Key Indicators of Home Health Issues
• 47 percent of U.S. homes experience risky levels of mold, according to NIOSH.
• A persistent musty odor in your home could indicate mold growing in a hidden location, such as behind walls or under carpet or floorboards.
• Breathe Easy Environmental offers professional air quality testing to determine if mold spores are present in your home.
Suffering from seasonal allergies is no piece of cake, but when those symptoms persist beyond the typical spring or fall allergy seasons, you should consider another source of your suffering. Could your home be making you sick?
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health determined in 2022 that 47 percent of homes face a persistent mold threat, which can lead to “Sick Building Syndrome.” While you might be confident that you keep your home clean, mold can grow in hidden areas and lead to chronic health conditions that could be eased by eliminating hidden sources of mold spores.
The air quality experts at Breathe Easy Environmental can help you determine if the symptoms you are attributing to standard allergies could, in fact, be a case of mold toxicity reaching out to you from some dark, dank abyss in your home. Five signs could signal that your home is the unsuspecting culprit of your suffering.
Chronic Respiratory Issues Linked to Indoor Air Quality
The first two clues of a mold issue in your home revolve around your physical health. Mold spores often trigger the same allergy symptoms, such as a runny or stuffy nose, itchy eyes, a chronic cough, and shortness of breath. When these symptoms plague you throughout the year, they strongly indicate that mold, rather than pollen, could be the cause.
Mold spores also spark an inflammatory response that can lead to chronic fatigue and brain fog. If you are away from home and the source of the mold toxicity for an extended period, you will notice these symptoms disappearing.
Musty Odors and Dampness: Signs of Hidden Problems
Though common household molds might remain invisible if they grow behind walls or under carpets, they will provide other clues of their existence, pointing us to our next two signs of mold infestation. The first would be a musty odor that no amount of cleaning can mask. Actively growing mold will emit microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs), creating a musty or earthy odor. The smell will become more noticeable on rainy or humid days, but it won’t go away completely as long as enough moisture remains to keep the mold growing.
Signs of dampness could also appear on cabinetry or as condensation on windows when it wouldn’t be expected based on weather conditions.
Structural Changes That May Indicate Health Risks
The fifth sign of hidden mold involves physical changes in your home caused by moisture damage that has contributed to mold growth. Bubbling wallpaper or peeling paint could indicate that mold has found a moisture source and is thriving within your walls. Soft or slightly warped floorboards could indicate a moisture issue lurking beneath the floor.
These dark, unventilated areas of your home create the perfect environment for rapid and sustained mold growth once moisture penetrates.
Improve Your Home’s Health with Breathe Easy Environmental
Your home is meant to be a safe haven for your family, and the last thing you want is a lurking danger causing suffering that could easily be treated and eliminated. Professional air quality testing eliminates the guesswork surrounding the cause of your family’s struggles.
Breathe Easy Environmental has been safeguarding the homes and businesses of Denver and the Front Range for more than 30 years with expert air quality testing and experienced remediation solutions. Your family will breathe easier and suffer less when our experts diagnose and mitigate any mold issues that have taken hold in your home.
Schedule an appointment with Breathe Easy Environmental today to ensure your home will protect your family’s health and safety for years to come.
Common Questions About Mold Making You Sick at Home
Can mold in your home cause allergy-like symptoms year round?
Yes, mold spores can trigger the same symptoms as seasonal allergies, including a runny or stuffy nose, itchy eyes, a chronic cough, and shortness of breath. The key difference is that mold-related symptoms persist throughout the entire year rather than only during spring or fall allergy seasons. If symptoms disappear when you are away from home for an extended period, mold toxicity in your home may be the cause.
What does mold smell like in a house?
Mold emits microbial volatile organic compounds that create a musty or earthy odor. This smell becomes more noticeable on rainy or humid days but will not go away completely as long as enough moisture remains to keep the mold growing. A persistent musty odor that no amount of cleaning can eliminate is a strong indicator of actively growing mold, possibly hidden behind walls or under carpet or floorboards.
How common is mold in homes?
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 47 percent of U.S. homes face a persistent mold threat. Mold can grow in hidden areas that appear clean on the surface, including behind walls, under carpets, and in dark unventilated spaces where moisture is present. Even a well-maintained home can harbor hidden mold.
What are the physical signs of mold damage in a home?
Physical signs of mold damage include bubbling wallpaper or peeling paint, which can indicate mold growing within walls near a moisture source. Soft or slightly warped floorboards may signal a moisture issue beneath the floor. Condensation on windows or signs of dampness on cabinetry can also indicate conditions that promote hidden mold growth.
When should you get professional air quality testing for mold?
You should consider professional air quality testing if you experience persistent allergy-like symptoms throughout the year, notice a musty odor in your home that does not go away, observe signs of moisture damage such as peeling paint or warped floorboards, or if symptoms improve when you leave home for an extended period. Professional testing eliminates the guesswork and can identify mold spores that are not visible to the naked eye.
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