How Long Does It Take Black Mold to Grow?

Peter Chambers

Mar 16, 2022

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Every homeowner who’s come across mold knows it can be tough to handle. These growths create significant issues — and you sometimes can’t spot them before problems arise. But what about black mold? How long does it take black mold to grow? This kind can be persistent, so you need to be on the lookout, and this article can help!

Black Mold: Defined

What’s the difference between black mold, or Stachybotrys chartarum, and other types? This kind looks greenish-black in color, so it’s easily identifiable. Usually, black mold appears slimy due to a layer of moisture that sits on it. If you see mold with a white coat, you might have black mold that’s dried up because it’s lost its water source.

Like all varieties, black mold develops in places with excessive moisture, but it’s especially attracted to surfaces with high cellulose content, such as fiberboard and paper. Homeowners often find black mold after a flood. However, you can encounter it anytime, anywhere — as long as there’s a humid, damp area, mold can thrive. That’s why bathrooms, attics, cabinets and basements are prime spots.

How Long Does It Take Black Mold to Grow?

How long does it take black mold to grow? There’s a period of 24 to 48 hours where mold starts to develop. Then, mold spores enter the air, which helps the mold colony continue to expand over time until you tackle the problem.

Potential Black Mold Health Effects

There’s much contention over whether black mold causes detrimental health effects. If you’ve heard about “toxic mold,” you might confuse it with black mold. That said, toxic mold contains mycotoxins, which are metabolites that lead to specific diseases in humans and animals — and black mold doesn’t always produce them.

Therefore, you may or may not experience health issues from black mold. This particular mold variety isn’t automatically a toxic substance because it’s black mold. That’s true for all mold, so you might even feel sicker when you have a problem with another mold species.

What symptoms can mold cause? Keep in mind that you and your family might not experience any. If you’re sensitive to mold, though, you’ll notice signs like a stuffy nose, coughing and wheezing and a sore throat. There’s only one way to truly remedy your symptoms, which will be to eliminate the mold.

How to Remove Black Mold

Have you discovered black mold in your home? If so, you need to act fast so that the mold doesn’t turn into a more significant issue. There are a few ways to eradicate mold growth yourself, but you might prefer to hire a professional, too. This decision will be up to you.

If you want to try a DIY approach, you can follow these steps:

  • Wear protective gear, including goggles, boots, masks and gloves. 
  • Ventilate the space as much as possible by opening windows and running fans.
  • Seal the door or opening to the area so that the other rooms remain unaffected.
  • Remove any drywall or carpet that has mold, as it’s best just to replace those areas.
  • Spray a mold removal product on nonporous surfaces like shower walls and wait a few minutes before you wipe down the area.
  • Tackle the moisture issue in the room that caused the mold problem.

Then, you can replace any materials that you removed. This process isn’t too difficult, so you can get it done in an afternoon when needed. If you discover a more significant underlying mold problem while you clean, you can always enlist an expert to tackle the issue for you.

Ways to Keep Black Mold at Bay

Now, you have to prevent black mold growth in the future. How do you limit mold growth? This process requires continued effort, so you need to be more attentive. Of course, you can’t always avoid scenarios like floods, but you can prioritize ventilation and cleanliness.

Be sure to fix leaks as soon as they happen. If you take a shower, you need to run the fan or open the window so that the moisture doesn’t accumulate. Homes with high humidity levels can benefit from a dehumidifier, which can run in the basement to filter out excess moisture. Additionally, you need to keep your house as clean as possible.

These actions should help keep your property free from all mold types, and you and your family can avoid potential health issues as a result.

Don’t Let Black Mold Become a Problem

Try not to let black mold become an issue in your house. With specific actions, you can tackle existing black mold issues and prevent future ones from forming. While black mold doesn’t necessarily cause health concerns, you never want any mold to accumulate in your space, especially when black mold can grow in under two days.

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