Mold In The Basement

Mold loves to grow in the basement! There are many sources of moisture found in the basement. Because basements get no sunlight and very little ventilation, any water problems usually take a long time to dry out. To make matters worse, once mold has begun to grow in the basement it’s likely to go unnoticed for a long time since people don’t spend much time in their basements. Some of mold’s favorite basement materials are drywall, wood and insulation. The dust and dirt often found in the basement of Sandusky homes helps mold to grow as well.

How to Know You Have a Mold Problem

You’ll know it when you smell it. That damp, musty smell that reminds you of a dungeon, and an earthy scent much like the dirt hidden underneath a layer of rotting leaves.

You’ll probably recognize it. Colonies of assaulting fungi, growing in ever-spreading clusters of white, black, brown, or even gray, yellow or green.

When mold rears its unpleasant head in your basement, it’s only a matter of time before it spreads and claims the rest of your Sandusky home for its own. DON’T ALLOW IT. Get rid of mold quickly and take the necessary steps to prevent it from coming back.

How Does Mold Get in my Basement?

A typical mold will be about 10 microns (0.0002 inches) in size, and can grow anywhere where there is sufficient heat, food, and humidity. Organic materials such as dust, fabric, wallpaper, wood, and paint all provide more than enough nourishment to keep mold healthy and growing. There are more than 1.5 million species in existence, although some molds only grow indoors. Mold grows year round in any home, no matter how clean.

As mold matures, it reproduces, sending seed-like spores out into the air. In temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, mold spores can land, grow, and spread. Time magazine reports that there can be hundreds of thousands of mold spores in a single cubic meter of air indoors, and a single person inhales 10 or 12 cubic meters each day.

To prevent basement mold you must minimize moisture.

• Inspect your basement regularly and quickly fix any water problems such as leaking pipes, condensation or a leaking ceiling.
• If there’s water seeping in through the walls, have your basement professionally waterproofed to fix it.
• Keeping the humidity in the basement below 55% will ensure that humidity isn’t a cause of new mold growth. Circulating the air in the basement also helps as will the use of a dehumidifier.
• Don’t forget to keep up on your basement cleaning. Vacuuming the basement with a HEPA vacuum and cleaning it once a week will help to prevent basement mold.

Basement Mold Removal

Depending on the size and the extent of your mold problem, you may be able to handle cleanup on your own or with the help of a professional Sandusky, OH, mold removal and restoration company. Small area of mold are much easier to cleanup and manage, where large areas of mold or mold growing in hard to reach areas should require the help of a professional.

After the mold is removed it is essential that the moisture levels be maintained at a safe level to prevent the mold from returning. As we’ve already said, there are thousands of mold spores already in the air, and it only takes the right conditions for those mold spores to take hold and grow and spread.

Restore Pro Disaster Clean-Up and Restoration provides mold removal service in Sandusky and surrounding areas of Ohio. We are available to handle any mold removal job, big or small, so contact us today.