After a long hot summer several years ago, we began to detect a faint musty odor in our dining room. It would come and go and was always subtle. It was only after a big rainstorm that caused a significant amount of water to leak into one of our walls that we realized we had a problem with our roof.
We fixed up the leak, but the faint odor remained. In the attic and realized that there was a patch of mold in the rafters of our attic. We were thankful that it was small and fairly contained. We were able to not only fully fix the leak, but also successfully cleaned up and contained the moldy areas.
What was most surprising was that we never saw any obvious signs of mold contamination. There were no spots on the wall from black mold, no drywall dampness, and we suffered none of the health effects that can come from mold. It was hidden up in our attic space and did not spread further. If we had not gone up into the attic, we could have missed the problem for years.
I’ve since learned that there are several ways to detect a mold problem, but you have to know what you are looking for. Certainly, seeing moldy materials growing on the surface of your walls is the most obvious sign that you could have mold on the inside of your walls.
However, mold growth inside of a home’s walls is not always evident from signs on the surface. Mold can grow within the walls without showing visible evidence of growth. So how do you know if you have a mold problem? These signs can help you pin down the issue:
You may detect a musty or earthy odor. This can come from the wall itself or from your heating or cooling system. Your ventilation system could be picking up smells from the mold-affected area and distributing the mold spores throughout your home.
Mold often smells worse when the area is wet. If the mold has resulted from a leak that is unrepaired, the odor may come and go when it rains or snows. You may continue to notice a smell in the days following a rain storm.
If your wall exhibits any damp areas, prepare for the possibility of mold growth. Mold thrives in humid or wet conditions and requires water to grow.
Porous surfaces are apt for mold infestation. Areas of high humidity, leaking water, or condensation can also lead to mold spread. Check the walls as well as any nearby carpeted areas.
Often you will not see signs of mold on your wall, but you may see evidence of water damage. Leaks can leave water stains on drywall. If you suspect a leak and see signs of water damage on the outside of your wall, assume that mold could be growing inside the wall itself.
Mold also comes in several colors. Stains can be black, blue, or white. Any type or color of stain on a wall or ceiling is cause for further inspection.
Anytime your home experiences a leak or flooding, there is a chance that mold will begin growing inside your walls. If the mold is a result of a leak, fixing the leak is the first step. Damage from a flood can be more challenging.
You may have to wait for the water to disperse and then begin to dry the area. This could take hours or days, but mold can begin to grow immediately. Once the area is dried out completely, you should inspect the area for any signs of mold growth.
Mold can hide inside your walls, but as it grows and spread, you may experience some troubling health effects. Some species of mold produce a substance called mycotoxin. This can cause headaches, breathing problems, and have neurological impacts. If you begin to experience any unusual symptoms that are not explained by illness or allergies, check your home for any signs of mold growth.
About 70% of Americans home have some mold in them, but it is never good to have mold inside the walls of your home. Mold presents risks to the health of your family and the safety and health of your home.
Mold spores can trigger an allergy response and can exacerbate breathing issues and other pre-existing respiratory conditions. Symptoms include a sore throat, coughing or sneezing, wheezing, eye irritation, and a runny or stuffy nose. In more severe cases, mold can affect your lungs, leading to concerning lung infections.
Research conducted by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) has shown that mold can trigger asthmas in children. There is also increased risk for harm from mold for people more sensitive to mold effects, including the elderly, immunocompromised people, or those with chronic lung disease.
Mold can also affect the structural integrity of your home. Mold can ruin painted walls, wallpaper, furniture, clothing, carpet, tiles, floorboards, and framing and rafters. Damage from mold is slow, but over time, it can destroy areas of your home.
The longer the mold grows, the harder it is to remove from your home. In the most severe cases, whole areas of your home could need demolition, remediation, and reconstruction. Detecting and cleaning up mold in your home should be a priority if you suspect a problem.
Mold on the surface of a wall can often be handled with a good cleaning and recoating with a mold-inhibiting paint. However, once mold is inside your walls, you need to be more aggressive in removing it. Since it is often difficult to detect the extent of the damage, you will need to tear out a portion of your wall to complete successful remediation work. These steps will help you clean up mold from inside your home’s walls:
Before you start work, protect the other areas of your home. Move out any nearby furniture. Hang plastic sheeting in doorways and lay a tarp down in the affected area.
You should also wear a mask during all steps of the cleanup process to reduce inhalation of loosened mold spores. Ensure good ventilation of your work area by opening windows or running a fan to the outdoors.
When mold is inside your walls, you may be tempted to just clean the area instead of tearing out any contaminated drywall. But you won’t be sure that you have gotten it all. You will have to remove as much square feet of the affected drywall as possible. This also allows you to reach the framing in the walls and inspect for any further leaks or sources of moisture.
After pulling off the drywall, carefully remove the wall’s insulation. This should not be saved, as it is likely contaminated by mold spores. Bag up the insulation for removal and vacuum the area before moving to the next step.
Before beginning the mold remediation work, the area must be completely dried out. All leaks should be sealed. If there is any furniture, boxes, carpeting, or clothing in the area, it should be removed if possible. Allow enough time for the drying process to complete before moving onto the next part of the mold removal process.
Before you can get to any deeper mold contamination, you will need to remove the mold spores from the surface. This prevents them from spreading to other areas. The best tool to use is a shop vacuum fitted with a HEPA filter. Use the brush attachment on all surfaces to scrub the surface and loosen up the mold.
All affected areas should be cleaned first with an all-purpose cleaner and a bristle brush. You can then spray the area with a liquid biocide, or white vinegar. This is a chemical solution that kills the mold spores. A bleach solution is not recommended for cleaning, as it does not effectively kill all the mold.
After using the biocide, there may still be stains or discoloration. This does not mean the mold is still there. It may be impossible to remove all visible evidence of mold, but as long as the area is cleaned thoroughly, some discoloration is acceptable.
Encapsulation and sealing of the mold-affected areas is a final optional cleaning step you can take. This involves coating the affected areas with a sealant product to protect the area from moisture. However, this can sometimes lead to condensation or moisture-trapping issues under the coating. You should only consider using encapsulation sealants if you are certain that all mold has been killed and if the area has good ventilation to prevent moisture condensation.
Unfortunately, it is often necessary to tear out drywall to do effective mold removal from inside a wall. Once all the cleanup and treatment of the interior surfaces is completed, you will need to rebuild the area. Put in new insulation and install new drywall. When painting, choose a good mold killing primer that applies a fungicidal protective coating.
As with most home issues, prevention is always better than having to make costly repairs. Once you have remedied your wall mold problem, keep it from coming back with these strategies:
· Detect and fix leaks as soon as possible
· Do an annual inspection of hidden areas of your home to look for moist areas
· Use a dehumidifier if you live in a humid climate
· Clean out your HVAC system each spring and fall
· Install air venting systems in steamy rooms such as your bathroom or laundry room
· Act quickly at the first sign of mold growth or musty odors
Getting rid of mold in your walls can be a big job. It is important to get it right, as mold can return if the work is incomplete. Between the wall demo, the cleanup, and the wall replacement, you may find that it is more work than you’re willing to take on. There are several factors that may compel you to call in a professional to handle mold inside your walls:
If you open up the wall and find that the mold continues on for quite a ways into the interior of your home’s walls, you may not be able to get it all yourself.
Cleaning up mold in a wall takes quite a bit of time. You can expect several days or even weeks to complete the job, especially if you aren’t able to work continuously on the project. A mold mitigation company can knock out all parts of the job quickly.
Working on mold cleanup can be challenging during wet or cold weather. If you have to do extensive work in an attic or on an outside wall, you and your family could be uncomfortable for several days or weeks. Using a professional company gets the job done faster.
The first step of mold mitigation is finding the source of the water that led to the mold growth. If you discover that the leak is large or is extending into other areas of your home, you may want to seek out professional help. If rafters or other structural elements need to be replaced, consult with a mold company that can also handle structural repairs.
When mold is discovered during a home inspection, you may have no option but to hire a professional mold removal company. The buyers may insist on having a professional do the work instead of allowing you to complete the job. Using a professional also allows for more extensive inspection of the surrounding areas to determine if the mold has spread, which is crucial information for a home buyer.
Even if you plan on doing the mold remediation yourself, you may benefit from having a professional consultation. Most companies offer a free assessment. This can give you insight into the work you would need to do to get rid of the mold for good.
However, it could make you realize that the job is bigger than what you want to take on. In that case, you’ll already have a professional lined up to manage the mold removal in your home.
Clearing mold damage from walls will likely require you to take out the infested walls, as mentioned. When embarking on this task, make sure you rent a dumpster for extensive wall removal. Debris can pile up quick, and some debris can't be easily picked up by normal garbage collection. A dumpster rental is the best option for extensive mold damages to interior walls in which a lot of waste will pile up fast.
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