Fungus in the house?

Question

while cleaning today i discovered a gross fungus thing growing along my floor board. all nastiness aside i'd like to know what it might be. it was a light brown color, smelled slightly like amonia, was waxy to the touch and although appeared to be soft and wet like, crumbled pretty easisly. it looked almost flowery...or kinda like slices of roast beef from arbys decoratvely placed. the carpet near where it was growing was wet. we have also noticed fruit flies (?) around the house for about 2 weeks now. any ideas? searches for pictures under 'fungus' on google have gotten us nowhere!

Answer 1

Protecting a home from mold is a concern both structurally and health-wise. Those who have allergies can become very ill if mold is growing in the home. Structurally, mold can cause damage, and stain wood and drywall. Take a few steps and you will protect your home and your health.

Step1

Understand that mold is everywhere, and mold spores are always in the air. Mold spores are essentially the seeds of mold and require moisture to germinate and start growing the visible fuzzy colonies we associate with mold in our homes and on our old bread.

Step2

Keep your home dry. Be aware that some mold spores will germinate within one day, so it is essential to act fast to dry any moisture.

Step3

Use fans in the bathroom and kitchen to blow moist air out of the house. If you have a leaky pipe under the sink, fix it as soon as you can and dry the area promptly. If you are unable to fix the leak, catch water in a bucket rather than letting it seep into floors and walls.

Step4

Ventilate the laundry area and always exhaust the dryer outside.

Step5

If you have a front load washing machine, use the recommended, low sudsing detergent and run bleach through it once a month.

Step6

Use a desiccator in closets or drawers and when you store clothing. Silica gel, activated alum and anhydrous calcium sulfate are all moisture absorbing products. Use silica beads to sprinkle between layers of clothing. Hang a cotton bag of desiccator in a closet.

Step7

Circulate the air in the house by keeping windows open and using fans. Outside air is usually dryer than the enclosed air in a house. The smaller the house the quicker moisture can settle on walls and windows because the air gets saturated faster. Let the fresh outdoor air blow through and take the dampness away.

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Answer 2

dampness causes mold to grow.  Fruit flys usually swarm when you have a sewer leak under the house.  Clean everything up with water and bleach (careful not to get it on the carpet) and check for water leaks.

Answer 3

get a professional to check it out