What Does Mold Look Like And What Should I Do If I Find It In My Home?

What Does Mold Look Like And What Should I Do If I Find It In My Home?

Every house has mold spores, and they’re usually nothing to worry about. However, when the concentration of mold spores in your home becomes too large, it can become an issue, causing mold damage, and putting people’s health and structural elements at risk. That’s when calling in a mold remediation company like Central Florida Restoration Services to remove all types of mold from your home can be one of the best investments you make.

What Does Mold Look Like?

Mold grows everywhere in a home, including the kitchen, laundry room, and bathrooms, and it comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors. But color alone won’t tell you if a mold is toxic, as many specimens have multiple colors or change hue depending on the humidity level, light exposure, and food source.

Regardless of the color of mold you find in your home, it’s a sign there’s an active moisture problem that you want to remove as quickly as possible to avoid extensive mold damage.

This guide can help you determine which kind of mold you’re dealing with.

Green Mold

There are hundreds of thousands of mold types, and many of them appear green at some point in their lifespan. Green molds include Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Cladosporium. Though most people breathe in Aspergillus spores every day without getting sick, some do develop an infection that requires medical treatment.

Black Mold

The most infamous and scary of the mold family, you might be surprised to learn that not all black molds are toxic. But those that are can cause severe health problems, so it’s essential to have a professional deal with them as soon as possible. Toxic black mold, which tends to form in round splotches with a speckled appearance, is often found in attics.

Purple Mold

You won’t find too many purple molds growing in your home, but if you do see it, it’s likely a color variant of Stachybotrys Chartarum, or toxic black mold.

White Mold

Alternaria, Chaetomium, and Penicillium are some white molds you might encounter throughout your Central Florida home. Chaetomium, in particular, is adaptable and resilient, thriving just about anywhere. Cotton-like in appearance, some people mistake it for salt deposits.

Blue Mold

Blue molds are typically either Penicillium or Aspergillus and are often found on food and walls. They’re some of the fastest-growing molds, and breathing in their spores can cause allergic reactions, chest pain, sinus infections, and lung inflammation.

Pink Mold

Most pink molds look more orange than pink and usually have fuzzy or slimy textures. They’re most commonly found growing between bathroom tiles and on plastic shower curtains. Interestingly, pink mold isn’t a true mold; it’s a bacterium called Serratia Marcescens that thrives on soap residue. Though not as dangerous as black molds, pink molds can cause health problems like urinary tract infections and intestinal issues.

Yellow Mold

Left unchecked, yellow molds like Aspergillus, Serpula Lacrymans, Epicoccum Nigrum, and Gemoyces Pannorum, can be dangerous. Serpula Lacrymans doesn’t pose as much of a risk to humans as it does to wood. It’s a known destroyer of damp and rotting organic materials and wreaks havoc if it isn’t removed quickly.

Yellow Slime Mold

Otherwise known as Fuligo Septica (dog vomit), bright yellow slime mold is known to feed on wood mulch and thrives in humid, wet conditions. If it makes its way inside your home, it can be toxic, and you shouldn’t take exposure to it lightly.

Red Mold

Many molds are red at some point in their lives, but they rarely remain that color. You may discover it on drywall or particleboard that’s been subjected to water damage. Though red mold is unsightly, it’s not particularly harmful.

Orange Mold

Like Serpula Lacrymans, orange mold is fast-growing and, over time, can cause severe damage to wooden structures. You’ll find it on interior and exterior wood surfaces, including tables, chairs, floors, and beams. Exposure to orange mold might aggravate asthma and other respiratory conditions, but it usually poses little to no health risks.

Brown Mold

You’ll generally find brown mold anywhere there’s excess moisture, indicating a leak, inadequate ventilation, or water damage. When dealing with brown mold, it’s crucial to not only remove the mold but also to fix the source of the excess moisture. While most are harmless, one type of brown mold, Mucor, can sometimes cause a life-threatening blood infection.

No matter what type of mold infestation or mold damage your Central Florid home has, the professional mold remediation experts at CFRS are skilled at using the safest and most efficient tools, technologies, and techniques to remove mold and solve the problem permanently. 

Call in the Professionals to Mitigate Mold Damage

Mold in the home is unattractive, can make people sick, and weaken architectural elements. If you discover mold in your home or if you suspect you have a hidden mold problem, doing nothing or trying to remove it yourself can often result in it coming back quickly. For instance, you might have heard that bleach is the best way to remove mold. Unfortunately, it won’t work because mold is a living organism that reacts to a “bleach attack” by sending more spores in the air!

Complete mold removal requires specialized tools, chemicals, and methods. When you turn the job over to the pros at CFRS, we’ll quickly assess:

  • The type of mold you have.
  • How to safely remove it.
  • Where a hidden water leak or water intrusion might be occurring.

Our mold remediation process includes:

  • Advanced techniques to contain mold and prevent its spread.
  • Isolating contaminated areas to keep mold spores from spreading during cleanup and removal.
  • Specialized air filtration equipment, including HEPA vacuums and “air scrubbers,” to capture microscopic mold spores.
  • Removal of mold-infested materials like carpeting and drywall.
  • Elimination of mold colonies with antimicrobial and antifungal treatments.
  • Cleaning, sanitizing, and eliminating odors from home contents.
  • Restoration work like new carpet installation and drywall replacement.
  • Advice on whether major repairs or reconstruction is required.

The bottom line? Mold varies in appearance with different colors and patterns. Even though some are harmless, it’s difficult to tell without specialized knowledge. That makes it essential to call a restoration or remediation company like CFRS for an assessment.

Our mold remediation services can prevent you and other family members from getting sick and protect your Central Florida home from further mold damage. Our friendly teams are known for restoring homes back to normal as quickly as possible after water damage. We also offer fire damage and smoke damage solutions you can trust.

Contact Central Florida Restoration Solutions today for the mold remediation services needed to keep your home and family safe and healthy!

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