Mold and Mildew: Bad Smells and Where To Find Them

1/27/2022 (Permalink)

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Mold And Mildew: Unpleasant Odors And Where To Look

Building owners in Scarsdale, NY quickly realize that mold is much easier to smell than it is to locate. The mold smell can be strong and overpowering without being directly visible, leaving you to wonder just where exactly it’s coming from. Following is a discussion about what causes a mold smell, mildew smell, fungus smell or any variety of the three and how best to find the sources throughout your commercial property.

What Makes Mold and Mildew Odor So Distinct?

Mold and its similar species are quick to grow in areas with a lot of moisture and humidity. Mildew and mold thrive in such places as they’re both different kinds of fungi that need the presence of water to survive and multiply. These fungal inhabitants create their smells through the basic function of their existence, meaning any time they eat and reproduce the smell becomes stronger. Mildew brings less of an odorous presence with lighter, musty smells, but moldy smells become quite overbearing the more they continue to grow and spread around your building.

Where Can You Find Non-Visible Mold on Your Property?

The mold smell itself often leads you closer to its original growth point, though it’s not always an exact indicator. Thermal cameras are available these days to help find previously undetected sources of water, but mold is generally found in common areas like:

• Kitchens, bathrooms and other sources of consistent water usage
  
• Air conditioning units or water heaters
  
• The walls below leaky windows or door frames
  
• Cellars or basements where light to heavy flooding occurs regularly
  
• Refrigerators or freezers that create high condensation in dark corners

When you’re trying to find the presence of mold in your Scarsdale, NY, property, following your nose towards the mold smell is a great first step. However, remediating the fungus smell, mildew smell and any other similar odors that are harder to pinpoint requires checking these suggested places to find their non-visible locations. Once the mold is found, call remediation specialists to clear out your building.