Finding mold growth in your house does not always require the help of a professional, since not all mold is hidden in nooks and crannies or behind the wall. The easiest places to find mold growth are typically in the bathroom, laundry room, kitchen, and basement. These are usually the places that show the signs of negligence the most and mold growing in these rooms is usually fairly easy to spot.
In a bathroom, the usual place to find mold growth is around the upper walls and ceiling if it does not have an exhaust vent or a window in it. Even though building codes in most places now require that there be either an exhaust vent or a window in the bathroom, older homes may not have either one. It is in your best interest to make sure that your bathroom is renovated to include one of these two features, although if your bathroom is located in the center of your house and not attached to an outer wall, you will have to install a vent to get rid of the excess moisture. What happens is that the moisture is soaked up by the ceiling or the upper walls and allows mold to grow on it and eventually, the ceiling will absorb so much water that it will be in danger of collapsing. The need for an exhaust vent also extends to the kitchen, since steam comes off the stove from cooking dinner.
Another problem to worry about in bathrooms or kitchens is whether or not the floor is waterproofed. No matter what kind of flooring that you have in either room it should be completely water tight so water does not get underneath it and to the floor joists. Floors have completely collapsed in these rooms due to this when waterproofing the floor would have been much cheaper than repairing the damage done by neglecting to do this.
Overflowing toilets, bathtubs, and kitchen sinks also cause mold growth and water damage to a home if it is allowed to happen very often, so making sure that this does not happen and that the floor around it is waterproofed is extremely important. You should do your best not to get preoccupied with other chores or talking on the phone while you are running a tub of bathwater or filling up the kitchen sink.
Any small leaks under the kitchen or bathroom sink also need to be taken care of fairly quickly. Put a bucket underneath it for a temporary fix if you have to, but do not let the drip continue to come into contact with the inside of your cabinet.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingct.info
http://www.floodedbasementnj.info
