What is hidden Mold?
You may suspect the presence of mold if a building smells moldy, or an acid-like smell or taste, but you cannot see the source, or if you know there has been water damage and residents are reporting health problems. Mold may be hidden in places such as the backside of drywall; wallpaper; or paneling; the topside of ceiling tiles; or underside of carpets and pads; etc. Other possible locations of hidden mold include areas inside walls around pipes (leaking or condensing pipes), the surface of walls behind furniture (where condensation forms), inside ductwork, and in roof materials above ceiling tiles (due to roof leaks or insufficient insulation or insufficient ventilation). Investigating hidden mold problems may be difficult and will require caution when the investigation involves disturbing potential sites of mold growth. For example, removal of wallpaper, or a sudden decrease in humidity can lead to a massive release of spores if there is mold growing on the underside of the paper.
