Information about black mould

How to tell if you have mould

Sometimes it can be difficult to be certain whether you have mould in your home. This is due in part to mould infestations not always being visible, and mould doesn’t always have a bad smell.

However, mould is often visible as small brown, green, yellow, white, or black spots on surfaces and emits a distinct unpleasant odour. Mould can also cause uncomfortable allergic symptoms. To determine if you have mould at home, you can order a do-it-yourself test on our website.

Today, there are various types of mould tests available on the market that quickly and easily provide you with answers as to  whether you have mould in your house or apartment.

If you can see signs of mould with the naked eye, a surface test is recommended where you take a sample from the affected area. If you can’t see signs of mould but can smell it or are bothered by mould-related symptoms, a more advanced air test or DNA analysis is advised. With these, you can test for hidden mould infestations in indoor air.

These mould tests can also provide you with answers about the type of mould, how dangerous it is, and the extent of the infestation.

How to conduct a mould test

Carrying out a mould test is very straightforward. You simply follow the instructions provided in the mould test kit. The process of conducting a mould test varies depending on the type of test you are using to measure mould presence.

For instance, measuring mould in the air can be done with an air test. Inexpensive surface tests involve swabbing a cotton swab over the affected area. You can learn more about our various mould test options here.

Symptoms that can result from mould exposure

Symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, and other allergic reactions are common issues among people living in environments with a lot of mould. Those who continuously inhale mould spores may experience severe symptoms like difficulty breathing or they could develop chronic diseases like asthma.

These side effects can occur in both humans and animals and so the importance of testing for and removing any mould in the home cannot be emphasiszed enough.

Many wonder what happens if you eat mould. It is crucial to distinguish between different types of mould. The type of mould found in, for example, blue cheese is not harmful. However, other food that has been affected by or in contact with mould in the refrigerator should be discarded.