How To Get Rid of Mold Odor

9/26/2019 (Permalink)

A strong, musty odor may indicate hidden mold behind drywall

How To Get Rid of Mold Odor

Mold is part of the fungus family and mold spores are in the air everywhere to some degree. Ideally, there should not be so many spores floating around your home in Farragut, TN, that you can detect them through the familiar musty odor many people have come in contact with at some point in their life. Mold gives off a metabolite called mycotoxin which is where this smell comes from, and it is not desirable! If you smell a musty odor in your home, which is often found in damp, warm areas, it is suggested that you do not stay in this area too long to avoid inhaling the mold spores as much as possible.

Common Mold Odor Areas

If you have a mold smell in your house, it’s important that you figure out where it’s coming from to eliminate the problem once and for all. It is possible to find that mycotoxin smell in a number of areas around the home such as:

• A poorly sealed basement
  
• Leaky attic
  
• Damp garage
  
• Bathrooms
  
• Damp clothes
  
  

Really, anywhere there is plumbing throughout your home is also susceptible to mold growth if a pipe breaks. You can also check around the outside of the home for areas where water doesn’t drain very well, especially if you notice water leaking after it rains.

Clean Up the Odor and Mold

Once you determine what the mycotoxin source is, it’s time to clean up the moldy mess so it doesn’t cause future damage. First to improve air quality, you can use HEPA air filtration devices. These are certified to remove the majority of mold spores out of the air so you can safely breathe in the infested area.
Then it’s time to remove the odor once and for all. When cleaning up small amounts of mold, strong disinfectants like bleach are effective. When you’re dealing with widespread damage, however, a mold remediation company is often suggested to ensure the mess is fully removed and your home is safe and clean for many years to come.