When the spring arrives, it can be pleasing to many people. The harsh cold and snow of winter is gone, making way for warmer weather and nature’s return. Flowers begin to bloom and provide color to contrast what is often a dark, dreary winter.

But spring is also a time when many people do significant cleaning in their homes. While cleaning, homeowners need to be wary of the potential property damage that spring conditions present. More specifically, the moist conditions of spring can easily lead to mold growth, so you should look out for such fungus in your home.

If you understand how spring mold can become an issue in your residential property, then you can look out for signs of spring mold and potentially prevent it from developing.

Continue reading to learn about how spring conditions can lead to mold growth in your home.

What Causes Mold to Grow?

If you understand what triggers mold growth, then it is easier to understand how spring conditions can lead to mold in your home.

Mold spores are naturally present in the environment, so you and your family are actually being exposed to mold on a daily basis. This exposure is acceptable, but it becomes concerning if these mold spores have found the proper conditions and begin to grow.

Mold grows when it has a food source and a moisture source. A dark, warm, humid environment can also help encourage mold growth, but mold can grow in colder environments as well. The key component for mold growth is moisture.

Often times, mold spores use drywall and other common building materials as a food source because of their cellulose content. Add water to the situation and mold spores have the perfect conditions to grow mold. This is also why mold growth is a common occurrence in the aftermath of water damage.

How Do Spring Conditions Lead to Mold?

When winter turns into spring, the melting snow along with the increase in spring showers becomes a concern. This water, particularly from rapidly melting snow, can overwhelm your home’s foundation.

Water rushes toward your home and might enter if it is not properly protected and waterproofed. Water can easily pool up next to the foundation and make its way through any cracks and openings. Suddenly, the water leaks into your basement, creating excess moisture. Any mold spores that are present then have the moisture source they need to trigger spring mold growth.

The abundance of rain can also allow water to enter your residential property if you have any roofing issues that have not been properly addressed. For example, missing or broken shingles can lead to roof leaks.

That said, you should do what you can to make sure your home is in good condition. This means making roof, foundation, and other household repairs to prevent water leaks.

How Do I Know if Spring Mold Has Grown in My Home?

The easiest way to know whether mold has grown is if you see visible mold. There are many species of mold, but household mold growth generally appears black, brown, or green in color and possesses either a fuzzy or slimy texture.

However, mold is not always visible. Sometimes, mold grows in concealed areas, making it difficult for you to notice it. But there are ways to determine whether hidden spring mold is present.

When mold grows in a property, it gives off a musty odor. Usually, mold grows in dark areas like attics, basements, and crawlspaces. Knowing this, you should be especially wary of any musty smells coming from such places in your home.

Mold has also been known to cause people to suffer from allergy-like symptoms. This can sometimes be a tough indicator of mold growth if you and/or your family have seasonal allergies in the spring. However, that does not mean the sneezing, nasal congestion, and other allergy-like symptoms eliminate the possibility of spring mold.

If, when at your home, you notice that your allergies seem to be more severe, then this might indicate mold growth.

Professional Mold Removal Help

Whenever you find mold growing in your home, it is important to address the problem right away. The spring mold issue will only worsen the longer it goes unattended, allowing severe damage to occur. Furthermore, the longer someone is exposed to mold, the worse the potential health problems can be.

Mold removal, however, is not a job you should do yourself. In fact, it is recommended that you seek professional help so that you do not expose yourself to the mold any more than you already have.

ServiceMaster by Restoration Contractors provides professional mold remediation services for residential and commercial properties in Fort Wayne, IN and the rest of Northeastern Indiana. Our professional technicians will assess the mold growth in your home and then use this information to develop a proper mold remediation plan. Using an outside testing facility, we also provide mold testing.

We will contain the mold to prevent if from spreading to unaffected areas as we work. To finish our services, technicians will thoroughly remove the mold and address any damaged materials.

With our mold remediation assistance, your home will be free of mold and restored to a clean, safe living space.