“Mold is in the air everywhere but you can’t see it.
It is not an issue until mold in your home finds water and starts to grow.
Water can come into the home through roofing problems, plumbing leaks, bathroom moisture, and air gaps around windows and doors.
When Mold Is a Problem
You have a problem when mold appears near a leak or other dampness in the home.
Signs of a mold problem include the smell of mold.
Mold has a musty odor.
Sometimes, you can’t see the mold because it is hidden behind wallpaper, dry wall, or paneling, or is on the underside of carpets.
The smell lets you know that it’s an important problem.
If someone cleans or paints over the mold, it will return.
This is because the water problem causing mold to grow is not fixed.
When Mold Is Common
Mold is common around bathroom tiles, windows, showers, and sinks.
It can be hard to keep these damp places completely free of it
But you can usually prevent this mold from growing by cleaning it regularly and increasing the air flow.
For more information, see the next videos in this series.
Visit the California Department of Public Health’s website, cdph.ca.gov/Mold, for information about mold in the home.”
Video
About
Series: “The Mold in the Home Video Series is created by the Environmental Health Investigations Branch of the California Department of Public Health. It is designed to answer basic questions about mold in the home using plain language in English and Spanish.”
This Video: “A first animated video in the 6-part Mold in the Home Video Series. It is an introduction to the series and explains when mold in the home rises to the level of a problem that must be addressed.”
Produced and published by the Environmental Health Investigations Branch of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Originally published November 23, 2020.
