Every household or commercial space owner is dreading from a mold infestation. It can be a real nightmare which can cause all sorts of infections and can have a serious impact on your health. According to some data, there are over 4.6 million cases of asthma which are related to mold infestation and dampness in homes or offices. Today we will be discussing some basic and well-known facts about basement mold and how it can impact not just your health but also your home.
How common is basement mold?
Mold is quite common in dark, damp and humid environments. That’s why basement mold is really frequent. Aside from the basement, it can also manifest in your bathroom or even your attic. In the United States, there are about 45 million building that are affected by mold. If you notice a musty or pungent smell or you see green, grey or black patches on the floor, wall or ceiling, there is a high chance that you have a mold infestation.
What is the cause of mold infestation in the basement?
The main cause of mold infestation, regardless which room of your home it happens, is excessive moisture and humidity. When you have a spill or crack in your basement, that can be a good source of excessive moisture coming into your home and can speed up the spread basement mold.
The sources of the mold infestation are not always easy to detect. Many people don’t even know or notice if their foundation needs any repairs. In fact, most of them won’t even notice basement mold until the problem becomes so big that they cannot not notice it.
Discovering mold in your home is sometimes hard, but by doing so, we can also discover the cause of basement mold which can be really helpful for mold damage restoration services to fix the issue. Problems with your foundation might not be the only source of excess moisture and mold infestation. Basement mold can also manifest due to:
- Excessive condensation from the shower or kitchen appliances
- Flooding
- Wet clothing
- Poor ventilation
- Water vapor from gas heaters or
- Broken and improperly working HVAC system
Why is mold dangerous?
Mold in your basement can be dangerous for several reasons, because it affects both your belongings and your health. Aside from that, there’s also a big risk of cross-contamination, meaning that spores can spread to other rooms and spaces in your home or commercial building. Basement mold affects your property is several different ways:
Damage to your material – Since mold loves organic material, it can use digest the carbon from all the materials and rapidly start growing. The presence of mold usually becomes noticeable when it has “eaten” up most of the material which at that point can no longer be saved but replaced.
Damage to your surface – Once it starts growing, mold will quickly start spreading through the porous of surfaces such as drywall or ceiling. This will not only compromise the structural integrity of those material, but it will also affect the appeal of your property.
Health problems – Basement mold doesn’t only affect your property. It can also have serious impacts on your health, including causing fungi allergies, asthma and respiratory infection. Depending on the strength of your immune system, your reaction do mold infestation can be very different.
If you noticed black or gray stains on the walls/ceiling of your basement or you’ve noticed a pungent or musty smell, you could have a problem with basement mold. As soon as possible, contact us as soon as possible so we could conduct mold testing and perform mold damage restoration.
