4 Ways To Reclaim Your Basement From The Mold

Are you a woman who wants to pursue a career as a contractor? Learn how you can be a successful woman in construction.

About Me
Women in Construction

My name is Lydia, and I grew up in a household of construction workers. While I don't work as a contractor now, I know that sometimes clients are surprised to hear that a woman will be the contractor on their projects because they are not used to seeing a woman doing the job. However, those people soon learn that a woman can obviously do an amazing job as a contractor. If you are a woman who enjoys carpentry or remodeling projects, you can make money pursuing this passion. Let me show you how to be a professional woman in construction.

Archive

4 Ways To Reclaim Your Basement From The Mold

20 April 2020
 Categories: , Blog

If you have mold in your basement, you can't just ignore it because it is hiding under your house. Mold in your basement can impact the quality of air in your home and the structural integrity of your home as well as your health. Untreated basement mold can also easily spread to the rest of your home, causing even more damage.

1. Identify the Source of the Mold

First, you need to identify and figure out why mold is growing in your home. Mold is not just going to pop up randomly in your home. There are going to be conditions that are present that lead to the growth of mold in your home. Mold needs dark, moist environments to grow. Your basement is naturally dark, and if there is a source of water in your basement, then the conditions are perfect for mold to thrive.

You may have mold growing in your basement because you have a water supply or discharge pipe that is leaking water somewhere in your basement. Or perhaps your sump pump failed, and you have water damage in your basement. Or maybe a flash flood brought water to your basement. Or perhaps you have poor ventilation in your basement that has allowed moisture to thrive

2. Eliminate the Water Source

Second, you need to eliminate the source or sources of water. If you have a leaking pipe, that means patching up or replacing the damaged pipes. If you have a failing sump pump, that means installing a new one. If you have poor ventilation, you may need to install a dehumidifier and some ceiling fans to keep the air circulating downstairs. You need to eliminate the water so that way the mold will not return.

3. Kill the Mold

Once you get rid of the water source, you need to kill the mold that is present. If the mold is growing on porous materials, such as carpeting or drywall, you will need to remove those materials. If the mold is growing on non-porous materials, you can use cleaning products to kill the mold. You need to test and ensure the mold is eradicated from the space.

4. Prevent Future Mold Growth

You can then prevent future mold growth. Adding a dehumidifier to your basement can help keep your basement humidity low, making mold less likely. You can seal your basement walls with a sealer that is designed to inhibit the growth of mold.

When you find mold in your basement, you need to identify the reason why mold is growing in your basement, fix that reason, kill the mold, and work to prevent future mold growth.

For more information, contact a basement mold remediation contractor.