How to find hidden mold

[LiverpoolWalrus]

Technical information ahead:

The home I purchased recently has a musty smell so I got a professional test by a mold inspector. The results showed elevated levels of cladosporium, pestalotia, curvularia and hyphal fragments in the kitchen and master bedroom compared to the outdoor baseline. Fortunately aspergillus was close to the baseline.

The problem is that no mold is visible anywhere, but as regards the kitchen, the inspector says the mold is behind the cabinets. I'm not sure how he knows that for sure. Before I hire a remediation specialist to tear up the cabinets or the drywall in the adjoining room, is there a way to definitively pinpoint the location of hidden mold?

Or...if the mold is hidden and undisturbed, can I just leave it alone? I was planning to get a new roof anyway. Is that good enough?

Thanks for any input.

[Kenswing]

You might see if any of the local companies have a mold sniffing dog. They will at least alert in the area the mold is located.

[graciegirl]

I am skeptical about a mold inspector in Florida. Our humidity is always sky high and it's hot most of the time. There is mold down the pipes in the kitchen for sure and also the bath drains.

I have never heard of mold behind cabinets here. NEVER. If you do not run your air while you are gone if you are a snowbird, your carpet may mold. When we were away we put the air on 83 degrees to stop any mold on carpets.

Mold Scams ..........Common Signs of Mold Remediation Scams (https://www.mold-advisor.com/mold-scams.html)

[villagetinker]

You can buy a camera that will allow to look inside the walls through a small hole, with any luck you would be able to see if there is mold. Also, mold needs moisture, there are instruments that accurately measure the amount of moisture in the drywall, some of the home inspection agencies have these devices. hope this helps.

[LiverpoolWalrus]

You can buy a camera that will allow to look inside the walls through a small hole, with any luck you would be able to see if there is mold. Also, mold needs moisture, there are instruments that accurately measure the amount of moisture in the drywall, some of the home inspection agencies have these devices. hope this helps.

The pinhole camera is a great idea if I can find someone who does that. The problem with the moisture instrument is that it won’t find dry, inactive mold.

[8notes]

I would suggest getting an air quality specialist or mold remediation expert in, and take any info you get on this site with a grain of salt. Some of the posters are experts in EVERYTHING!...not.

[villagetinker]

If you have a compatible cell phone I think I saw the endoscope cameras on Amazon. These plug into the phone and have a light as well as the camera. I agree with above an air quality specialist would probably be the best choice. Had to do this up north in a crawl space, ended up with a $6000+ clean up, negative pressure and moon suits...........

[Villagerjjm]

You can buy a do it yourself test kit for mold at any of the local hardware stores.

[Hoosierb4]

You might want to try an ozone generator to get rid of the musty smell. We're snowbirds and have had trouble with a musty smell in our house up north when returning after being away for a while. For the past couple of years we've been using an ozone generator that we bought on Amazon for about $70 to zap the house when we return, and every now and then to just freshen up the place. We let it run for an hour or so with the heating system fan running while we're out of the house running errands. When we return, we open a few windows and take a walk or do more errands for a while. You don't want to be in the house with it running and until it airs out. The ozone can damage your lungs. But, it's done a great job in getting rid of the musty smell, which I think might be coming from the air ducts.

[Worldseries27]

I believe this gentleman's response is best. Everyone's home has some mold. It is unavoidable. Have we not lived with asbestos since we were children?
Good luck

[retiredguy123]

I would contact my homeowners insurance company. This could be an expensive issue that is covered by insurance.

[Bethwill]

Some of the stucco houses smell horrible here. Others do not. I have never been able to figure out why houses right next door to each other could smell so different. Only thing I could think of is that maybe it rained the day they filled the cement block walls, during construction, and it never dried properly. They don't let it dry very long before they start enclosing it with drywall, etc.

[The Man]

Check outside drainage around your house. I had mold growing inside an outside corner. Rain water was seeping in causing mold along the baseboard in one room.
A gutter and a professional mold remediation company fixed it.

[Dlbonivich]

Molds are different across the US. Mold in Florida is very weak mold. We have high humidity and heat which makes it easy for it to grow. Places in the west and mid west where it is dry, mold has to be strong to grow. Strong mold is dangerous. Most time mold in walls or behind cabinets here is from a leak. I would call my inspector Eagle Comprehensive and he has an infrared camera that can detect leaks. Find the source first. I would check government mold website to see if your levels are “bad” before tearing out anything. You maybe be able to use heat dryers to kill dampness and install a dehumidifier. Does your home have a lot of trees hanging over it? I would skeptical too, I have sold real estate across the country and that is how I got my exposure to mold info. Good luck! Andrea Bonivich, Sellstate Superior Realty

[molddude]

cladosporium is the most common spore, think tree and leaf mold, and the air test only shows total spore counts not viable or non-viable. ( alive or dead ). You would be shocked at the spore levels of Clad in fall. Musty smell means water or moisture has awaken preexisting mold. Most likely aspergillus ( mildew ) which wakes up at about 74% moisture( think humidity and dew point ) Was a mold inspector and never trust non-viable air tests....there is no baseline BTW just the outside comparison done that minute outside that day. IMO

[Carlsondm]

What you should be looking for is water leaks or moisture damage. Mold loves moisture and air. As warned be wary of mold inspectors. I would ask the guy/ gal who said mold was behind cupboards what caused it. Sounds fishy to me unless there is a water leak above. Fix the leak and then check for wall moisture levels and/or damage that in most cases needs to be torn out and replaced. Concrete and stucco can be cleaned, tested, treated, dried, barrier coated, and painted. In many cases the work must be done under negative pressure to protect occupants. I’m sure your neighbors would like to know, so they can close windows during that time.
I worked in the field for 30 years and we advised schools and government buildings on leaks (look for invasive bugs/critters) and helped remediate. Paint overs don’t solve mold problems. Mold pops through eventually.
Has the level of molds made your home uninhabitable? The county or state should have an industrial hygiene or indoor air person who can help you determine if you should be concerned and what you should ask contractors.
Borescopes and robotic cameras are used by the better firms to check problem areas. Some even allow you to watch sampling and repairs remotely so you know the job was done right.
If you are still living in the home make sure the sleeping area is safe. I run a HEPA air cleaner with a CADR of 245 in my bedroom. (I was sensitized by the job.) Replaced carpet with Florida wood flooring and use a dehumidifier to control moisture levels somewhat. Beyond that check into nasal rinses and work with your doctor(s).

[Carlsondm]

Check appliances for leaks. The dishwasher, refrigerator, and washer can developer musty odors and should be cleaned.

[MandoMan]

Technical information ahead:

The home I purchased recently has a musty smell so I got a professional test by a mold inspector. The results showed elevated levels of cladosporium, pestalotia, curvularia and hyphal fragments in the kitchen and master bedroom compared to the outdoor baseline. Fortunately aspergillus was close to the baseline.

The problem is that no mold is visible anywhere, but as regards the kitchen, the inspector says the mold is behind the cabinets. I'm not sure how he knows that for sure. Before I hire a remediation specialist to tear up the cabinets or the drywall in the adjoining room, is there a way to definitively pinpoint the location of hidden mold?

Or...if the mold is hidden and undisturbed, can I just leave it alone? I was planning to get a new roof anyway. Is that good enough?

Thanks for any input.

A few questions for you. 1. How long have you lived in the house? Did it smell musty when you moved in, or does it still smell musty after a couple weeks of air conditioning? 2. How long was the house unoccupied before you moved in? 3. Was the air conditioner left on while it was empty? 4. Is the air filter clean? 5. What is the humidity in the house? 6. Is the house carpeted?

Lots of household molds dry out and go dormant if the humidity is 50% or less. A musty smell isn’t necessarily mold. If your house was left with the AC off for a few weeks or months, the humidity can actually soak into the drywall, carpets, and other places. It can take several weeks of lower humidity for damp drywall to dry out. Recently we have had humidity close to 100% at night. Opening your windows when the humidity is high outside can slow down the drying process. Sometimes people have their carpets steam-cleaned before they move, then turn off the AC. It can take quite a while for a carpet pad to dry out after a cleaning. Are the cabinets behind which mold is thought to be growing on an outside wall? Is your wall stucco? Does the stucco get wet when it rains or when the sprinklers run? In some situations water can get through stucco and can soak concrete block. Sometimes it’s wet where the block meets the concrete pad because of outside water, and that can lead to very high humidity in the walls, which could transfer to the insulation and then to the Sheetrock. Another possibility is water from a leaky sink or a garbage disposal or a dishwasher or from condensation on some pipes seeping under or behind cabinets. This can even find its way under tile, especially if the tile was put down with an adhesive instead of with mortar.

I’m nervous about mold-inspectors being in cahoots with remediation companies, as this can lead to solutions that go beyond what is necessary. Sometimes testing by a second company is a good idea. Before ripping out your walls, it’s important to figure out the source of moisture that is leading to high humidity allowing mold growth. Sometimes, eliminating that source will stop mold in a month or two as walls dry out. One thing that is pretty easy to do is to carefully pry off the baseboard under your kitchen cabinets and look for traces of moisture.

[merrymini]

ALWAYS leave on some air conditioning or heating as appropriate to the weather. I have a thermostat that I can control remotely and can run it hotter or colder as needed to control moisture. Love the control!

[William S. Cook]

Do not identify mold in your home.
Any future sale will be predicated on your duty to disclose that you have a mold home, if you have secured a documented mold report.
William S. Cook
Public Adjuster

[dwhite5773]

Technical information ahead:

The home I purchased recently has a musty smell so I got a professional test by a mold inspector. The results showed elevated levels of cladosporium, pestalotia, curvularia and hyphal fragments in the kitchen and master bedroom compared to the outdoor baseline. Fortunately aspergillus was close to the baseline.

The problem is that no mold is visible anywhere, but as regards the kitchen, the inspector says the mold is behind the cabinets. I'm not sure how he knows that for sure. Before I hire a remediation specialist to tear up the cabinets or the drywall in the adjoining room, is there a way to definitively pinpoint the location of hidden mold?

Or...if the mold is hidden and undisturbed, can I just leave it alone? I was planning to get a new roof anyway. Is that good enough?

Thanks for any input.
We recently sold our home in Fenney. The purchasers wanted a mold inspection. We are snow birds so yes I would keep the air at 80 degrees while gone. This inspection (that the buyer paid for) said he found no mold, but moisture in the front bedroom wall. Mind you this home is just 2 years old! He also found moisture under the sink. Our realtor said she had a home sell where they found the interior studs “wet,” really, wet for 2 years!!! They wanted to bring in Servicemaster to remedy (probably 1500.00 up!). Bottom line, sealed under the kitchen sink faucet because the builder never installed the proper gasket and Delta no longer stocked them. Turned the AC to 73 and ran all the fans for about a month, a second inspector came in an said now water was coming in from the sill (while raining) in this same bedroom, but no wet studs, I sealed the sill and paid 0.00! Bottom line mold inspection in Florida IS A JOKE! Just like the inspection prior to sale, a JOKE just to rip-off the seller and repair very minor items at the sellers expense! Sorry for the rant! Good luck!

[Villagesgal]

Many molds are not dangerous to humans. Did you look up each type of mold to see if it was? Was the ac left on in the house while it was for sale? Check for roof leaks, or clogged gutters which might make water run down the inside of your walls. It might be as simple as checking your gutters, cleaning them and then allowing the mold to dry out. First check if any of those molds are dangerous to humans before you start ripping things out.

[bpascani]

My sister lives in NW Fl, and they had mold issues in their previous house. It was a mess, and did get into walls/areas that you wouldn expect. They hired an expert mold remediation group that were able to verify exact locations of the mold before having to tear the walls down, so, I'd say, go ahead and hire an expert team.

[PatriciaFaheySimms]

I was smelling musty mold in the master bath simultaneously smelling bleach because the shower tile was scrubbed. I finally found the culprit! ... removed the toilette tank lid. Both were covered big time with BLACK MOLD!
I bought a new fridge. The ice maker dispenser on the outside was covered in mold. I stuck my phone under it and took a picture. The plastic drain lines of the dishwasher were moldy too. We bought a 5yr old house, winter only resident.

[bimmertl]

I would contact my homeowners insurance company. This could be an expensive issue that is covered by insurance.

HO insurance policies exclude coverage for mold remediation.

[PennBF]

Before moving to the Villages we lived on a beach in Florida and suffered through
3 hurricanes in 2 years. A serious problem the Owners ran into after the Hurricanes was mold. In order to identify if it existed and if it was the "bad" kind we all put Petri Dishes throughout the condo units. They usually can be bought at Lowe's, etc. They will identify the nature of the mold (good or bad kind) and you can then take action, (e.g. Company to fix, etc.) I would start with that first to see if you have a problem?:popcorn:

[John M. Acaron]

Technical information ahead:

The home I purchased recently has a musty smell so I got a professional test by a mold inspector. The results showed elevated levels of cladosporium, pestalotia, curvularia and hyphal fragments in the kitchen and master bedroom compared to the outdoor baseline. Fortunately aspergillus was close to the baseline.

The problem is that no mold is visible anywhere, but as regards the kitchen, the inspector says the mold is behind the cabinets. I'm not sure how he knows that for sure. Before I hire a remediation specialist to tear up the cabinets or the drywall in the adjoining room, is there a way to definitively pinpoint the location of hidden mold?

Or...if the mold is hidden and undisturbed, can I just leave it alone? I was planning to get a new roof anyway. Is that good enough?

Thanks for any input.
Hyphal fragments if the cts is higher than 100ct/m3 indicates that there is an active mold colony near where the IAQ sample was taken. It is important to locate the source. The use of moisture detector, meter and infrared camera shall be used to try to identify the red flags.... . Here are some guideline I used when performing an assessment:

<250 CFU/m3 Low/Normal (CFU/m3 = colony forming units/meter cubed)
250-1,000 CFU/m3 Moderate/Borderline
>1,000 CFU/m3 Active Growth/Sporulation
>5,000 CFU/m3 Very Active Growth/Sporulation
CFU/m3 = Colony Forming Unit/ cubic meter

Regarding Hyphal fragments:

Hyphal Fragments: These are components of fungal growth; it is common to find small hyphal fragments in outdoor air and possibly in indoor dust. But their presence in indoor air samples, if in quantity or in large segments, suggests an active fungal colony in the building. Their presence in a surface sample in quantity or in large segments indicates that active fungal growth is present or nearby, or that fungal material has been disturbed in the building.

Check: indoormicrobialspecialist.com they are expert regarding Mold contamination. You can find them in Google under this heading: MOLD INSPECTIONS & MOLD ASSESSMENTS (HIUSA) just search for mold inspections the villages.