The diy mold testing process.
Checking for mold inside walls.
When dealing with wall mold you have to check for mold in walls too.
How to tell if black mold is hiding in your walls.
Mold can appear in many shades from black to white to brown to gray to green.
These include flooding water leaks damp basements hvac duct systems or shower or cooking steam.
If mold is growing on an exterior wall or ceiling first look for a leak in the wall or roof as a test for mold.
A top of the line home mold testing kit should include.
Discoloration can also happen in the event that damage has been done from within.
Any mold can cause problems for people.
If you don t remove the mold inside walls as well there s no point removing the mold on the outside of the walls since the mold inside the walls will just continue.
Closely inspect nearby vents roof flashing decks window wells and anywhere wood is rotting.
On this guide you will learn how to check for mold in walls and more importantly how to stop mold growth from inside walls.
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.
It s very common when you have mold on your walls to also find mold inside the 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.
This is because the mold will still be visible on the wall s surface.
The entire testing process will take a few days and if the test you perform determines that mold spores are present in the air you can send the testing materials to a lab that will perform.
Check your home for sources of excessive moisture.
It s the last thing you need in your home.
While home mold testing kits are simple to use they only capture samples in the air and on exposed surfaces.
Another indicator of mold growth is discoloration which can occur even if you have repainted your home s walls.
Black mold the words alone are enough to make you cringe.
Check for surface discoloration such as yellowing material rounded brown spots or black often furry looking discolorations that indicate mold and mildew growths.
Look at the wall surface carefully.
They aren t intended to detect mold inside walls but they can provide a starting point for diy mold removal.