Do You Have Mold Inside Your Walls?

4/30/2020 (Permalink)

Getting rid of mold inside walls is a job best left to the professionals at SERVPRO of Salem/Peabody/Marblehead

Mold is every homeowner’s unwanted visitor. And sometimes, despite all your efforts to keep your home clean and dry, you might be surprised to see black mold on walls, ceilings, and other surfaces in your home. Just the term “black mold” is enough to make you cringe. Well, you should as it is one of the most dangerous types of mold inside walls that are too common in many households.

How to remove mold naturally from walls is a common topic explored by most homeowners. Well, you don’t need to search too far. On this guide, you will learn how to check for mold in walls and more importantly, how to stop mold growth from inside walls.

HOW TO DETECT MOLD IN WALLS

Cleaning mold on visible surfaces may not be easy (especially if it’s a major infestation) but it is very much possible. Of course, it is more advisable to seek professional help when treating mold on walls but if there’s a minor build-up on your walls, floors, or ceilings, you can get rid of it using common tools and cleaning supplies that you may already have at home.

But what if the infestation is inside your walls? How do you even know it’s happening?

Before you learn how to remove mold inside walls, you must learn how to detect it. Take note that mold spores are super tiny and not visible to the human eyes so they can spread throughout your house discreetly. And until you know the signs of mold build-up, the black mold could already be damaging your property and you are still clueless.

Alright. So how can you tell if the black mold is hiding inside your walls?

If you’re like most homeowners whose walls are made of gypsum walls, also called “drywall”, you might be curious to know whether there’s mold build-up inside. Experts recommend several ways:

Cut a large hole on your wall. This is perhaps the most definitive way of determining whether there’s mold inside your walls. If there is, you will be tearing them down anywhere. However, there are drawbacks to this approach. First is that using a drywall saw can damage any electrical or plumbing systems if you unknowingly drill them. Be sure to have some plastic sheathing ready to cover that hole afterward.

Perform a smell test. The second method is to sniff around electrical outlets. If the mold is actively growing, it produces microbial volatile compounds which are the musty, earthy odor released by the mold. Electrical outlets and other openings provide you more direct access to the odors inside your walls. If you smell the musty odor through them, there’s likely a mold infestation. The drawback of this approach is that you may not find any electrical outlet or opening on the walls you suspect are damaged or infested by mold. You may also find it hard to determine the extent of the mold build-up, like if it’s just around the outlet or far from the outlet.

Check for moisture problems. When there is a moisture problem, then there is most likely mold build-up. If you see water stains on your walls or if a part of your walls has sustained water damage and it has been there for quite some time, there’s a big possibility of mold.

Hire pros to test for mold. This might come with a price but it’s the safest and most effective way to tell whether there’s mold lurking inside your walls.

SERVPRO of Salem/Peabody/Marblehead has trained and certified technicians that can assist with any mold issues.

So how do you remove mold from walls?

• Prepare your cleaning solution.
• Scrub the mold off using your cleaner and water.
• Dry the area. Open doors and windows to allow air to circulate.
• Use a dehumidifier to reduce moisture problems and prevent mold from growing back.
• If the mold infestation is inside the walls, you will need to hire professionals as there’s a need to knock down the walls and replace them.

HOW AND WHY MOLD GROWS ON WALLS

You’re here because you are eager to learn how to get rid of mold in walls. But you might be curious to know – how come mold grows on walls? There are a number of reasons why:

Humidity – this is the primary cause of mold problems inside homes. If you live in a humid area, it is advisable to purchase a dehumidifier and move it regularly to different parts of your home to decrease moisture content in your indoor air.

Condensation – this occurs naturally in the perimeter walls of your home, which is cooler than the air inside your house. When the water in the air experiences a temperature drop as it touches the walls, condensation takes place (moisture is turned into liquid).

Water Leaks – another common cause of black mold in walls are water leaks coming from different sources, such as holes in the roof or cracks on plumbing systems. It is important to check pipes regularly and takes steps to keep them from leaking.

OTHER TYPES OF MOLD ON WALLS

Removing black mold behind drywall is a serious task. But you should know that aside from black mold in walls, there are other types of mold that could grow on the surfaces or even inside walls. They include Aspergillus (which can cause allergic reactions and respiratory infections), aureobasidium (which can cause more severe reactions than black mold on walls), Chaetomium, Penicillium, and Serpula Lacrymans (that can also grow on wood surfaces).

CONCLUSION

Mold and mildew inside walls are a real nuisance.  How to fix mold in walls is a common concern by many homeowners because moisture problems are almost always likely to take place whether you live in a humid area or not.

At this point, you already know the signs of mold behind walls and what you need to do to get rid of it. As you see, getting rid of mold inside walls is not that easy for two reasons: you can’t determine how much the infestation is without ripping off the walls and you will likely need to replace your drywall to ensure that the mold does not grow back.

Mold inside walls is a big problem if left unresolved. So if you suspect mold call the experts at SERVPRO of Salem/Peabody/Marblehead at 978.744.4545