Mold simply needs oxygen, organic material, and water—even just a small amount—to grow, and it really likes to sprout up in the humid, moisture-rich areas of your home. Naturally, this means that basement mold is going to be an issue that many homeowners will find themselves dealing with at some point in time.
Preventing Basement Mold
Moisture from a leak in your home’s foundation or condensation from appliances like your washing machine is typically the cause of mold in the basement. The first thing that you should do to prevent basement mold is to make sure that your basement is moisture-free and doesn’t provide the kind of wet, humid climate mold enjoys.
What to Do If Basement Mold is a Problem in Your Home
If you’ve got basement mold already, there are a number of things you can do to control and remove it. If the problem is severe, covers a large area, or if the mold is of a particular type, you will likely need to call a local professional mold removal service. If you’ve got a great deal of toxic black mold growing in your basement, then professional care is extremely important because it can seriously affect your family’s health.
DIY Solutions for Minor Cases
If the mold is nontoxic and the growth less severe, you may opt for one of the numerous DIY solutions to help you to prevent and curb mold growth in your basement. First, you’ll need to get rid of anything that’s covered in mold, including insulation, carpeting, drywall, and sub-flooring. Be sure that you take the requisite safety precautions and wear the appropriate safety gear while you’re taking care of removing the moldy debris. Also, be careful not to track the mold into other areas of your house.
Next, treat any hard surfaces with a commercial mold-removal product that has ammonia or bleach as an ingredient. To eliminate nontoxic mold in your basement that’s growing on linoleum or tile, you can use vinegar or a solution composed of water and borax.
AWP Home Inspections Can Help!
It’s common for homeowners to find mold in the basement, and a professional inspector can pinpoint the extent and causes of the issue so that it can be properly addressed. If you fully understand how to prevent mold from growing in your basement and take the proper precautionary measures, you should be able to keep your basement mold-free. By learning about where mold is commonly found and how to identify areas susceptible to mold through a Mold Inspection, you can control basement mold from spreading and becoming a more costly problem. Contact AWP Home Inspections today to schedule your mold inspection and testing.