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Sure, we love the rain and the cooler temps that come with the summer storms. The downside: Monsoon time is also prime time for mold.

Even if you don't have black gunk creeping up the shower, your house still has mold. It's everywhere.

"If you run your finger across a table that was cleaned three days ago with a dust rag and you look at it under a microscope, you would have mold spores in that dust," says Breck Grumbles, owner of Abracadabra Restoration and a certified mold remediation supervisor.

There are many species of mold in the environment, says Mark Sneller, owner of Aero-Allergen Research. Most of the ones in Tucson are common around the world.

Trying to create a mold-free home is futile.

"The goal is to have the same species of mold inside the home as you have outside and the same approximate spore count," says Grumbles, whose company handles structural damage caused by water and mold.

How mold grows

A highly humid monsoon doesn't directly make mold grow. Instead, it provides more potential for condensation to collect. The fungi like dark, damp places, both experts say, making bathrooms, laundry rooms and kitchens prime spots for mold problems.

However, both say they see major mold growth mostly from water damage — from a minor leaky pipe to catastrophic flooding.

"A properly designed building that breathes and has proper (heating, ventilation, air-conditioning systems), with the rise in humidity, you should not get mold growth," Grumbles says.

The problem with mold

People sensitive to mold can have allergy symptoms, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Asthmatics could suffer respiratory problems.  

Allergy sufferers may blame mold, Sneller says, but bacteria, whose count goes up dramatically in high humidity, may be the culprits.

Mold will damage items such as drywall, grout, pipes and carpet. It also can affect housing prices, since sellers must disclose any mold issues to potential buyers.

When to be concerned

A little mold in tile grout is common and is not a concern as long as it doesn't spread. Tackle minor problems with basic cleaning products.

Get concerned when you constantly smell a musty odor or if you see mold growth that covers an area of more than 1 square foot, Grumbles says. These are signs that mold may be growing in hidden places.

Sneller says he's found mold in such unusual places as behind wallpaper and within picture frames.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests calling a mold remediation service if mold growth covers more than 10 square feet.