Are you sneezing because of dust or mold? How can you tell the difference? While the symptoms are similar for both dust and mold, there are some simple ways to narrow down if you might have a mold problem, or if you just have a dust allergy!

There are a few ways to tell if your home has a mold problem.

• You see visible mold. While it might sound obvious, visible mold can be the sign of a bigger infestation- one large enough to give you allergy symptoms!
• You smell mold. If you have a moldy or musty smell in your home, especially a new smell, that's a great indicator you have mold in your home. Large mold infestations can be usually be smelled. 
• Your home has had water damage. Mold grows in wet conditions, so if you've had water damage, like a flood, leaky pipe, or leaky roof, your symptoms could be because of mold.

What If I Don't Have Mold?

Dust allergies are no fun. Even if you don't have mold, you might have symptoms like sneezing, irritated lungs, and itchy eyes. Here are some ways to cut down on dust in your home.

• Use a mask when cleaning, and clean often. Vacuuming is a great way to prevent dust buildup, but for people who are sensitive to dust, vacuuming can throw dust into the air and make symptoms worse. Wearing a mask allows you to clean and not breathe in your allergen.
• Clean your air ducts. If your home is fairly dust-free and your symptoms don't improve, consider that your air ducts might be dirty. Cleaning your air ducts can improve the air quality in your home.
• Get an air quality test. An air quality test can help you narrow down the cause of your symptom

What Should I Do If I Suspect My Home Has Mold?

If you suspect mold, you should call a professional to get a mold inspection. Mold inspectors can find all of the mold in your home, even mold you might miss. They use special tools like moisture meters to find mold behind walls and in hard-to-find places.

Then, if mold is found, you can call a mold remediation service. Mold remediation is the entire process of carefully removing mold, sanitizing the surface, and rebuilding or replacing damaged materials.

BioClean Can Help

At BioClean, we are mold inspection and mold remediation experts. We also offer air quality testing. Whatever you need to get rid of your symptoms, we are here to help. Contact us today!