Your home should be a place of sanctuary and peace; a space where you feel safe and sound. While this is the case for many homes, others can easily hide things that make us sick. What is the biggest culprit for making people sick in their own homes? You guessed it - mold! Mold is a silent fungus that can cause major issues to anyone living in or visiting a home. Thriving in damp, dank areas, it can quickly spread to become a big problem and can be exceptionally hard to remove. With that in mind, how can you tell if your house is making you sick, and how do you keep your home healthy and free from mold? We have 5 telltale signs to share so you can get your home’s health back in ship shape just in time for World Health Day (April 7th).

1. Musty odours

Unpleasant or persistent musty odours can indicate the presence of mold within your home. Even if the mold isn’t visible, it can still affect the air quality of your home and impact your health in many ways.

2. Persistent symptoms of cold, flu, or allergies

Wondering why your allergies are always flaring up, or you’re having frequent respiratory issues? This can be a sign of poor air quality in your home and can indicate the presence of mold and other nasties.

3. Unexplained rashes and asthma attacks

Mold can easily affect people with asthma or weakened immune systems. If someone in your home has continuous, unexplained rashes, or frequent asthma attacks, it could be a symptom of mold overgrowth.

4. Moisture build-up in non-ventilated areas

If you’re noticing moisture consistently builds up or water doesn’t drain away from wet areas in your home, such as your bathroom, you may soon find the mold beginning to grow and spread.

5. Visible mold or mildew

Visible mold growth is a classic sign of excess moisture within your home. You will often find mold growing in wet areas due to the high moisture levels, however, it can grow in other areas that you may not suspect if they’ve been damaged by water in the past.

It is important to identify, clean, and remove mold as soon as possible once you notice it in your home. If left untreated, it can have serious, harmful effects on you and your family (as you can see in the information provided above). First, you’ll need to start by identifying the root cause of the mold, whether that be excessive moisture, water damage, or something else entirely. Once that has been addressed, you can begin to treat the mold infestation and stop it from returning.