Black Mold – Information about its identification and removal
Table Of Contents
What Is Black Mold
Black Mold Removal
What Are Symptoms Of Black Mold Exposure
Frequently Asked Questions And Black Mold Removal Tips
What Is Black Mold?
Black mold or ‘Stachybotrys’ (stack-ee-bot-ris) is the most common mold found in dwellings within North America. Black mold spores initially are clear and colorless, then become dark in color. The actual mold can vary in color from yellow-green, brown or black.
Black Mold Removal
Identifying black mold and planning for the removal can be a unique task that depends upon different circumstances like the size of the area that is affected by mold or where the black mold is located. For example, mold located in the basement generally will be easier to remove than mold growing within your furnace air ducts. Complicating matters worse in either of these situations there is a chance that neither of the jobs should be tackled by a homeowner. But under the right circumstances a homeowner can successfully remove black mold.
Determine If There Is a Mold Issue
The first step in black mold removal to assess the situation at hand, determining if there is a mold issue or the possibility that it is simply mildew.
Some warning signs that you could have a problem and should start considering mold cleanup include moisture on surfaces in your house; yellowish water stains or greenish, blackish or brownish patches on the walls; a strange wet, musty odor or people within your house experiencing mold allergy symptoms. Mold allergies can be tough to diagnose if you or your loved ones are experiencing adverse health effects and you determine you do have mold in your house you should immediately seek the assistance of a medical professional.
Identifying The Optimal Conditions For Mold Growth
The optimal conditions for mold growth is the combination of humid air and/or damp porous surfaces, with lack of air flow usually in houses with a moisture problem.
Most moisture issues are caused by leaks, either in the structure and integrity of a house(for example, a leaking roof, window,door or foundation). Another common cause of moisture issues are broken pipes, leaking water supply lines or other “internal issues” within the house.
Mold needs “mold food” to continue to grow after it forms, and it gets that by degrading whatever it is growing on. Areas with these characteristics are a breeding ground for mold. It breaks down the surfaces in your home and forms Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). These VOCs are what are dangerous to humans health since they irritate mucous membranes, affects respiratory, and nervous systems.
What Are Symptoms Of Black Mold Exposure?
To monitor for mold symptoms (or signs that you have been exposed), expect these triggers: headaches, cough, and red eyes, nausea, rashes or hives on your skin, memory loss and loss of concentration, lethargy and dizziness, irregular blood pressure, pain in the live or other organs, urinary tract infections. In some cases, infertility has even been linked to mold poisoning.
Of course, if you even slightly suspect this dangerous fungus is growing in your home, the first order of business is mold inspection. Pay a professional to come and identify the source of your moisture, confirm mold growth and recommend strategies for cleanup. Mold abatement may require you and your family leaving your home while the cleanup happens in order to protect you from the symptoms that can occur. Cleanup crews usually wear protective covering for their entire bodies much like hazmat teams.
Frequently Asked Questions And Black Mold Removal Tips
To eliminate black mold there are a few things you really need to know. You need to eliminate the moisture, clean up any visible mold, reduce the humidity(if in a basement) and remove items away from the foundation walls. There are a number of black mold removal products on the market, but take note they only work on hard surfaces, surfaces like drywall, paper, and wood the mold grows into the material making it harder to remove.
If you want to do something to keep the problem at bay before it gets out of control, you can work hard to keep moisture in your house in check. If you have leaking pipes, roof leaks, condensation or other water related issues, they should be addressed immediately and not linger for long periods of time. Focus on dehumidifying your house if you are finding moisture to be a real problem. Also, make sure your HVAC systems and air ducts are always clean. If mold forms in these places, it can go unnoticed for months before you realize you have a problem. Bathrooms are also very dangerous places. The moisture that can come from daily baths and showers can lead to a mold problem. Keep everything clean and dry. Be proactive by using anti-mold cleaners or paints and removing any moisture issues within your house.
Natural Mold Removal – Does It Make Sense For Me To Remove Mold With All Natural Products?
Some DIY mold removal or natural mold removal can first be attempted if the mold is isolated to a small area or there is not a large quantity of mold. Natural mold removal can be done through the use of Tea Tree Oil, vinegar, or citrus seed extract.
While it is possible to do this yourself, there are are few precautions you need to take. You should wear a respiratory mask and seal off the room you are working in with plastic sheeting, this ensures the dangerous fungus does not go airborne and spread throughout your house. You should also study a mold removal guide to ensure you are following all steps properly, this will ensure you are doing the right thing versus hiring a professional.
Natural mold removal works better on some molds than others, pink mold is fairly easy to remove by natural means where black mold removal is significantly harder to do with only natural products.
If You Think You Have Black Mold Who Do You Call?
If you have discovered black mold in your house you should immediately call a mold removal company, they generally will send out a mold inspector within a few days. The inspector will schedule an appointment to come out and complete a full mold inspection of the affected areas, if what you have appears to be mold from a visual inspection they will complete a mold test. Once the results from the test are returned they will review the report with you and put together a mold remediation plan. By setting up the mold removal tasks as a complete project the mold inspectors are sure to have an organized successful project.
If you have water damage in your house often associated with a flood or leaking roof you can call numerous companies that specialize in carpet water damage cleanup, it is important to note they are not mold removal specialists but a company that specializes in extracting water from carpets.
Tips For Working With A Professional Mold Removal Company
There are times when your mold removal job is too large for a DIY non professional to handle. For your own safety and to simply do the job correctly you should call in a mold removal contractor to come in and review the job and give a quote for mold cleanup.
Do You Have To Replace Drywall If There Is Black Mold?
That is one of the most common questions around. Drywall is considered mold food, it is also porous while allows the mold spores to embed into it. Cleaning the surface mold will not get rid of the spores in the drywall fibers. The drywall should be removed and replaced. If this moldy drywall is found in moist areas such as a finished basement or bathroom consider buying mold resistant drywall. It is slightly more expensive but will help save the headaches of constantly replacing the drywall. For more information about mold removal on drywall see our article Mold Removal On Drywall.
Basement Mold Removal Tips
Removing mold from your basement can be tricky business, especially if you only have a partial basement or crawl space. The very nature of a basement makes basement mold removal tricky as well since basements generally are a damp place, that is not used frequently so it is easy for mold to start growing and go unnoticed for some time. Just like other mold removal there are three keys, find the mold, assess how much mold is present and develop a mold removal plan. If you plan on removing the basement mold yourself you should plan on removing the moisture, removing the mold food and after cleanup is complete run a dehumidifier to again help control moisture in the air.
If you have any questions about mold or mold removal, feel free to comment below, I try to answer them ASAP. Also, please click the Facebook “Like” button below if you found this content helpful. Thanks!
on February 4, 2010 at 7:28 am
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Hi,
thanks for your site. My husband does not believe in mold toxicity, but I do and am concerned about recent finding of green, black, white mold, and dry rot from past water damage between walls from a failed overhead window that was replaced quickly, but only now discovered mold directly below spreading over the last 5 years since the incident. I am freaked out about mold spores having been spread in the house when our subcontractor removed the drywall and discovered the mess. He also is not knowledgeable about mold issues, and I only recently and discovering this. He didn’t seal the area, and has been open while he gets a game plan for two days now. I did have the sense to get my air purifier put there by the open gap of 4-2 feet. he discovered the mold when installing new flooring, after part of the new laminate already installed. Will we expect to see mold grow in other parts of house? It is 15 y.o. with well insulated (though cheap materials), stays relatively comfortable. We have not used the central heating or air circulater/fan yet. Also did have the sense to put my air filter by the “hole”. Any suggestions. Sub contractor will be replacing beams tom. I want to clean the structural beams that are a little moldy that will remain there, how do I do it? Also, there are other spot areas where mold has been discvored behind baseboards after a flood in the kitcthen that was dried w/in 48 hours, but basbaords were never removed and inspected until now. Now after baseboards removed some areas that drried, but were exposed to water intrustion have small amount of mold on drywall behind baseboards in spots. Quiestion, are those areas worth naturally cleaning w/ Oxyclean, then spray w/tea tree, or should we ask our subcontractor to just cut out the drywall in those small spots? I am not freaked out that behind those drywall spots of mold there is also some scary mold/dryrot issue like the one discoved in the large lr wall. Please, please advise. Family of four w/11 year old and 4 year old living in house. Thanks, Maria
on February 6, 2010 at 3:32 pm
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Hi Maria,
Will do my best to answer your questions. Ideally if this is a large amount of mold I would recommend calling in a professional.
On a positive note it sounds like the window was replaced fairly quickly so your water issues were not left to continue to cause issues.
How was the drywall removed? Was it placed in a sealed container or trash bag? That will often help keep it from getting airborne throughout the house.
The air purifier experts have mixed feelings if it helps or hurts(because it could spread more mold into the air).
The wood beams can be cleaned with any of the recommendations above.
If there is mold on the drywall I would recommend cutting that drywall out above the moldy area, being careful not to disturb the mold spores and gently placing it in a trash bag. Check behind this cut out for anymore mold, if there is none replace the drywall board and you are good to go. See How To Remove Mold On Drywall or our post about how to get rid of mold.
Just got to the bottom of your post and realize you have a few children, as this work goes on I would recommend you children either not be home(got out for dinner or a movie) or have your contractor tape plastic over the doorways in the rooms they will be working. This will keep dust and possibly the mold spores from spreading via the air to the rest of your house.
I hope this helps and if you have any questions please post below.
on May 24, 2010 at 10:12 pm
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Do we need to replace the air conditioner? We brought it out to install for the season and it had black mold visible throughout the front panel that the air travels thru… so we took the panel off and cleaned it with vinegar/water/soap VERY well and then cleaned the inside as well, and sprayed what we couldn’t take apart…what do you think?
on May 25, 2010 at 12:45 am
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Hi Kat,
Sorry to hear about your mold problem. Vinegar/water/soap really won’t do the trick, I would recommend getting something like this Borax powder you can find it at your local hardware store or Walmart etc.. or order online. Make a paste solution with that and clean everything out.
Also check the filter, sometimes mold likes to grow their.
As always if it isn’t something you are comfortable doing or if you cannot do it safely contact a professional.
on July 29, 2010 at 12:17 am
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Excellent information. I’ve been doing mold removal work for 10 years and some of the stuff you see is terrifying. I’ve seen mold stalactites in basements people were living in. Not a very healthy environment. Our Mold Removal Company gives free estimates. Nationwide. If you think you have to much to handle yourself, check us out, we can help.
on September 2, 2010 at 11:56 pm
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Great post. I agree whole heartedly with the paragraph about monitoring for mold symptoms because those very difficult to spot symptoms frequently add up to mold problems. You just have to be aware of what ails you and your family and track it.
on September 25, 2010 at 2:15 pm
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We have a persistent musty smell in our bedroom, but no visible signs of mold. Do we need a professional? If not, how can we get rid of the smell?
on September 30, 2010 at 5:37 pm
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Hi Anita,
The musty smell can be caused by a number of things. Has there been any water leaks in the room (or above it like in the attic or second floor)?
A common source of musty smells is carpet that got wet and then not noticed. I would recommend find the source of moisture, determine if it is a one time issue or if there is a leak that needs fixed. After you find the source of the issue depending upon how large it is and what has the smell it would lead you to what next steps need to be taken.
on October 2, 2010 at 5:36 pm
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Hi,
Our townhome complex was recently ( start 2007 end 2009) renovated. all of the stucco, doors, windows, were replaced with new. A white caulking was put around all the windows. Over the last year we have noticed that some of the windows has been getting the appearance of black mold particularly in the bottom corners and is spotty mold along the lower horizontal. We have been using a recommended mold control from the hardware store but it does not seem to help. Some of the windows are South facing getting lots of sun. Does this mean that water is behind the mold? If so is the only option to recaulk the lower horizontal? can we apply a mold killer in the area where the mold was present before recaulking? If the mold is more prevelant behind the cauling does it mean the stucco may have to be removed to check for mold and decay? Happy to send photos via email
Thanks
Tim
on October 2, 2010 at 11:05 pm
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Hi Tim,
I sent you an email pictures might help!
on May 21, 2011 at 9:39 am
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I have found several black areas that are black and about the size of a quarter and 2 inches long. It looks like a soot if touched. I have one in a bottle and would like to find out exactly what it is and if it is toxic. I have lived in a sick house and have allergies which have gotten worse since living here. thank you
on May 25, 2011 at 2:57 pm
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Hi Jolene,
Where are these black areas at? Depending on the location and moisture it could be general dirt, but could also be black mold or mildew. You can pickup a mold test kit at your local big box store (Home Depot, Lowes etc..) or you can call in a professional company to come out and do a test. If you are experiencing symptoms of mold exposure and have had issues in the past I would definitely recommend calling a professional company in and seek medical attention from your doctor. Sometimes it is better to be safe than sorry. Good luck and when you find out come back here and update us how it worked out.
on May 31, 2011 at 4:24 pm
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Hi Jolene,
I recently had a similar issue with black mold. Before I hired a remediation company I went through the company ImmunoLytics to do an at-home test that was easy and confirmed my fear.
Hope your problem is solved and your health is not compromised!
on June 8, 2011 at 8:49 pm
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Hi, i rent a home that i have found mold. It is growing even on the new replaced drywall area and the floor in even collapsing in areas. There is also mold outside. I contacted the company and the management and still they have done nothing. They just keep promising to move us. It has been almost 6months. I don’t have the means to move and need to know what to do. Please help us. I also have a 20 month old and pregnant daughter n law, 14 yr old son and 23 yr old son.
on June 9, 2011 at 5:49 pm
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Hi Randie,
Sorry to hear about your mold issues, if the mold came back after the drywall was replaced there usually is a deeper cause. Is there leaking water anywhere(roof, window, door, pipes etc..)? Is this a basement apartment?
There has to be something causing the moisture that in turn is causing the mold growth.
Overall it sounds like a big job and a professional mold removal company needs to come in. Until then it is best to remove your family from the situation. While costly it is the only way to ensure this does not impact their health.
If your landlord continues not to respond I would contact a local atty’s office and use a free consultation to check your options legally.
on August 11, 2011 at 3:06 pm
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Hello,
I have cracks in the cement floor of my basement and white powder has begun to appear around the cracks. Is this white mold? If so, what could we do to get rid of it?
I’d appreciate any help you could give us.
on August 11, 2011 at 11:54 pm
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Hi Gladys,
Sorry to hear about your issue, without seeing it in person or pictures I would guess based on how you described it that it is something called efflorescence and not mold. There are numerous ways to remove it and on a positive note it isn’t anywhere as near as harmful as mold spores. Hope this helps.
on August 22, 2011 at 3:55 pm
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About 7 years ago I saw black mold in the basement and removed it visibly with clorox. Now my husband has found more on an adjacent wall and is cleaning it with clorox. More has been seen recently on window sills in bedroom and living room. For six years I have had chronic bronchitis, especially in winter months, which gets quite serious requiring much medication, humidifiers, etc. Now I’m researching black mold and am very concerned. What to do? How do I find an expert???
on August 24, 2011 at 2:38 am
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Hi Joan, it sounds like you have a more serious problem than is recommended to handle as a DIY task, depending where you live you can look online for a mold removal professional, in the yellow pages or one place to also check is Angies List.
Winter months mold symptoms can show up more because we usually spend more time in our houses, the heat is running circulating air and the house is closed up tight.
Hope this helps and if you have further questions feel free to post another comment.
on August 30, 2011 at 2:05 pm
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My workplace has what we believe is black mold. The drywall was cleaned last year with bleach but it has returned. Is bleach enough? My boss has done nothing about it and I don’t think the landlord even knows about it. Can this be potentially dangerous? Any suggestion what us employees can do about this since the boss doesn’t seem to care?
on August 31, 2011 at 11:54 pm
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Hi Anne,
You really can’t remove mold from drywall without cutting out the drywall where it is growing and replace it. Here is an article we put together on how to remove mold from drywall.
One recommendation avoid eating, drinking, and using tobacco products and cosmetics where mold is present as it will keep these items from becoming contaminated. Also try to avoid disturbing the mold spores so they don’t become airborne.
Sorry wish there was more you could do.
on September 8, 2011 at 6:48 am
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I discovered a black substance in the shower and around the pipes in our bathroom. I am a 2 time Lymphoma Cancer (stage 4) survivor having had a stem cell transplant 4 years ago. We have lived in this house since 1996 (when this manufactured home was built). Is it possible the Lymphoma was caused by black mold (the substance I see)? What are my risks now? Is it safe for me to take the advise measures and remove it myself? What should I do if this is “Black Mold”?
on September 8, 2011 at 12:41 pm
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Hi Maureen,
The black around the shower and pipes could be mildew and completely harmless. Due to your prior health issues I would recommend having a professional come in and conduct a test on the black substance. There are also home diy mold test kits that you can use as well, but in this case I think calling in a professional would be best.
Has anyone else in the house been having any health issues?
on September 10, 2011 at 3:54 am
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We had some basement leaks. They recurred several times over a three year period. Contractor finally agreed to work on it. Cinderblock, insulation, studs, and back of drywall all were wet. The contractor came to correct the issues. He claims to have fixed the foundation, so it won’t continue to leak. He cut out damaged drywall, blew a fan on the open area overnight, and then put up new drywall. We are worried that he didn’t test for mold and that he sealed the area with drywall without being sure it was completely dry. Should we request a mold test and a more thorough drying period before the drywall is replaced? Thanks.
on October 16, 2011 at 1:52 am
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Hi
I am currently house hunting and we found a house in a great location for a great price. The reason for the “great” price is that there is a major mold problem in the basement. It was finished but there was water damage and it had to be stripped of the drywall, carpet, everything.
When I saw the house, there was black mold on almost every surface in the basement. I’m still considering this house because of the low price and even with the remediation expenses it’s still pretty cheap for that location and size. The house has been unoccupied for 10 months.
Should I walk away from this house or is hiring a professional gonna take care of the problem permanently? How much do you think it will cost to take care of the problem? Thank you for your time
on October 18, 2011 at 4:18 pm
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Hi Salwa,
It is a tough decision to make for sure. You will need to get a good enough deal that the remediation costs are covered in the price you pay for the house.
If you can get permission from the seller see if you can get a professional mold removal company to come out and give an estimate on the cost for remediation prior to putting in an offer. Take that estimate and add 20% or so to it as a margin of error in case the estimate is low(ie things come up that weren’t apparent from the inspection).
Then you can factor this into your offer. A good mold removal company should be able to remove the mold without any lasting issues.
You should be able to bargain an even better deal than what the house is listed for as mold scares away a lot of people.
What was the source of the water damage? Flooding, sewer backup, leaking roof etc..
If it was something where the whole neighborhood had issues speak with some of the neighbors and see if they had issues and if they can recommend a contractor.
Hope this helps.
on November 3, 2011 at 2:52 pm
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Hi ~
One of the offices, across the hall from my office, in my building started to smell damp and musty about 6-8 months ago. The painted drywall had brown spots on it. The landlord sent someone up to clean the wall. The smell came back even stronger over the summer when it was really hot outside. This office is used as storage and has no windows. We opened the door to discover the wall, near the bottom to about 12″ up, had brown stains again. The carpet was also very wet. It was discovered that the air conditioner in the ceiling had been leaking. The leak was supposedly fixed but nothing has been done about the smell or the brown stains on the wall. Are these stains mold? Could there be mold behind the wall or under the carpet? Several employees, including me, have started to experience allergy symptoms. Could these be related to that office?
Thank you
on November 4, 2011 at 11:06 pm
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Hi Julie,
By the way you are describing it, it does sound like mold. The way you describe the room it sounds like a perfect breeding ground for mold, dark, moisture from the leak, no air flow and mold food(the wall).
There could be mold behind the wall it really depends if moisture got back their. The carpet if wet more than likely has mold growth as well.
Allergy symptoms are very common when mold spores are present, so it is possible all of this is occurring because of the mold.
Keep bugging the landlord to come in and clean up the areas. Generally the carpet should be removed and any boxes, paper etc that was wet and growing mold should also be removed. The wall depending on the extent of the damage can be cleaned, but it is better to have the wet drywall cut out and replaced.
on November 26, 2011 at 10:59 pm
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Hi,
I am renting a bi level house. The downstairs is not necessarily a basement but is partially underground with windows only in the front. I have been telling my landlord that i have found mold growing downstairs and in the main bathroom upstairs and the utility closet upstairs. They had their family come in many months later. They decided to renovate the bathroom when they pulled the floor up there was mold on the wood subfloor. They did not treat it thay laid new linoleum overtop of it. There was also mold on some of the beams they also did not treat the beams just put new drywall and the surround walls and tub over to of it. Downstairs they did the same. They placed new drywall vertop of molded insulation and studs. There is mold on the cinderblock wall that they did not clean but suggest they will just paint overtop of it. There are spots on the walls that they are ignoring. They are telling me that because there is no decomposition of the wood it is dead and not harmful to us. Is what they have done enough? I believe my family and I have mold exposure. We have been experiencing trouble breathing, low energy and sleepiness. watery eyes, and hives. Please give me some direction. I don’t want to have to pay for an inspection, as they will nolt reimburse me for the fee. I am sure they will evict me once I take action since they don’t seem to want to handle this appropriately..
on November 28, 2011 at 9:43 pm
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Hi Denise,
Based on how you describe it you surely have mold issues. Mold can affect people in different ways and the symptoms you list are some common ones of mold exposure. Where did the source of moisture come from that originally caused the mold? Has this been fixed? Really the best you can do is clean any visible mold, keep moisture to a minimum. Run bathroom exhaust fans or open a window slightly when showering, run a dehumidifier in the basement or partially underground areas.
Really with all the problems you list it may be best to get out and fine a new place to rent, since you don’t own the house and are limited on what and how things are fixed.
on December 20, 2011 at 2:36 am
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I have had water damage over the last 10 years. I was told it was from a lack of gutters, so I put up gutters. Then I was told I need drainage behind the house, so I added drainage. I recently replaced the wood in the back of the house, and had a french drain put in. I still get water when there is heavy rainfall. How do I find out where the water is coming from. I have had several contractors, foundation specialist, inspectors, etc. come in in. They all say it is not the foundation, or roof. I don’t know where or how to fix it. To make matter worse I was told my lungs are like the lungs of a smoker, I don’t smoke or am I in contact with smokers. I was in perfect health before moving into this house, but now my health is on a gradual decline. What can I do?
on December 20, 2011 at 4:48 pm
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Hi Felicia,
You said you still get water when there is heavy rainfall. Where are you getting this water? In your basement? Have you had someone come out and look at the grade of your yard behind your house? Are there any areas of your house that are below grade(even slightly)?
on January 4, 2012 at 4:49 pm
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Hi, I live in a cottage in Canada and in the room pump room which is in a little shed attached to the house there is some black hold on the drywall which is near the pipes that supply my house with water. Can the mold somehow enter my water supply if it’s on the wall? Do I need to be concerned?
Thanks!
on January 4, 2012 at 6:53 pm
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Hi Laura,
I have never heard of mold entering a water supply passing through the pipes. I would still be concerned with the mold though, I assume the water that enters the pump room is really cold(prob well water), the air in the pump room is probably warmer which causes the pipes to sweat. This moisture is most likely causing the mold. They sell pipe insulation that should help with that. Also consider cutting out the drywall and replacing it with green or blue drywall which is more moisture/mold resistant.
on January 16, 2012 at 9:40 pm
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Hi,
We are having our main bathroom renovated and everything is being ripped out. Although there was very little or no evidence of mold/mildew on the tub tiles, now that they are out, there is one 2×4 stud that has black mold(?) all along its length on 2 of 3 exposed sides. What do you recommend?
on January 17, 2012 at 1:46 pm
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Hi Gail,
If you are comfortable removing the mold yourself ensure you have the proper safety gear. Tape off the doorway with plastic and open a window(if you have one) in the bathroom. You can then scrape the mold off the 2X4 or use a rotary tool (often attaches to a drill) to take off the mold/mildew. It is important to have proper safety gear because this basically sends the mold airborne. After the 2X4 has been cleaned and all visible traces of mold and dust have been removed you can apply a sealer such as Kilz before closing up the wall. It is important to read the directions for Kilz and follow them completely.
I hope this helps. If you feel it is too much work, too big of an area or are uncomfortable doing the work to remove the mold call in a professional. As always do additional research on the above advice(and use at your own risk) as it is often hard to give advice on something without seeing it in person.
on January 17, 2012 at 1:51 pm
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I have seen big black and dump spots in my bedroom I don’t know if it is black mold or not? Please give me some suggestion. Thanks
on January 17, 2012 at 2:19 pm
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Hi Zari,
It could be mold or it might not be. If you are seeing black spots and dampness you first should determine where the moisture is coming from. Is there a roof leak or maybe are their pipes running above your room etc..
on January 17, 2012 at 2:29 pm
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Thanks my landlord did roof work recently. But the dump spots are spreading in my room. I moved my bed from one side to another side of room I did not help much.
on January 26, 2012 at 9:53 pm
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Hey there, I have been seeing a black substance around all my windows in my house and figured it was dirt. So I have been cleaning my windows weekly and it keeps coming back. I believe it is black mold. I will clean it off with bleach and within 24-48 hours the mold returns. I am experience some health issues but I am not sure if it directly is caused by mold, or if the mold is harmless. So I have cleaned it and try to keep the windows clean but whats the next steps?
Thanks for your help, Madalyne
on January 27, 2012 at 5:45 pm
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Hi Madalyne,
Are your windows wood or plastic? Are they older and leaking air? Sometimes with older windows cold air will leak in and hit the warm air in your house and cause moisture. This may be the cause.
You may also want to purchase a humidity monitor and check the humidity levels in your house they are about $10 or so:
http://www.amazon.com/Acu-Rite-Indoor-Humidity-Monitor/dp/B0013BKDO8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327686215&sr=8-1
I hope this helps.