Mold in your basement can thrive almost anywhere that conditions allow and removing mold from your basement can range anywhere from a quick fix to a nightmare mold removal job that costs many thousands in replacement and repair costs.
Do I have mold in my basement? Detecting mold in your basement is as simple as seeing mold or smelling mold.
A moist, mold ridden basement has a distinctive odour that will not smell like other rooms in your home.
These are your first clues that you have a mold or mildew problem that will need to be fixed for health reasons and to avoid huge costs associated with replacing everything in your basement that can range anywhere from carpet and drywall to all of your furniture and in some bad cases, even the framing will need work done to remove the mold.
Causes of mold in the basement: Common causes of mold in your basement almost always stem from excessive moisture finding entry to your basement.
This can come from a leaky foundation, improper landscaping around your home that traps water, poor ventilation that cannot circulate fresh air to help with controlling humidity, pipes that are left un insulated and form condensation, water seepage from other areas of your home that are letting in water from outside, and leaky plumbing.
Fixing the source of mold infestations: Detecting the source of your basement moisture problem can be a tricky one, but it is important that you find the root cause of the moisture that is letting mold take over your basement before you begin any repair work.
Simply covering up damaged areas with new carpet or wallpaper will only hide the problem for a short time and you will have wasted money on materials that will soon need replacing again.
Carefully inspecting the foundation of your home and tracing plumbing for leaks can lead you to the source.
If water is still finding its way into your basement, it is time to inspect other areas above your basement that could be leaking water.
Water does not always take a direct route, so when inspecting a leak that you suspect is coming from above, you will need to have a thorough look at the entire home to determine the cause.
Sometimes it is as easy as not letting your clothes line dry in the basement.
For a large family, air drying everything that is washed in a week's time can add up to an incredible amount of moisture in your basement.
When you have detected the moisture problem and have applied the proper fix, you can now begin the process of removing mold from your basement.
Removing basement mold: Most surfaces that are porous, such as wallpaper, carpet, or furniture are very difficult to remove mold from and you will simply have to replace these things if you want to rid yourself of mold spores and a higher likelihood of mold returning to your basement after a cleanup job.
Surfaces like wood should be sanded to remove the mold and smooth surfaces like glass or finished concrete will be even easier to remove mold from with a good cleaning solution and scrubbing.
You will have to thoroughly wash the area where the mold has established and then treat the area to help prevent future outbreaks of mold by using a borate based cleaning solution.
Any water left from the cleaning process should be quickly taken care of with fans and lots of ventilation to remove excessive humidity.
If you are experiencing an overwhelming mold problem in your basement, hiring a mold removal contractor is always a wise choice to ensure that the mold is safely removed and any underlying problems are fixed so that it does not come back.
Getting rid of mold in your basement will not only save you money in the future with the associated costs of replacing materials more often than you should need to, it will also reduce the health risks associated with mold and keep your family safe.