Have You Discovered Mould In Your House?

Have you discovered mould at your house? That fuzzy white, black, or even orange stuff can be disgusting and even cause allergies or respiratory issues. If you feel like the growth of mould at your place is a little out of control, never fear! We’ve got all the information you need about mould causes and how to properly deal with mould in your home!

Note that Action Property Inspections is a specialist service for pre-purchase building inspections in Brisbane.  We do not offer waterproofing inspections as a stand-alone service.

What is mould?

Mould is actually a term for various types of fungi that grow in damp, warm and humid conditions. It reproduces by forming spores and can grow indoors or outdoors, in any environment or season.

The spores produced by mould and mildew are hardy and can survive under dry conditions where mould can’t actually grow. Instead, they travel by air to areas that are moist and ripe for mold production. Outside, they’re useful organisms that aid in decomposition. Inside is a much different story however. Mould can cause severe allergic reactions in human beings and can also damage various surfaces in your home. Any damp area can foster mould growth, from drywall to ceiling tiles, carpets, roofing, behind wallpaper, under sinks and around pipes.

Discovering your house has mould can stir up a multitude of emotions – disgust, frustration, even just feeling overwhelmed with the entire thing. Let’s face it – mould is gross, and getting rid of it is pretty high on your agenda. We’ve got all the info you need to know to rid your home of mould and prevent future outbreaks.

What causes mould in the house?

Water damage to the property is the usual cause of mould in the house.  Situated in a semi-tropical climate, most Brisbane properties will suffer some degree of water damage during their lifetimes.

Humidity

Living in Queensland, our weather is pretty humid for over half of the year. Mould loves this kind of weather – it just thrives in it! After just a few days in a row of rain, you might notice mould starting to grow on walls, benches or on the ceiling because of the heavy wet air. Living by the coast, this can be even worse, with the even higher humidity making it a recurring problem.

When the moisture inside your house evaporates into the air, this increases the humidity inside. If your house isn’t well ventilated, the humidity will create a perfect breeding ground for mould. Keep your windows open if possible to allow the air flow to dissipate any warm humid air.

Leaking pipes or roof

Another common cause of mould growth in a house is water leaking from pipes or from the roof in your home. The worst kind of leaks are the ones that go undetected, like ones inside a wall. By the time you notice that a leak has occurred, the mould growth is already out of control. Mould can cause damage to your wall and to your health, so it definitely needs to be cleaned properly! Fixing a leaky roof or plumbing can be expensive, so make sure you call in a professional to assess the damage.

Condensation

Cold surfaces, such as metal pipes or marble counter tops can create condensation, even if the floors are carpeted over. These are places where condensation collects, making them one of the prime mould causes that’s easily overlooked.

Poor ventilation

If your home is poorly ventilated, this can create stagnant moist air pockets which is the perfect environment for mould. Steam and water evaporating into the air creates humidity inside, which you need to get on top of by opening windows and doors and circulating the hot air outside. When poorly ventilated, wet surfaces dry out far more slowly than they otherwise would, especially in rooms like the bathroom and the kitchen, where steam is an everyday part of life.

Flooding

Obviously flooding is a huge cause of mould growth in the home. It’s inevitable that your home will experience some form of mould growth after being affected by flooding – how can it not after being very wet for days, even weeks, without the ability to properly dry out? Mould only needs 24 hours to grow, and so this poses a huge risk. Also, dangerous and even toxic moulds are more likely during a flood due to all the various toxins and pollutants in the flood water.

How do you get rid of it?

It is really important that you stay aware of the signs that your house may have a mould problem. Mould often omits a strange odour, a pungent smell that you’ll definitely notice. It appears in your shower and is easily distinguishable from soap scum, but in other places it can be grey, black, or even orange, making it hard to distinguish from other household stains. You may need some help from an experienced inspector with mould in other areas of the house in this instance. Keeping the moisture level balanced into your home is key to preventing mould growth.

When going to remove mould, ask yourself two questions. Firstly, is the affected area small and contained? And secondly, how much mould can you see, and how much more might be unseen? If the area is small and contained, here’s a list of things you can do to remove mould from your home safely, as long as you’re free of any allergy symptoms or asthma and ensure you wear a mask and rubber gloves.

• Use water and detergent to scrub mould off nonporous surfaces. Dry it completely. If necessary, use a little bleach as well.

• Absorbent materials might need to be thrown away if they’re mouldy, since hidden mould may lurk beneath the surface. Even if you clean it thoroughly, it will probably grow back and fill in the crevices.

• Make sure you throw away all sponges and rags you use to clean the mould and double bag them. You need to ensure that the mould can’t release any spores and re-contaminate your home. This would render the entire process pointless!

If it’s a simple fix, then you’re looking at paying the cost of a few cleaning products. If it’s larger or in the air conditioning ducts, the mould may be more dangerous and you will probably need to hire a professional. If you’re leaning towards the latter, you could be looking at anything from $500 to $4000 to properly remove all traces of mould and its spores, depending on what you need done. Give us a call at Action Property Inspections and let us help you to get on top of your mould problems!

Why preventing and fixing mould is important

We’ve mentioned that mould can be destructive to your home physically, but it can also wreak havoc on your health. People can have varying degrees of allergic reactions to mould, including:

• Wheezing;
• Rash;
• Watery eyes;
• A runny nose;
• Itchy eyes;
• Coughing; and
• Eye redness.

Aside from allergies, people can also suffer from asthma attacks, or even respiratory illnesses. Symptoms of such severe reactions include fever and difficulty breathing, with some people with compromised immune systems developing serious infections in their lungs.

Since you can never predict how someone will react to mould, it’s best to work to actively remove or even prevent it in the first place. Use dehumidifiers and air conditioners to reduce the moisture in the air – this will make the environment inhospitable to mould. You could also use exhaust fans in the kitchen and the bathrooms to move moisture outside. Make sure you fix any leaks in the pipes, the refrigerator or the air conditioner. If you continue reducing moisture in your home, you’ll reduce many of the common mould causes.

Need to know more about mould causes and fixes? Don’t risk it – book your property inspection with Action Property Inspections today!