I have often been asked the question “what does mold smell like?” I have to laugh because it’s a hard question to answer since everything smells a little different to each party concerned. Musty wet dog smell comes to mind when thought of but it has been described in ways that I just don’t get. For example, sweet lavender on wet newspaper. Hmmm….not so much. More like old stuffy basement that has never seen the light of day.
Anyway, is it something to be concerned about? You bet it is! Microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOC’s) are compounds that are produced by mold and rapidly released into the air. The fact that theses mVOC’s have a very potent and rather unpleasant odor is usually how someone can tell there is a mold problem in the area. When exposed to these compounds, health issues like dizziness, headaches, fatigue, and nausea can crop up in otherwise healthy human beings.
Allergic reactions to mold are a common occurrence and can happen over a long extension of time or almost immediately. Symptoms like a rash, coughing, sneezing, running nose and bloodshot eyes have been known to occur.
Mold Smells Exposure – Is it Worse for Some than Others?
Of course mold exposure can always be worse for the more sensitive but it has also been discovered that repeated exposures can cause almost anyone to become sensitive. Those who can be more severely affected are typically the elderly, infants, people with respiratory issues such as asthma, the already allergic, and those who have a weakened immune system such a transplant or chemotherapy patient.
If there are mold smells in your home and you suffer from any of the above, it is best to leave and have someone else investigate the odor. Even though not all molds produce toxins it is always in your better interest to have any indoor mold removed at the first indication that it may exist.
Mold Smells – How Do I Find Where They’re Coming From?
Well, the most obvious is to just look for it around the highest concentration of the smell. It can range in colors in anything from green, brown, yellow, white and black. Mold is usually fuzzy looking, kind of like a velvet growth or it can also just look like a stain or discoloration. Mold can grow on almost any organic surface that has been exposed to moisture.
Pay careful attention to anywhere that may be damp. A leak, condensation, the recent spill of a water bucket that was not thoroughly dried, under bathroom sinks or steamy cooking areas are all places to concentrate on.
Unfortunately mold is not always easy to find since it often can be hidden in walls, ceilings or floors. Sometimes carpeting or wallpaper may have to be pulled back and inspected or holes cut into drywall to check inside the walls.
Whatever the case may be, if you smell it, it’s there somewhere. Find it and be prepared to eradicate it.
By the way, if you would like to be able to remove mold on your own without having the high cost of a Mold Remediation Company, I found a great download by mold expert Maurice Manhattan. This link will take you direct to his website. Use your back browser to return here.
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