If you have to run (and empty) dehumidifiers to fight mold growth in your home all summer long, you probably enjoy having a break from your war on mold when winter comes. Well, we’re sorry to be the bearers of bad news, but winter weather can create mold problems, too. And these situations are often beyond your control.

When temperatures dip below freezing, inadequately insulted pipes can burst. If you’ve been reading this blog regularly, you know you have to you clean up the water within 24 hours, otherwise mold will begin to multiply. But the water you see may only be the tip of the iceberg. A burst pipe is likely to spread water through the floors and walls, where it is invisible to the naked eye.

That’s why a company like RTK Environmental Group (the sponsor of this blog) tests not only for mold but also inspects your home for hidden leaks and moisture, which will lead to mold problems down the road. It uses scientific tools to spot hidden moisture in your walls and floorboards, and pinpoint the source.

So how does moisture lead to mold? Every home has airborne mold spores that are too tiny to see. Mold spores need only two elements to take root: moisture and food from a porous material such as carpeting, upholstered furniture, and Sheetrock. After a water pipe bursts, moisture encourages mold spores to form a mold colony. As the colony grows, it releases more mold spores into the air, where it can easily be carried by the gentlest air currents throughout your home.

There are home testing kits to detect mold, but they are often inaccurate, and cannot detect mold or moisture that is not visible to the naked eye. The Environmental Protection Agency suggests professional mold sampling to be sure your home or office has been adequately cleaned or remediated. For more information on how RTK approaches mold inspection, click here. If you’d like to find out if you might need a mold inspection, call 800.393.6468.