Why are Mushrooms Growing in my Carpet?

You have just moved a heavy piece of furniture and found mushrooms growing on your carpet and you want to know why this is happening. What you need to understand is that the growth of mushrooms is a symptom of a problem, but not the cause of the problem. Mushrooms are the natural progression of mold. As mold progresses through its growth cycle, from Hypae growth to spore formation to spore dispersal to spore generation, mushrooms are the final stage.

Mold, unlike most plants, animals, and humans, do not require light to survive and flourish. But like all other life forms, they do require water. And therein is the starting point for mold growth, a source of moisture/water. When water is allowed to enter into a home or building without being contained, the potential for mold growth explodes. The only other thing that molds need is a food source.

What Makes Carpet a Mold Food Source?

Carpets are constructed of either organic or synthetic materials. Organic materials would include things such as wool, cotton, silk, and animal pelts. Synthetics would include materials like nylon, polyester, acrylic, and olefin. Since mold needs an organic food source, you can understand the growth on organic carpet materials, but you would think that having carpets made of synthetics would prevent mold growth. Sorry to say that’s not the case. Carpets are constructed in layers, called backings, usually a primary and a secondary. During the finishing process a layer of latex is applied to both backing to hold the layers together. Latex is organic, and thus, a food source for mold.

What Causes Mold to Grow on My Carpet?

Mold is found everywhere and is one of nature’s decomposition mechanisms. Mold spores will enter your home on the breeze, on your clothing or shoes, on items that you carry into your home, and they can even be carried in on the fur of your pets. Unless you live in a sealed laboratory, there probably are mold spores inside your home at this very moment. If the spores land on your carpet, they will not grow unless there is a source of moisture. This moisture can be a result of a plumbing leak, a roof or window leak, a water spill, or higher than normal humidity. Because mold likes darker environments, it is often found growing on wet/damp carpet underneath or behind furniture. As time passes, it is possible that the mold will produce mushrooms.

Health Effects of Mold Mushrooms

Mold, and the mushrooms that molds produce are toxic. They can be the cause of many different respiratory illnesses, like coughing, wheezing, asthma development, skin and eye irritations, and worse. A lot depends on the individual’s sensitivity to mold and other pre-existing conditions. Molds can make some people sick, when other people are completely unaffected.

Getting Rid of Mold

Completely removing mold from your home is nearly impossible. However, there are things that you can do to keep mold from becoming a major problem. The key is to reduce the amount of moisture in your home. Fix small leaks as soon as they are discovered, keep humidity in check, and thoroughly drying up any type of water loss.

If you find mold mushrooms in your home you should seek professional mold remediation from a certified company like Water Mold Fire Restoration. It can be dangerous to attempt to remove mold and mold mushrooms on your own. First, there is probably more mold than just what you can see. Second, do you know if you or a family member is sensitive to mold? When mold is disturbed it is easily spread throughout previously unaffected areas of the home unless special precautions are taken. WMF’s mold remediation technicians have both the training and national certifications required to safely remove mold from homes and businesses. If you have questions or need mold removal, contact us at 800-905-0277 or at help@watermoldfire.net.