Photographs of mold growth in buildings:

Here is an photo guide to mold on plaster ceilings & walls, mold on plastic surfaces, mold on plastic nasal spray bottle, mold on plastic pipes, mold on PVC pipes, mold on plastic windows, mold on pottery, mold on ceramic surfaces, mold on rafters, mold on roof framing, mold on roof sheathing, mold on shelves, moldy shelving

What does mold look like growing on various building & other material surfaces? Here is an online reference photo library of various kinds of mold as it is found growing on a wide range of surfaces and materials found on or in buildings. These photos of mold on indoor various materials or "mold growth substrates" may help you recognize mold in buildings, recognize probably-cosmetic mold, and recognize stuff that is not mold and does not need to be tested.

Pictures of Mold on Various Building Surfaces and Materials

For page loading speed we have divided this article into several sections. Use the link

MOLD APPEARANCE on VARIOUS SURFACES - INDEX

to return to the index / list of photographs of the appearance of mold on various building materials & contents.

--- MOLD GROWTH on MATERIAL SURFACES PHOTOS GROUP 8 ---

80. MOLD on PLASTER CEILINGS, WALLS
81. MOLD on PLASTIC SURFACES
82. MOLD on PLASTIC NASAL SPRAY BOTTLE
83. MOLD on PLASTIC PVC PIPES
84. MOLD on PLASTIC WINDOWS
85. MOLD on PLUMBING ACCESS
86. MOLD on PLUMBING DRAIN
87. MOLD on PLYWOOD
88. MOLD on POTTERY, CERAMICS
89. MOLD on PORECELAIN SURFACES
90. MOLD on RAFTERS
91. MOLD on ROOF SHEATHING
92. MOLD on RUBBER
93. MOLD on SHELVING

Photographs of mould found on the surface of items, materials, & surfaces found indoors

[Click to enlarge any image]

Mold on Plaster Walls, Ceilings

Our field investigation work and lab testing suggest that plaster is somewhat resistant to mold growth but by no means"mold proof".

Above: the fruiting body of a fungus or mold growing on plaster in a garage, courtesy of InspectApedia.com reader Michael.

We find mold growing on painted plaster surfaces and on occasion where leakage has been chronic some mold fungi appear to invade the plaster itself even though it is chemically inhospitable.

Below the red crud on this plaster wall is not mold.

See also EFFLORESCENCE & BROWN DEPOSITS for a discussion of stuff that looks as if it's "growing" on plaster walls and ceilings.

Mold on Plastic Surfaces

The photograph above illustrates mold growth on a plastic ceiling surface over a basement that had been subject to flooding.

Below is a rather moldy plastic shower chair from a U.K. home, contributed by reader Monica M.

Below, these two pictures show mold growth on plastic controls: the knob for a kitchen stove and on handle for an oven door handle. This home had been subject to flooding that was undiscovered for at least several weeks.

Other examples of mold growth on plastic surfaces commonly found in buildings are illustrated below: a plastic light switch cover hosting mold growth, and plastic keys and other items stored in a drawer in a wet building.

Mold on Plastic Nasal Spray Bottle

The plastic nasal spray bottle sampled by a reader appeared clean when used and visibly moldy 8-10 hours later. We identified Cladosporium Sp. as the dominant fungus growing in the sample provided.

Mushrooms growing indoors on Plastic PVC Piping?

Mold on "plastic PVC piping" was the description of a reader who sent us the two photos below. It's not quite clear from the images nor the data provided but but we think this indoor mushroom growth may actually have been rooting on soil at a foundation wall penetration.

We disuss the two coral-fungus like growth photos above

at MOLD & MUSHROOMS INDOORS on DIRT FLOORS.

Mold on Plastic Windows

This really horrible moldy plastic window sash illustrates how mold growth may accumulate on a white plastic (or possibly vinyl) window sash, probably more severely at windows exposed to high levels of condensation.

The window condensation levels that encouraged this mold growth on the window frame may have been due to an indoor moisture source or due to inefficient windows that lack a thermal break to the outside, and that are installed in a cold climate.

Mold on or in Plumbing Access & Covers

Mold growth on surfaces inside of plumbing access niches or on plumbing access covers is common when condensation on cold water pipes causes an increase in moistur or perhaps wet conditions in the plumbing access niche or closet or other small enclosed area.

Mold on Plumbing Drains

Above, black and other mold and algae on shower drain parts in a UK home provided by reader Monica M.

Mold on Plywood Surfaces, un-painted subfloor & other

Above: leaks at a patio door were not obvious when inspecting the finished interior of this home except for a bit of dark staining on a finished oak floor. But inspecting from below we found several genera/species of mold including wood-rotters. The subfloor and the top of the rim joist were damaged by rot.

Below: an enlarged view of fungal growth on a plywood surface in a different building.

Quite a few genera/species of mold may be found growing on plywood surfaces, especially in damp or poorly-vented attics (underside of roof sheathing or at gable-end walls) and on plywood subfloor surfaces over damp or wet basements or crawl spaces.On plywood we often find species of Cladosporium, Taeoniella, Stemonitis, Trichoderma, and on occasion yeasts.

Also see MOLD on ROOF SHEATHING

Also see MOLD CLEANUP, WOOD FRAMING & PLYWOOD

Mold on Pottery, Ceramics

This photograph illustrates mold growth on antique Spanish pottery.

Mold on Porcelain surfaces

This moldy toilet bowl illustrates our theory that mold growth on some inhospitable surfaces relies on the presence of a coating of other organic debris.

More photos of bathroom mold are

at MOLD on TOILETS URINALS & OTHER PLUMBING FIXTURES

at MOLD on BATHROOM CONTROLS and surfaces

Mold on Rafters

Lots of different fungal genera/species will colonize framing lumber. It is worth learning to recognize "black mold" on wood framing that did not appear there by growing after construction, but rather came in as a hitchiker at the time the building was framed. Often this fungus is a cosmetic-only bluestain or sapstain Ceratocystis or Ophistoma fungus.

We discuss how to recognize a harmless black mold, and cosmetic molds in our article:

HARMLESS COSMETIC MOLD

Watch out: on pressure treated wood that has been colonized by Ceratocystis or Ophistoma fungus and thus would be though harmless, I have found Aspergillus colonizing atop the older fungus and happily living away on wood that was soaked with a chemical to treat against insect attack (and perhaps rot). Where large amounts of such infected wood are used indoors it should probably be cleaned.

Mold on Roof Sheathing

The pictures below show common examples of mold found on the attic-side of roof sheathing. For details also see Mold on/in Attics and attic surfaces.

The photographs below illustrate mold growth on tongue and groove roof sheathing in an attic.

See ATTIC MOLD for a guide to curing and preventing mold contamination in attics and roof cavities.

Also see MOLD on FRAMING LULMBER, Joists, Studs, I-Joists

Also see MOLD on PLYWOOD

Mold on Rubber Materials & Surfaces

Below we see tan and yellow white-fringed "mushrooms" - a mold fruiting body - growing along the edge of what appears to be a rubber, or possibly vinyl baseboard trim at the intersection of a wall and a raw concrete floor in a wet basement. We also see mold growing on rubber garden hoses, rubber floor tile, and other rubber materials.

Photo contributed by reader [Anonymous] 2016/08/25 by private email. For this condition we recommended

... looking further for mold growth behind that baseboard trim in your photo, and more important, if the red wall is covered with drywall, I'd be looking for mold behind the trim and on the cavity side or hidden side of the drywall, paneling or whatever covers that wall.

Also see MOLD on GARDEN HOSE for other examples of mold growth on rubber or see MOLD on VINYL WINDOWS for examples of mold growth on vinyl.

Also see MOLD on FLOOR TRIM.

Mold on Shelving, Interior

Photos below are examples of mold growth on shelving and a bookshelf surface. The furniture at right is a wood veneer material.

Watch out: remember to look under shelves for hidden mold. The un-coated back side of shelving or of bureau drawers are a ready home for hidden mold growth.

CONTACT us to submit photographs of mold growth on other man-made or building-related materials.

...

Continue reading at MOLD GROWTH on SURFACES, PHOTOS_GROUP_9 or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Mold Identification Articles

• BLACK MOLD, HARMLESS
• MOLD APPEARANCE on VARIOUS SURFACES index to photos of mold on all kinds of surfaces and materials
• MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE - home
• MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD
• MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX
• MOLD FREQUENCY in BUILDINGS
• MOLD in BUILDINGS
• MOLD CONTAMINATION IN BUILDINGS - home
• MOLD by MICROSCOPE - mold under the microscope
• MOLD in the PETRI DISH, PHOTOS - mold on culture plates or in culture-type mold test kits
• MOLD RELATED ILLNESS SYMPTOMS

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MOLD GROWTH on SURFACES, PHOTOS_GROUP_8 at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to MOLD CONTAMINATION & REMEDIATION

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Citations & References

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