Bathroom Mold
Have you gone into your bathroom lately and noticed a funky smell? Perhaps some spotting on your ceiling or some pink stuff in your shower! There are a number of reasons mold may be growing in your bathroom. In this article we will consider 3 reasons why mold grows in bathrooms, how to determine if you have bathroom mold, how to determine the appropriate actions to take and when to contact a professional. This article should help you determine the best way to get rid of bathroom mold!
Why Mold Grows In Bathrooms
Bathrooms are especially susceptible to microbial growth. The reason for this is simple; bathrooms have multiple sources of water. High levels of moisture, either in the air in the form of vapor or through plumbing leaks, can affect your bathroom and over time cause mold to grow. The important thing for homeowners to do is be educated on what mold is, and what steps you should take to protect your health and property should you suspect mold growth.
How To Determine If You Have Mold Growth
As stated at the beginning of this article, mold is identifiable by smell and sight. Although, since you are no microbiologist it is more important for you to determine if there are underlining factors that put your bathroom at a higher risk for mold growth. Ask yourself these questions.
“Does my bathroom have an exhaust fan?” If your bathroom does not have an operational exhaust fan or you do not use it when you shower, the elevated humidity during hot showers can cause mold to grow in your bathroom. This usually takes the form of spotting on your ceiling that gradually creeps from right above your shower to the rest of your ceiling and eventually down the walls.
“Does my bathroom have any leaks?” Plumbing leaks are a real problem in bathrooms. There are 3 primary areas bathrooms leak. Toilets, showers, and sinks. Usually a visual inspection of your plumbing is sufficent to determine if you have a leak. Although if you are on crawlspace or basement you can also look underneath the bathroom for signs of water leaks. Another good sign is to walk on your subfloor and if you feel areas where your floor is “giving” then that is a good sign for water damage and possible mold growth! Vanities are usually made of “pressboard” and not real wood. This means by feeling the sides of your vanity for roughness and deterioration is a good way to determine if you have a water leak. Mold growth in these situations, unlike in the previous source, will likely be more concentrated to the area of its source.
“Is my shower sealed properly?” If you have unsightly pink or black stuff growing around the edges of your tile grout or caulking, it is likely that the seal original to your shower is giving way. Once that happens moisture can get behind your seal and mold can start to grow behind the sealant!
Appropriate Actions & When to Contact a Professional
The best thing to do in ALL cases of mold growth or water damage is this:
FIX THE SOURCE OF THE ISSUE, DON’T JUST COVER IT UP! Only then look to fix the damage that was caused!
Ceiling Vent: If your ceiling is spotting because of high humidity from showers then add an exhaust fan or make sure that it is properly cleaned without large amount of dust accumulation that prevents proper ventilation. Proper mold remediating guidelines would suggest having a remediation crew come and remove the drywall if it has visible mold growth. But if the damaged area is minimal some have tried wiping the mold away with a rag then going to their local Home Depot and buying mold sealant paint, also known as Kilz paint, and just repainting their ceiling. This blog of course only recommends strict adhearance to IICRC s520 standards for mold remediation! (although I definitely saved my in-laws tons of money by painting their bathroom ceiling with this kind of paint when they had this exact same issue 2 years ago and they have not had any resurgence in mold issues)
Water Leak: If you have a water leak, then call a plumber to repair the leak before doing anything else. If you are worried your flooring is damaged or there is hidden moisture or you can see some visible mold around the area of the leak, call a water mitigation company. Some mitigation companies will do free inspections, and use special moisture detecting equipment and will be able to tell you if moisture is bound up, hidden in walls or under your flooring. Generally speaking mold under 10 sq ft can be properly remediated without the need for mold testing or extensive mold remediation techniques and the majority of small plumbing leaks do not cause mold issues more than 10 sq ft.
Shower Mold Behind Caulking: If mold is growing behind your sealant it is very difficult clean it or simply wipe it off like you can do mold that is growing on your actual shower or tile. The reason is because the moisture is seeping through and growing BEHIND the caulking. My wife, who owns a cleaning business, has an effective method of cleaning, although it does not fix the issue or completely clean all the mold off. Squeeze Bleach toilet bowl cleaner around the molded caulking area, let it sit for 1 hour then scrub and rinse. This will definitely make it look better but the best thing to do is have it re-caulked or regrouted. Once you do this be sure to clean your shower regularly! Showers grow mold because they are wet for too long. Leaving your ceiling vent running for 15 minutes after you shower and regularly cleaning your shower will help prevent that gross stuff from growing back!
It is also very important to keep in mind that “dead” mold is still harmful to humans! It is not recommended to merely “kill bathroom mold” but proper remediation techniques call for the removal of the mold. Be sure that you keep this in mind when picking a remediation contractor or a proposed scope of work. Remembering this will help you to sift through remediation companies to avoid!
Just remember if your mold issue is greater than 10 sq ft of visible mold it might be wise to contact a Certified Mold Inspector. Mold travels through the air, so if your problem has been ongoing for a while it may be wise to consult a professional to ensure mold has not traveled through your home and affected other areas. There are enough gross things going on in bathrooms without adding mold to that list!