Checking For Mold Inside Walls

You should suspect mold in your walls if.

Checking for mold inside walls.

Most mold is unmistakable but sometimes small or largely hidden growths just make a surface look dirty. There has been flooding or other significant water damage in the home. Growth medium that serves as a base for tested samples. The following are some of the most common spots for mold to grow undetected and therefore smart locations to test for mold.

The only way to know for sure if there is mold in walls is to look. If the spot quickly lightens or keeps coming back after cleaning assume it s mold. They aren t intended to detect mold inside walls but they can provide a starting point for diy mold removal. 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.

Check for speckled or cottony growth on walls especially near water damaged surfaces. Look for discolored patches on walls furniture and carpeting. A top of the line home mold testing kit should include. You may also see furry growth and black stains.

While home mold testing kits are simple to use they only capture samples in the air and on exposed surfaces. Look for patches of mold in colors ranging from white to orange and green to brown and black. 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. 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.

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.