Photographs of red mold contamination & other colored molds to help identify mold contaminants in buildings.

Here we show what red mold sor yeasts look like in a home or other buildings.

Photos of molds & yeasts given here show to find & recognize mold on building surfaces. What red mold and red yeasts look like growing on building indoor surfaces. Photographs of red mold & other molds of various colors and textures in buildings.

Photos of red & other colored mold contamination inside wall cavities and in insulation

What red mold looks like in a home or other buildings

Identification Photographs of Red & Orange Molds & Yeasts in Buildings

Red mold and red yeasts can be easily seen on building surfaces, especially on the exposed or inner wall-cavity side of drywall in buildings that have been exposed to wet or flooding.

Two common indoor red or orange molds include Aspergillus versicolor and the yeast Rhodotorula. But red molds and yeasts cannot be reliably identified to genera/species without analysis by a qualified aerobiologist/microscopist in a test lab.

For an atlas of building molds and for more microphotographs of building mold samples observed in our laboratory,

see MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX

Also see MOLD RELATED ILLNESS SYMPTOMSfor details about specific mold genera/species and their health effects.

Also see MOLD SPORES in the HOME - a Photo ID Library for detection and identification of mold allergens on indoor building surfaces.

What does red mold or red yeast look like on indoor building surfaces? These mold spores and their photographs and examples of materials sometimes mistaken for mold have been collected in the U.S., Spain, Mexico, France, as well as in other countries where I've studied bioaerosols.

These photos of mold on indoor building surfaces 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.

Red mold (actually a yeast), orange mold, on this wall to wall carpeting surrounded by more-obvious black mold.

Watch out: black or dark colored molds may over-shadow and cause you to fail to observe red molds and yeasts in buildings or on other surfaces.

This red, orange, and tan mold was growing in spotty colonies on the grade-level floor of this building which had been exposed to high humidity.

The carpet had not been wet in this area but other building leaks were nearby. Aspergillus sp. including some strains of Aspergillus versicolor, and yeasts such as Rhodotorula were present.

Click photo for larger image.

Red and orange molds and yeasts can be hard to spot on some surfaces like this wall paneling because they are so often accompanied by other darker mold growths.

We find red molds and yeasts on the both the exposed and cavity side of drywall, on wall paneling, on building contents, on carpeting, on vinyl flooring, and on some other building materials.

We do not usually find red molds or yeasts alone, and in these photos you'll see that other mold genera/species are also present.

Red Mold/Yeast in a wall cavity: Red mold, such as some strains of Aspergillus versicolor, and red yeasts may form Important mold reservoirs inside building cavities. You won't see them without making a test cut in the right place. We decide where to make an invasive test cut by studying where leak or moisture problems have been or are likely to have been on a building.

This photo shows the hidden interior side of drywall on the test cut we made using the hole saw shown at the top of this page.

The red material shown on the drywall paper in this photo was a yeast which accompanied toxic mold which we confirmed was present in this wall cavity. It doesn't look like much on this little 2" round plug, but the entire wall cavity interior was contaminated with this (and other) molds and yeasts.

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2020-05-25 - by (mod) - red "mold" stains on basement floor?

I see a history of leaks through or at the wall in the corner, wet carpet stains, probably mold on wall surfaces and carpet, probable mold below carpet, risk of larger hidden mold reservoirs in walls that have been wet and in carpet padding or flooring below.

[Click to enlarge any image]

Wet moldy carpet cannot be successfully cleaned and needs to be removed, wet or previously wet drywall cannot be cleaned and needs to be removed.

See MOLD ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT MOLD inspectapedia.com/mold/Mold_Action_Plan.php

No one can make a credible assessment of the health hazard from mold based solely on a photo.

On 2020-05-25 by Caz

We recently moved into a basement flat with a garage / boiler room with no windows or ventilation.

Along with a serious moth problem we also noticed a very large pink orange patch on the carpet.

Extensive research suggests a horrible mould problem.

Please could you help diagnose and treat with this photo? We were told we could sleep in this room if we wanted to, what can we say to the landlord? Thanks

On 2017-05-26 - by (mod) -

Melissa,

There are basically two tasks that should be done.

One is to find and clean hard surfaces that ate moldy or remove softer non- cleanable rmoldy material. E.g.. drywall.

If your wall is made of drywall, which some people call sheetrock, then it's worth cutting a small opening near where you see the fungus to inspect the wall cavity for more serious mold contamination.

I suspect that it's worth looking in that area because you see a mushroom or fungus growing out of the wall. You will need to remove and throw away moldy drywall, and then clean the surfaces of the wall cavity. When it's dry you can restore the wall with new drywall.

However none of that repair work will be successful if you don't also find and fix the leak that cause the mold growth.

So when you open the wall, look carefully at the stains and water patterns to be sure you know where the water was coming from.

On 2017-05-26 by Milissa Buchanan

There is reddish orange fungus growing out of the wall whete the washer is located. What can I do about it.

On 2015-11-21 - by (mod) -

Or it may be algae - or iron in the water supply

On 2015-11-21 by bill biscontine

I have pink stains on wash clothes and towels. can this be red mold?

On 2020-09-07 - by (mod) -

Wendy

The article above on this page has suggestions for finding a well on your property. When it's someone else's property you're in a bind because of course you don't want to go trespassing.

In any case the presence of a well on a property would not be a direct cause of the building mold problem. Of course if there's a leak and water or well piping that's wearing a crawlspace or any other part of the house that could be a source of mold trouble. So the place to start is with an inspection on your home.

On 2020-09-07 by Wendy Tamara Hess

Hello, I am renting a home in Richmond CA. I have a Big molds issue under the house. This may very well be from rain getting under there in the past, however, we are in drought time and this mold smells very fresh.

The neighbors say there is an old well somewhere on the property, but the owner denies it. How can I found out through an old map or property documents with out being the owner?

On 2013-02-07 by George

I have a red mould/fungus in a bedroom, caused by a leaking roof that has now been fixed. Is or could this be dangerous to our health?

On 2012-11-04 by John

Had clear out of my old jumpers and that and sum have got red moled on them there in my wordrobe and no damp what Cora it

On 2012-09-16 - by (mod) -

CClack

IF there is a fungus growing there is most likely a water source. You can clean off the fungus but if you can't dry out the area it is likely to return. "Killing" mold with bleach or a deck cleaner might slow its return but killing is not the best repair. Instead, see if you can find the water path and correct it.

On 2012-09-14 by CClack

I have a dark red/maroon fluffy mold growing on my back patio. It is coming from underneath the siding onto the concrete. Is this from water blowing underneath the siding. The mold is probably 3 inches long X 1/2 inch wide. This section of siding has no connection to the roof and we have checked for leaks in the attic. There is no other water source in this area. (only rain) Do you have any suggestions or comments?

On 2012-05-29 - by (mod) -

Steve, if it's mold, there has to be a water or moisture source. Water is a gating factor in building mold growth. Water inherent in the original paint or cabinets would not be sufficient.

Email me some sharp photos and we'll comment further and add them here - use the CONTACT US link found at the top or bottom of any InspectApedia page.

On 2012-05-29 by Steve

Its definitely not rust or anything like that. It looks like mold you would see on bread, but only red. And it is only coming out from under the under cabinet lights. There is no water source and humidity should be relatively low. It almost seems like the lights are drawing out moisture or pigment from the wood cabinets, and it is spreading out like a mold. Not sure what other info I can give you? Can I post a picture?

On 2012-05-28 - by (mod) -

Steve, sorry, no. From just your description, no idea whether we're talking about rust, efflorescence from a pipe leak, soap, insect damage, or what. No honest reliable diagnosis, nor even a reasonable guess can be made from a general question. It's like if you said you saw a blue colored moving vehicle and wanted to know if it was a Saab. We don't even know if you saw a car.

On 2012-05-27 by steve

I have some red furry like mold or fungus growing out from my under cabinet lighting? Any thoughts?

On 2012-04-24 - by (mod) -

Kally, some mold and fungal growths are indeed wierd; it's a remarkable life form,combining properties of both animals and plants, and growing in every color and a stunning range of shapes and sizes. There is even a soil fungus that grows in a circle, trapping earthworms for food.

On 2011-07-10 by Anonymous

good

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Continue reading at YELLOW MOLD PHOTOS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see

• EFFLORESCENCE & BROWN DEPOSITS
• HIDDEN MOLD in CEILING / WALL CAVITY
• HIDDEN MOLD in FLOOR / SUB-FLOORING
• MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE
• MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD
• MOLD GROWTH on SURFACES, PHOTOS
• STAINS on INDOOR SURFACES, PHOTO GUIDE

Suggested citation for this web page

RED MOLD PHOTOS 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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