Checking For Mold Inside Walls

Most mold is unmistakable but sometimes small or largely hidden growths just make a surface look dirty.

Checking for mold inside walls. You should suspect mold in your walls if. If the spot quickly lightens or keeps coming back after cleaning assume it s mold. A quick test for mold can be done when you dip a swab in diluted bleach 1 part bleach 16 parts water and dab it on the wall. You may also see furry growth and black stains.

It is recommended that you check in several places since you might miss small amounts of mold if you only look inside the wall in one spot. Look for patches of mold in colors ranging from white to orange and green to brown and black. You smell a definite musty odor in the room but can t see any mold in this case check air ducts for mold as well. How do you know if you have mold inside walls.

To check inside your walls for mold you ll need to carefully cut out six inch squares of drywall remove the cut out squares and use a long handled mirror and flashlight to look inside for mold. Look for discolored patches on walls furniture and carpeting. There is a significant amount of wall mold on the outside of your walls. While home mold testing kits are simple to use they only capture samples in the air and on exposed surfaces.

A top of the line home mold testing kit should include. Behind your refrigerator beneath stacks of newspapers or cardboard behind the drywall in wall stud spaces that contain plumbing lines below sinks behind the wallboard around. Growth medium that serves as a base for tested samples. They aren t intended to detect mold inside walls but they can provide a starting point for diy mold removal.

There has been flooding or other significant water damage in the home.