Feeling uneasy about the overall air quality of your home is understandable when you suspect there may be mold growing somewhere in the recesses of your property.

Not knowing the current status of your home is frightening, which is why it is so important to find answers and feel empowered enough to take your health back into your own hands.

When, then, is the right time to test for mold?

When There Is The Lingering Smell of Mildew

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mold smells musty. And particularly when mold itself may be hiding in the deeper, darker crevices of your home, one of the first warning systems you’ll have to alert you to the potential presence of mold is your nose.

After all, the Indoor Air Quality Association refers to mold as “elusive,” seeing as it “can be hidden behind walls, cabinets, furniture and under carpets.”

Thus, if the musty or mildewy scent persists even when you’ve cleaned and disinfected your home, it may be time to perform a test.

When Your Physical Symptoms Won’t Subside

In their guide to mold, the Environmental Protection Agency details how mold spores have the potential to cause allergic reactions, exacerbate asthma, and induce “hay-fever-like symptoms.”

The CDC also cites physical symptoms as a side-effect of spending too much time in damp or moldy buildings, such as worsened eczema, increased respiratory infections, and more.

So, if you’ve been suffering a persistent cough, sore throat or other symptoms of general irritation and your health care provider cannot diagnose a cause, it may be time to turn to mold as the potential culprit.

When You’ve Experienced Flooding Or Other Increases In Moisture

Mold doesn’t just grow in moisture, it thrives in it, which is why it is so important to keep your home dry and dehumidified.

If you have experienced a leak or minor influx of moisture in your home, the IAQA stresses the importance of cleaning and drying the area in question within 24 hours, as “certain molds have the ability to grow within 24 to 48 hours.”

Otherwise, if your home has been flooded or left exposed to moisture for a prolonged period of time, you may want to undergo mold testing to ensure the overall indoor air quality remains optimal.

That being said, you do not need to test the visible mold in your home, as it is clearly already there. Further, the EPA has specified that testing visible mold is not necessary as a result of federal standards.

Many homeowners benefit from hiring a company to inspect the rest of the home for conditions conducive to mold growth, as they can help to identify and prevent further mold issues. It is also beneficial to test the air to see if the mold has aerosolized into other areas of the home that do not have the visible mold.

If your home experience does fall into one of the three aforementioned categories, be sure to reach out to Luce Air Quality today! Our expert team will investigate and assess your home for potential health hazards, leading you through the process and helping you find the most effective home solutions. Call us today at 904-803-1014!