5 Places Mold Hides in Tampa Homes During Rainy Season

Tampa gets a lot of rain from mid-May to early October. You often see short, heavy windstorms during this time. The dew point is high too, mostly above 70°F. People like to keep air conditioning on in their homes almost all the time.

This sticky air, with the use of air conditioning and the way houses in Tampa are built, can keep taking the moisture out of the air inside your home. This may help mold to start growing in secret spots. You might not see it for weeks.

In this article, we will talk about five spots where you may not see mold right away. We will also talk about signs to look for so you can suspect mold before it turns into a big issue. At the end, we will go over what to do if mold is already there.

Key Highlights

• In Tampa, lots of rain soaks the walls, roofs, and floors. The AC keeps the inside of the house cool. This can trap moisture inside the house.

• In Tampa homes, hidden mold keeps coming back in the same places. Look low on outside walls, under floors, around AC closets, under sinks, and above where roofs leak.

• A musty smell, puffy baseboards, floors that feel uneven, or new stains on the ceiling after rain are early clues.

• If you see mold or keep smelling it, that's enough to start fixing the water problem and clean up the mold. You do not need a lab test first.

• If the mold or wet spots are big, spreading, or come back again, call a licensed mold expert.

Why Rainy Season Mold Is A Tampa Problem

During the rainy season in Tampa, you see strong storms and heavy rain. This makes water hit windows and attics hard. Inside, you use the air conditioner. The air conditioner helps move out the moisture. So, it is warmer and more humid outside. All this causes the wet air to move from outside into the house.

Most houses in Tampa are set up with a concrete base. The walls are block or wood with stucco on them. There is a vented attic above. This setup is good for hurricanes and helps keep termites out. But the way these homes are built also makes a spot where water can get trapped.

Stucco soaks up rain water. It can't dry fast, because the air outside is already wet. Concrete pulls up water from the earth too. This water also can't dry, since the air around is full of steam. All this water goes inside your house now. It will head for the coolest spot there and make drops.

Mold needs three things to grow. It needs moisture. It needs something to eat, like wood, paper, or dust. It also needs time. Tampa's rainy season gives mold to all of these. The problem is that mold does not start to grow on the open part of a clean wall most times. It grows in places you do not often see. Let’s find out what those places are.

Place 1: Low On Exterior Walls And Baseboards On The Rain-Hit Sides

Low outside walls and baseboards are a risky spot because water can build up there. Field studies in Florida show that small cracks in stucco, bad window flashing, and lawn sprinklers can let water get inside the stucco. And because the slab on grade way of building does not have a space for water to move out, the water just stays there.

The sun heats up the water that has soaked in, which is called solar vapor drive. This water turns into vapor and gets pushed even more inside the wall. If the lower part of the wall has something over it, like vinyl paper, a big mirror, or kitchen cabinets, the vapor meets these surfaces. Then it turns back into water drops. This makes the kind of wet spot where mold can grow.

How Mold Hides Behind “Normal-Looking” Walls

When you look at the wall from inside the room, the baseboard and trim might seem fine. But the mold is often there, growing.

• Behind the paper cover on drywall

• Behind the bottom trim

• Behind the vinyl cover or row of cabinets inside the room

Inside the wall, it stays dry because of the air conditioner. Outside the wall, it is wet because of the environment. Between these parts, there is a still pocket of moisture. This is where mold can grow.

Warning Signs to Look Out For

You might not see the mold, but you should think about it if you notice these things:

• A tide line or shadow one or two inches above the floor on an outside wall

• Swollen and wavy baseboards. You put caulk on the joints again and again, but they keep cracking

• Rust marks or mold itself if you pull a baseboard off

• On walls with vinyl paper, pink or yellow spots that spread, especially on the sunny side of the house, show mold is growing. These spots come up because mold mixes with the glues in the vinyl paper.

Place 2: Under Floors And Along The Slab In Living Areas

Most homes in Tampa sit right on concrete slabs. Groundwater can move up through this concrete and reach the surface. A plastic sheet gets put under the slab during building. But if the sheet is damaged or edges are missing, moisture from the ground can come through.

Modern waterproof flooring, like luxury vinyl planks (LVPs) and some other laminates, helps to keep water from coming up from below. This may sound good. But, if a lot of water gets trapped under the floor because of things like rain or leaks, there is no way for the water to get out. The floor will look fine, but mold can start to grow under it and you may not notice.

Signs to Look Out for:

You might see some early signs of mold under the floor. You may think it is just because of old or low-quality flooring. But, it is important to notice these signs. If you see two or more signs together, you should pay attention to them.

• Boards that bend or curve at the edge, most often close to outside walls or sliding doors

• A soft, mushy, or crunchy feel under your feet as you walk

• Dark marks or spots where the floor changes, or beside baseboards

• A strong, old "dirty sock" smell

You may notice mold if you take out part of the floor while fixing it or working on it. The slab under the floor may look blotchy or have mold on it.

Place 3: AC Closets, Air Handlers, And HVAC Plenums

The HVAC plenums and systems are often found in closets like attics and garages. The parts that give out cold air are the coldest parts in the systems. But the air in attics or garages is hot and has a lot of moisture. If there is not any insulation between the AC plenums, ducts, and their environment, the air around can turn to water on the cold AC parts. Then, water may start to drip.

A return leak in the system can make things worse. It pulls in moisture and dust. When moisture drips in and mixes with dust and debris in the closets, it makes a place where mold can grow easily.

How Mold Grows Around the AC Without Being Noticed

The AC closet does not have much space. So, it can be hard for you to see mold growing inside. Many people can see the louvered doors and the places where the filters go in. But spots like the back of the plenum box or on the duct insulation can be easy to miss. Mold can be in these spots. You may notice grey, dark, and thick marks that look like “dirty equipment” from outside.

Signs to Look Out For:

Beware of the signs like:

• A musty or “dirty sock” smell is there, especially when you turn on the AC after it has not been used.

• Dark streak on supply vents in several rooms. You see dust that sticks to places where there is sticky mold.

• Rusted or stained condensate pans. Wood under the HVAC system looks dark and soft near the edges.

• Soft or stained drywall is at the base or back of AC.

All of this can happen, and the numbers on the thermostat may still look normal. The AC may also be cooling well.

Place 4: Under Sinks And Behind Kitchen, Bath, And Laundry Appliances

Moisture in the house does not always come from outside. The inside of your home can get wet, too. Leaks can happen under the sink or in supply lines. A drain trap or a hose for the dishwasher can drip water as well. A washing machine may leak, too. If water drips for weeks, the walls nearby get wet and mold can grow.

These water handling machines stay in rooms that do not get much air flow. So, they take a long time to dry out.

Warning Signs to Look Out For:

Early signs that show mold is starting to grow near these machines are:

• Swollen or sagging bottoms of cabinets, especially at the back corners

• Soft and crumbling toe-kick boards below cabinets

• Discoloration or bubbling around pipes under sinks

• Sour or musty smell near a particular appliance

These places stay shut most of the time. By the time you see damage, it is often pretty bad already.

Place 5: Attics, Roof Leaks, And The Space Above Your Ceiling

Roof systems and attics get a lot of water during Tampa’s rainy season. Storms can push water under tiles and shingles. Water also goes around window flashing and through nail holes or small gaps. A lot of wet air can also gather in these spots. If water hits one area again and again, it stays wet long after the storm is gone.

How Roof Leaks Stay Hidden

Most people do not go up into the attic often. If there is a leak in the attic, you might see a light brown spot on the ceiling, or see some paint that is bubbling. Right above the thin drywall, there can be mold growing in the wet insulation and you may not even know it.

If you use spray foam to close up the attic, it can hold moisture behind the foam or in the corners.

Common Patterns of Mold Growth in Attic/Roof:

Look for signs like:

• New brown spots, rings, or lines on the ceiling, or old ones getting bigger slowly

• A spot where paint is bubbling or peeling, and there is no water pipe above it

• A smell like mold or an “old attic” in one room, while other rooms smell normal

Ceiling finishes are thin. It does not take a lot of dampness to show clear damage on them. The important thing to know is how much of the area above the drywall is wet.

Rainy Season Mold Check Routine For Tampa Homes

You do not have to go up into your attic every weekend just to check for mold. A small and easy task each month during the rainy season can help you see mold early and deal with it before it gets worse.

Once a month, when it is rainy outside, walk through your house and:

• Take a close look at the bottom of outside walls. These walls get hit most by the rain. Keep your eyes on baseboards and the first few inches of the wall. Look for new lines, marks, or spots that were not there before.

• Open every under-sink area and check around the dishwasher, fridge, washing machine, and other machines. Use a flashlight. See if there are places with swelling, stains, or wet spots.

• Open the AC closet and check under and around it. Make sure the space is dry. The part that catches drips should not be too full.

• Look at all the ceilings. Watch for new spots or changes after heavy rain.

• Write down all changes you see in your house during wet weather. If you see the same wet spot or problem more than one time, it could be a sign there is moisture in that spot.

• If you use a simple tool to measure air moisture, keep levels inside the house between 40 and 50%. The Florida Department of Health says you should keep indoor moisture below 60% so mold does not grow.

When To Call A Licensed Mold Inspector In Tampa

There is a big gap between wiping a small spot of mold on the top and trying to find out what is going on under the floors or behind the walls. In Florida, mold inspectors and remediators have a license to take care of big mold issues inside the house.

Mold is not just something that affects how the place looks. It can make you sick, too. You should think about calling a licensed expert if you see:

• You see mold growing that’s bigger than a small spot. It may be larger than the size of a piece of paper.

• You notice stains, a musty smell, or mold in more than one room. It could also be on the walls and ceiling of the same room.

• The same spot keeps getting stained, puffed up, or smelling musty. This happens even after you clean and repaint many times.

• Someone in your house has asthma, allergies, or trouble breathing. They feel worse when at home than when they are not at home.

A good person will look at your house closely. They use moisture meters and special cameras to find mold and things that can cause mold. If they need to, they take samples from the air and from surfaces in your home. These samples go to the lab where they check if there is mold. They do this often when the mold is hard to see. After that, you get a report with the moisture levels, mold results, and other details. You can use this report to get the mold removed.

Fast Mold Testingis a licensed mold inspection company in Florida. We only do inspections. We do not take care of mold removal. This means our reports are always clear and honest because there is no reason for us to make problems look worse than they are. Some companies that remove mold may do both jobs, but we do not. If you want an inspection with no mixed interests, you can book a call at fastmoldtesting.com/tampa.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Does mold grow faster in Tampa’s rainy season than in winter?

Yes. Mold needs moisture to grow and Tampa’s rainy season stacks deck in its favor. Mold can begin to grow on wet materials within 24-48 hours if they don’t dry out.

What if I only smell a musty odor after storms but do not see anything?

A musty earthy smell after heavy rain or whenever the house has been closed up is one of the most common early signs of mold growth. Florida Department of Health says that smell alone is enough reason to investigate and fix moisture, even if you don’t see the mold.

Do I always need mold testing, or is seeing or smelling it enough?

Testing is needed only if hidden mold is suspected or in the case of post-remediation clearance. Visible mold or strong smell is enough reason to remove the mold and fix moisture issues.

How often should I do a rainy-season mold check in Tampa?

A simple check once a month during the rainy season plus an extra pass after heavy storms is usually enough. You should be consistent and pay attention to patterns.