Context: I found what looks like a regular mildew (white, fuzzy and organic, in somewhat large splotches, easy to clean with vinegar, only found on the wood beams) in my basement when my dehumidifier broke and it was particularly humid this summer in my area. I’ve cleaned it up to the best of my ability and I have a new dehumidifier that should handle the total square footage in my basement.
It looks like my cleaning is working for the mildew, but it sparked a visceral fear that I didn’t know I had which was the fear that there is mold in my house. As far as I can tell, I don’t have any but I do have some sites in my bathroom and kitchen that look like they could be good areas for mold to start growing. I.e. I have to fix the sealant around my tub, there are some gaps at the back of my old cupboards in the kitchen, and the vent fan above the stove doesn’t actually vent anywhere, it just runs the air through a charcoal filter it looks like.
Are there any tips for what I should look out for regarding the starting signs of mold growth or any kind words that can bring my fear addled mind some peace?
Thank you.
Controlling the humidity in the house with a dehumidifier is a good thing and a great start. Check for any active leaks, specifically in any places where you have spotted water damage. Check for any drywall that is soft, specifically around the top or bottom of the drywall. Go outside and check the caulk around windows, the window ledgers, especially if the ledgers use any mortar, and flashing around the roof. You should take a hose and lightly spray, simulating rain and wind, with someone inside checking for leaks. Since you have a basement, look for any areas that might hold water around the foundation, check your gutters to make sure they are in good working order and the drains are directing the water away from the foundation and in a direction where the water can drain away from the house. You didn’t mention if your bathrooms vent to the outside (and not just into the attic either), if they don’t you will want to either vent them outside or include that in your dehumidifier/AC calculations. Check your dryer vent to make sure it is clean and vents outside as well.
If you can stop any leaks you find, control the humidity in the house, and wash with soap and water any exposed surfaces that may have had mold growth, I think you should be fine. I recommend you purchase some mold test kits and check for mold in the air just to be safe.
If it’s widespread, there will likely be some kind of strong smell that is not pleasant.
Are there signs of water damage anywhere in the house? Paint on the wall or ceiling that looks like it got wet at one point? That might be a good place to look for if it did happen.
Do you happen to know any professional contractors personally? Painters or handymen maybe? They’ve likely seen it before and have learned to spot the telltale signs.
Thankfully there aren’t any strong smells as far as I can tell. All the rooms smell pretty clean.
When we moved in there were a couple of sites of water damage that us and our home inspector could see in the basement. The biggest one was below the main bathroom, looked like a pipe busted at some point, but the inspector noted that it looked like it was cleaned up ok and that there didn’t look to be any mold growth on the spots he could see.
As far as anything recent, we haven’t had any notable water spillage since we moved in.
We’ve been looking into hiring a contractor for some remodeling work so I’ll be sure to ask when we’re talking through what we want with the house.
Thank you for the advice!
