University student issued serious warning after sharing photo of what is growing inside their walls
A college student encountered something potentially hazardous during their university experience. Among the typical busy student life of parties and study sessions, some things go unnoticed until symptoms become impossible to ignore. This student spotted what appeared to be something growing on their bathroom walls and decided to seek answers by posting a photo to Reddit.
"Found this growing in my university shared bathroom! The growth spans around 4-5 inches. Does anyone know what it is and if I will be dying ???" the student wrote. The image showed dark-colored mushrooms lining the wall.
Reddit users offered various theories about the mysterious growth. Some jokingly suggested it signaled the apocalypse, while others made darker suggestions.
Another speculated: "The missing student on campus who was never found 5 years ago."
Someone else suggested a productive approach: "Call the biology department and let them have a first go at it?"
Eventually, an expert provided the concerning truth. "Mycology nerd here. The mushrooms (ink caps) themselves aren't going to hurt you by being around them, but what this means is that you have severe and extensive water damage in your walls," one user explained.
They further clarified that "the mycelium of the fungus is having a field day eating away at your walls as they rot from the inside," potentially causing structural breakdown. Their advice was direct: "You need to immediately contact whoever is in charge of this building and let them know that you have extensive water damage. Unfortunately, by the time mushrooms fruit, it often means tearing out large sections of wall."
This assessment is accurate. According to Advanced Damp, a waterproofing company, mushrooms typically indicate excessive moisture issues. This moisture can damage building materials like wood and drywall, causing rot, mold, and mildew that compromises structural integrity.
While the cause of the water damage remains unknown, some Reddit users offered possible explanations.
Someone suggested: "I think either massive flooding, a pipe burst and his wall is shot, or theres no waterproofing in the shower stall closest to this. The wall will have to be ripped out."
They continued with additional possibilities: "Or something insane I'm not thinking of involving construction by contractors who should be in prison or a fraternity doing something goofy, or some combination thereof. I don't really get how this could happen."
