If you’re reading this, it’s probably because you have a suspicious feeling that mold may be growing in your apartment. When you inspect your space, do you smell musty air? Does light seem to grow in certain areas? Are there discolored wall tiles or ceilings? Do unusual spots appear on the walls or floors? If so, then the chances are pretty high that you have mold. If left unchecked, mold can spread throughout your apartment and cause damage to both the interiors and the structural integrity of your home. This article will tell you how to test for mold in your apartment, what to do if you find some, and how to get rid of it forever. Read on to know more!
How To Test For Mold In Apartment?
1. Start by checking your air quality
The first thing you should do is check your air quality. You can easily do this with a simple indoor air quality monitor. With this device, you can check the quality of the air in your apartment and make sure that it doesn’t smell musty or strange. If the readings are out of whack, then there’s a chance that mold may be growing in your home.
2. Check for mold growth on walls
To test for mold on walls, you need to use a light source that’s strong enough to penetrate the wall but not so strong that it will damage your paint or wallpaper. You could use a flashlight or even a magnifying glass to find hidden areas in your home where mold is growing. Once you locate any spots, then inspect them with a blacklight pen to see if they have visible stains on them as well as any discoloration around them. If so, then there’s a high probability that you have mold growing in your home and it needs to be dealt with immediately!
3. Look for discolored drywall
If there’s any discoloration around the spots where mold is growing on walls, then inspect these areas with a blacklight pen too to see if they have visible stains as well as any discoloration around them. If so, then there’s a high probability that you have mold growing in your apartment and it needs to be dealt with immediately!
4. Examine flooring for mold
If you’re not sure about the type of paint or wallpaper on your walls, then you can always check for mold on the floor too. To do this, simply use a flat screwdriver to poke holes in the area where you think mold is growing and then shine a blacklight pen at it to see if it has any discoloration around it. If so, then there’s a high probability that you have mold growing in your home and it needs to be dealt with immediately!
5. Check for a musty smell in your apartment
It’s important that you check and identify the source of any unusual smells that may be emanating from your home. If there are certain areas where you can detect smells coming from, then they need to be treated as they could be the source of mold growth in your apartment. To do this, simply open up all windows and doors in these areas while using an air quality monitor as well as a blacklight pen to see if any discoloration is visible around them too. If so, then there’s a high probability that you have mold forming in your apartment and it needs to be dealt with immediately!
6. Look for black spots on walls
If you’re not sure about the type of paint or wallpaper on your walls, then you can always check for mold on the floor too. To do this, simply use a flat screwdriver to poke holes in the area where you think mold is growing and then shine a blacklight pen at it to see if it has any discoloration around it. If so, then there’s a high probability that you have mold forming in your apartment and it needs to be dealt with immediately!
Tips For Preventing Mold From Growing Next Time
1. Keep your air vents clean
As mentioned above, mold is an airborne organism that likes to thrive in dark and damp places. This is why it’s important that you keep your air vents clean. To do this, simply open up all windows and doors in your apartment while using an air quality monitor as well as a blacklight pen to see if any discoloration is visible around them too. If so, then there’s a high probability that you have mold forming in your apartment and it needs to be dealt with immediately!
2. Keep the humidity levels low
Mold loves moisture and if you have humidity levels above 50%, then it’s a high probability that your home has been suffering from moisture issues for a long time now and that’s the reason why you’re experiencing mold growing in your apartment. To do this, simply open up all windows and doors in your apartment while using an air quality monitor as well as a blacklight pen to see if any discoloration is visible around them too. If so, then there’s a high probability that you have mold forming in your apartment and it needs to be dealt with immediately!
3. Keep the temperature low
As mentioned above, mold thrives in moist and dark places. This is why it’s important that you keep your apartment temperature low. In addition to this, you should also turn off the air conditioning in your apartment when you’re not using it as well. To do this, simply open up all windows and doors in your apartment while using an air quality monitor as well as a blacklight pen to see if any discoloration is visible around them too. If so, then there’s a high probability that you have mold forming in your apartment and it needs to be dealt with immediately!
4. Keep your pets away from the mold
It’s important that you keep your pets away from any kind of mold that’s growing in your apartment. This is because if they come into contact with it, then there’s a high probability of them getting sick and the only way you can prevent this is by keeping them away from it! As mentioned above, mold loves moisture and if you have humidity levels above 50%, then it’s a high probability that your home has been suffering from moisture issues for a long time now and that’s the reason why you’re experiencing mold growing in your apartment. To do this, simply open up all windows and doors in your apartment while using an air quality monitor as well as a blacklight pen to see if any discoloration is visible around them too. If so, then there’s a high probability that you have mold forming in your apartment and it needs to be dealt with immediately! It’s important that you keep your pets away from any kind of mold that’s growing in your apartment. This is because if they come into contact with it, then there’s a high probability of them getting sick and the only way you can prevent this is by keeping them away from it!
Conclusion
Mold is one of the most common household issues and it can pop up almost anywhere. While there are many different types of mold, most of them are only a health issue for people who are allergic to them. If you ever find yourself dealing with mold in your home, the best thing you can do is to act quickly. The longer you wait, the more damage it can do to your home, your health, and even your wallet! Now that you know how to test for mold in your apartment, what to do if you find some, and how to get rid of it forever, you’re well equipped to handle this issue and keep your home clean and healthy. Go ahead and get started!
FAQ’s
1. How do I know if my house is moldy?
If you have mildew or mold growing in your home, you’ll notice that it will grow on the ceiling, walls, and other non-porous surfaces. If you find mold growing anywhere else apart from the ceilings, walls, and floors of your home, then there’s a high probability that you’re dealing with a moisture issue. Furthermore, if you notice that your possessions are starting to discolor or become brittle after being exposed to high humidity levels for too long then this is another indicator that there’s something wrong with your home.
2. What are the symptoms of mold?
The main symptom of mold is white powdery residue on furniture and household items which can be cleaned off easily with soap and water. Moreover, if the substance turns blue or black after being exposed to sunlight for too long then this is another sign that you have mold in your home!
