Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind. How Common Is Hidden Mold?

4/5/2022 (Permalink)

Taken from a crawl space, homeowner stepped through bathroom floor due to shower leak, Mold is seen growing around the hole.

Mold often grows in parts of the home that are not visible to the everyday eye.
Here are a few examples of where we have discovered mold growth over the past few months.
-In an under-stairs closet, completely out of sight to the homeowners due to the closet being used for storing boxes and out of season clothes and decorations.
-In the corner of a walk-in closet, behind a storage box, due to a slow leak in the adjoining bathroom.
-Attic, our attic mold jobs are a constant and steady task for our team. This is oregon, and moisture in attics leading to mold growth is very common.
-Water heater closet. Hot water causes mold to grow faster than cold water. Mold loves warm, wet, and moist environments and thrives when there is a hot water heater loss.
-Crawl spaces are another large source of mold growth. We have seen slow leaks and large burst pipes that both have caused mold growth under homes. As well as water table issues under homes.
-Garage doors, the backing of garage doors at the base can grow mold due to the wet weather months Oregon faces, but also due to no proper closure at the bottom of the door, or if the bottom of the door is sitting on a surface that has grass, dirt, or moss, instead of cement/asphalt.
-Mold on bathroom ceiling. The mold that we often see growing on a bathroom ceiling is usually due to lack of proper ventilation when showering. Here in the Pacific Northwest it is important to always have your bathroom fan running and operating well while you are using the shower. Leaving your bathroom fan on for 30-60 minutes post shower is also recommended, especially if your mirrors get fogged.
-A water loss is the number one source of mold growth in homes and businesses hands down! Water penetrating materials that it shouldn’t spurs microbial growth to flourish in that material and it spreads the longer the materials stay wet.
So the takeaway about hidden mold is that it is very common. As a home or business owner check your closets, crawl, and attic often for issues or evidence of moisture intrusion. If you do find mold, give SERVPRO of Salem West a call! (503) 393-9999.