How do you know if there’s mold in your home?

Mold expert Keith Bailey said the first thing to look out for is white dust.

“Mold will grow year-round. It’s not really temperature-sensitive inside of a structure because we keep the homes comfortable for ourselves, which the downside to that is it makes it an ideal environment for mold growth,” said Keith Bailey, the ServPro production manager.

Check closets, basements, air ducts, wood furniture and leather, too. If you do find mold and it covers more than 10 square feet, call a professional.

If it’s a small amount, you can clean it yourself with store-bought products or tea tree oil, but don’t use chlorine or bleach.

“Looks like it works the first time, but it ends up coming back stronger or worse,” Bailey said.

So how do you prevent mold?

“Humidity control, humidity control, humidity control,” said Bailey.

He added that any kind of mold can be dangerous.

“The common misconception is: it doesn’t have to be black mold to be bad mold,” Bailey said.

Bailey said the best way to protect your home and your family is to be on the lookout, keep the humidity in your home at or below 50 percent and if you do find mold, act quickly.

“The best advice I can give people is to not wait on it,” said ServPro Owner Jeff Kuncelman.

“You don’t want to freak out or go into panic mode. You just want to have somebody come out to assess, to advise,” said Bailey.