seal. If you don’t check and clear this on a regular basis, mold can start to grow on the particles and fabrics that hide inside the seal. If your washing machine smells mildewy, you may want to check around the seal or around the drain. You can also run the washing machine without any close and add some bleach to help kill any spores or mold in the drum, around the seal, and down through the drain.

Check for Water Around the Dishwasher

This should be an easy appliance to check. Every time you unload the dishwasher, check around the bottom for any signs of water. The one difficult area to check for leaks or mold growth is where the water drains out of the dishwasher. The drain is usually located under the dishwasher and runs to the kitchen sink pipes where it drains out. Water can leak from the dishwasher drain connection or the kitchen sink drain connection. The only way to check the dishwasher drain connection is to remove the bottom panel if possible. If this can be done, it wouldn’t hurt to check once a year or so for any signs of water leaks or mold growth.

Similar to the washing machine, mold can grow around the seals. It’s always a good idea to spray and clean the seals around the door with a 10% bleach solution to kill off any spores or mold before it gets worse and starts to smell.

Clean the Shower and Bathtub Regularly

The shower and bathtub are perfect environments for mold and mildew. Due to the fact that they both see a lot of water on a daily basis, there is ample opportunity for mold to grow around them. To keep the mold and mildew at bay, it’s always good to clean them with a bleach solution on a regular basis. Also, make sure that water isn’t spilling out of the shower or bathtub as that can lead to mold growth on baseboards and walls and behind wallpaper.

Another key to keeping mold at bay in the bathroom is to make sure your exhaust fan is functioning properly and to use it whenever you take a bath or shower. The exhaust fan will help remove the moisture in the air and prevent mold from occurring in the bathroom. It’s also a good idea to open the door after and leave the exhaust fan running for a little while to ensure all the moisture has dissipated.

Around the Toilet and Under the Bathroom Sink

Just like the shower and bathtub, water is a daily occurrence and part of the toilet and bathroom sink’s operation. Again, with regular cleaning, you can keep mold from growing. But unlike the shower and bathtub, there are areas that are common to leaks in a sink and toilet. With a toilet, the leak that can be the most dangerous is around the toilet drain wax seal. The danger in this is the water is usually contaminated and the leak can go undetected leading to mold growth and water damage to the floor, ceiling underneath, and walls.

With the bathroom sink, water can leak from the drain or the water connections which can be hidden under the bathroom sink in the cabinet. This area can usually be checked very easily. After you’ve run the sink, check the drains and water lines for any leaks with a dry hand. If you find a leak, you’ll want to fix it before it leads to water damage and mold growth.

Leaky Pipes in the Attic, Crawlspace, and Basement

Not only can leaky water pipes lead to water and mold damage but so can pipes that have condensation. While you can’t check your water pipes in your walls, you can check the exposed ones in your basement, crawlspace, and attic. If the pipes are leaking, you’ll usually find this around the connections. The other thing that can cause mold growth and possibly water damage is condensation on the pipes. This can usually be prevented by insulating the pipes. You can also run a dehumidifier in the basement to reduce any moisture in the air.

Under the Kitchen Sink

The next time you’re washing the dishes in the kitchen sink, check under the sink for any signs of water leaks. The kitchen sink is one of the most used sinks in a home and over time can develop leaks. Also, since many sinks have a garbage disposal, they also have another area where water leaks can develop. Water can drip over time, damaging the floor of the cabinet and the floor of the home. Because it’s a dark area, mold can quickly develop where the water leak has occurred. It doesn’t hurt to occasionally check under there and fix any leaks before further damage can occur.

Check Around the Windows

A common area where you’ll often find mold growth is around the outside of windows. If the water from rain can’t drain, it can stagnate and cause mold to grow which over time can damage the windows and framing. The caulking and sealing around windows can also crack and cause the water to seep inside the home cause further damage and mold growth. During a heavy rain, walk around your home and check all your windows for any signs of water leaks. Perhaps the windows are closed enough, the seals are cracked or broken, or there’s other damage to the window that is causing water to enter the home. The other thing to check is around the outside of the windows for any signs of dampness or mold growth. Sometimes this can be due to a clogged or broken gutter or water not draining away from the window.

Spilled Drinks on Fabric Furniture

Remember that glass of juice that you spilled on the sofa a month ago. While you may have thought you cleaned it all up, there may have been a spot that you didn’t get that resulted in mold growth. Moisture and fabric furniture are a bad combination that can more likely than not, lead to some mold growth. If you should accidentally spill something onto your fabric furniture, it’s always a good idea to not only clean it but dry it. You may find certain cleaners can disinfect and kill any spores to reduce the chance of mold. If you don’t catch it in time, mold growth in fabrics can be very damaging and difficult, if not impossible, to clean up and remove.

The Reason Why Carpeting in Bathrooms is a Bad Idea

Another thing that doesn’t mix is moisture and carpeting. Water or spills can not only soak down into the carpeting but also the padding and sometimes the wooden subfloor. All three of these areas can be perfect homes for mold growth if the water and moisture are not removed. This is why it’s not a good idea to have carpeting in a bathroom or even a kitchen due to all the water and occasional spills. It’s also why you should hang your bath mat up to dry out after using it to prevent any mold or mildew from happening. If you should suffer a lot of water damage to your carpets, you might want to call water damage restoration professionals like those at SERVPRO of Indianapolis West. They can remove the water and dry out the carpeting, padding, and subfloor if needed.

Why Insulation Shouldn’t Get Wet

The last area where mold can commonly occur in a home is in the insulation. If you a leak in your roof or siding, it can get the insulation wet and promote mold growth over time. You usually won’t discover this until you do some renovation work on your home. Although, you may find it if there is exposed insulation in your attic, crawl space, or basement. If your crawlspace or basement smells musty, then the insulation is one area to check as well as the wood framing.

Contact the Mold Remediation Professionals

If you should find mold damage in your home, then you’ll want to call SERVPRO of Indianapolis West as soon as possible. They have the tools and expertise to remediate the mold damage and get your home back in better shape. It’s also important to get any water damage cleaned up as soon as possible to prevent mold from occurring in the first place. The pros at SERVPRO of Indianapolis West can help with that too.