Talk Mold

Where should you look for mold?

• Basements or cellars that have been flooded.
• Underneath kitchen and bathroom sinks.
• Underneath or behind refrigerators.
• Behind walls that also house plumbing.
• Stacks of damp or wet newspapers or cardboard boxes.
• Around air-conditioning units.
• Wallboard around windows that leak.
• Under carpeting that may have become wet.

Danger signs from the Insurance Information Institute:

• Sunken areas in baseboards or trim.
• Indentations appear when mold has consumed the wood behind the paint. The paint itself is often cracked or peeling.
• Separation of the baseboard from the wall or floor.
• Whitish mats under carpet, linoleum, in cabinets or even behind furniture.
• “Fruiting bodies,” or mushroom like growths on rotten wood on the underside of flooring or cabinets.
• Staining, swelling or crumbling of plaster or sheetrock.
• Discoloration (blackish staining) around air conditioning vents.
• Vinelike branches from the soil to the foundation called rhizomorphs.

Allergic symptoms that may be related to mold:

• Nasal and sinus congestion.
• Coughing.
• Wheezing or difficulty breathing.
• Skin and/or eye irritation.
• Upper respiratory infections, including sinus.
• Difficulty concentrating, memory loss.
• Nosebleeds or coughs that produce blood.