Is that mould?

Mould is everywhere. It’s in your home, your office, your garage and even in the air. Most of the time mould is relatively harmless, which could lull you into a false sense of security when it comes to living with it in your environment. Don’t let that happen! Mould remediation is much easier for a small area of mould than it is for a much larger one. Ignoring a mould problem can mean much more expensive repairs for your home down the line.

If you notice a slight musty smell in your house, you might have a mould problem. Identifying mould early is the best strategy to prevent damage to your home and danger to your family. Mould is a creature of habit. It is happiest growing in places where excess moisture tends to be a problem, like in kitchens, bathrooms and basements. Those are all good places to start when looking for mould in your house.

In the kitchen

If your kitchen sink has overflowed or your dishwasher sprung a leak, there could be mould lingering under your kitchen tiles. Thankfully, if those tiles are newer you don’t have to worry about asbestos fibers if you pull up one of those tiles to look for signs of mould. Pick an inconspicuous spot and use a sharp knife to lift a tile or cut linoleum to see if there are signs of moisture or discolouration. If there aren’t any signs of mould, move on to the next room.

In the bathroom

With the constant presence of steam and humidity in the bathroom, it gives mould the perfect spot to grow and thrive. Check drains, the spot under the sink, behind the toilet and around the tub and shower enclosure. The pink stuff on the shower curtain? That’s mildew, mould’s ugly stepsister. Any discoloration should be treated as a potential source of your problem.

In the basement

Southern Ontario was settled over a network of streams and tributaries that feed into our rivers and lakes. If your home is in Toronto or the surrounding area, odds are good that your home was built over or near an underground stream, and that means your basement is probably much damper than the rest of the house. This could mean nothing, or it could mean the source of your mould problem. Look under appliances and around furniture for any of the telltale signs of mould. If you still haven’t found the source of your problem, it may be time to consider mould testing.

Mould testing

Home mould testing kits from the hardware store are notoriously unreliable. Most of these test kits use a petri dish to test the air quality. Unless your home is somehow magically free of any trace of dust, the result of a DIY mould testing kit cannot be used to make informed decisions about the presence of mould in your home.

If you suspect mould in your home, scheduling a consultation with a professional mould remediation company is your best bet. One based in Toronto and specializing in the typical mould problems in Southern Ontario will save time identifying and addressing the issue of mould in your home.