Thursday, March 21, 2024

How To Control Mold In Basement

How To Stop Mold Growth In Bathroom

Basement Dehumidifiers and Mold Control – Omni Basement Systems
  • Remove and replace sealant or caulking affected by mold.
  • Use effective mold-killing chemicals to clean your bathroom, such as vinegar, bleach or hydrogen peroxide to you, but make sure not to mix any of these products to avoid a toxic outcome.
  • Keep your bathroom doors and windows open while cleaning. This should dry up the bathroom and take away the molds favorite environment.
  • How to Prevent Mold Growth in Bathroom

  • Invest in an effective fan for every bathroom at home. Vents can suck out the moisture in your bathroom and send it outside. Depending on the size of your bathroom, find a fan with the right cubic feet per minute .
  • Use the fan properly. Turn the vent on during a bath or shower and leave it on for 30 minutes more after leaving the bathroom. Find a fan with a timer for your convenience.
  • Use your squeegee. Make it a habit to dry up the shower walls or tub with a squeegee.
  • Repair leaks. Once you notice leaks, fix them right away. Delaying repairs will only encourage mold to grow and take hold.
  • Dry out everything in the bathroom. After using your sponges, loofahs, and product bottles, remove them from the shower and let them dry.
  • Wash towels, rugs, and mat regularly.
  • S To Clean Mold On Basement Walls

    When it comes to cleaning mold on basement walls, scrubbing with detergent and water is the first step. Vacuum or sweep down the walls to remove as much dry material as possible. After that, washing down the walls with soap and water will help remove most of the remaining dust and dirt that has accumulated. Many so-called experts will tell you that a bleach and water solution will work. The thing is, we want to remove the mold, not just kill it. Remember, extreme caution must be taken when using chlorine bleach in an enclosed, poorly ventilated area. The fumes from bleach can easily overwhelm if you dont take the proper measures to protect yourself. Opening windows and wearing a respirator is highly recommended.

    Because of the chemical nature of bleach, it is hard to work it into the concretes pores. In addition, bleach manufacturers only recommend using bleach on non-porous surfaces. Rub your hand over a concrete wall. It is definitely porous. Also bleach can be corrosive and can cause further damage. Yet another reason to avoid using chlorine bleach is that when bleach comes into contact with organic materials, the organics tend to render the disinfectant qualities of the bleach ineffective. Bleach always works best on clean, non-porous surfaces.

    Tips To Get Rid Of Basement Mold

    Reducing mold in basement spaces is particularly tough for any of us with poor ventilation and high moisture content.

    Generally speaking, basements are dark and temperate areas, have little air-flow and are subject to rapid mold occurence even when kept clean. People with mold allergy should avoid basements with excess moisture.

    Many of todays homes provide plenty of organic material for mold to feed on. And, any mold growth seen on concrete walls may be the result of a colony of mold growing behind the walls. Ceiling tiles are another problematic spot. Mold damage is mostly visible on both concrete and drywall.

    If youve ever walked into your basement to find unsightly, black spots growing on your walls, floor, or ceiling, youve most likely had a run in with mold spore.

    Mold and mildew can show up in any area of the house. And, basement spaces often provide the most favorable living conditions for this fungus to thrive.

    As a result, mold in basements can sometimes be difficult to get rid of it without first addressing and correcting the underlying issues allowing the mold to flourish.

  • 8 Getting Rid Of Mold Smell In Basement
  • Don’t Miss: How To Kill Mold In My Basement

    White Fuzzy Mold On Plants

    In the outdoor, white mold is a common name of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a type of parasitic fungi that attack plants. This mold has been known to attack more than 360 species of plants, including vegetables and garden flowers.

    White mold can appear on various parts of the plants, such as leaves, stalks, pods, or blossoms.

    The first sign of white mold infection is often hard to see with naked eyes. The plants may look alright, but the stalks may look a little like soaked .

    There are also wilted parts on stems, and you may also see a little discoloration or tan lesions on them. Finally, fiber-like mold will grow from these dark discolorations.

    White mold on plants requires hard work to remove. Farmers or garden owners must remove the infected plants and replace the soil.

    Sometimes, the infected soil may have to be covered or separated to prevent further infestation, such as with mulch or plastic.

    When Is The Time To Call For Help

    Our Mold Removal Services

    While removing mold at home is possible, I strongly advise you to call professionals for help if you have asthma or any respiratory issues. Additionally, if the mold covers huge areas in your basement and you have children or people with weak immune systems in your home, professional help might be more effective and less risky.

    However, if you promptly react to mold development in your basement, you can remove it completely from the walls by yourself, using one of the recipes described above.

    Recommended Reading: How To Clean Mold Off Wood Cabinets

    Dehumidification Is Not A Permanent Solution

    Dehumidification can be used as a means of reducing the symptoms of humidity and odor in a basement, but it is not a permanent or complete solution. In fact, if a dehumidifier is used in a basement with moisture problems, it may cause greater damage. By drying out the basement air, moisture is drawn into the basement more rapidly causing efflorescence and spalling of concrete and further damage to interior finishes.

    Healthy Home Myths Debunked

    Basement mold is often the result of a source of moisture leaky foundations or condensation from appliances are typical culprits. One of the first steps in the prevention of basement mold is to ensure that your basement is free of any moisture and doesn’t support a damp, humid environment where mold can thrive.

    If mold in the basement is already a problem in your home, there are many options for the control and removal basement mold. Depending on the extent and severity of the problem, and the type of mold, you may need to explore options for professional mold removal. In particular, cases of severe toxic black mold growth may require professional care.

    For nontoxic species of mold and less severe mold growth, there are many DIY solutions for the prevention and control of mold in the basement. After removing any mold-covered debris, such as dry wall, insulation, carpet or sub-flooring, hard surfaces can be treated with commercial products containing ammonia and bleach. Basement mold removal on tile or linoleum can also be performed with vinegar or a borax and water solution.

    Mold in the basement is a common problem, but by understanding how to identify problem areas and prevent and control mold growth, you can avoid the potentially costly and unhealthy spread of basement mold.

    Recommended Reading: How To Clean Mold Off Canvas

    Prevent Future Mold Growth

    Keep your basement mold-free by installing dehumidifiers and keeping the humidity in your home low.

    If your home is prone to basement flooding then you also need to invest in basement waterproofing services to keep the area dry.

    If you have any questions about mold and mildew, how to find it, evict it and prevent it dont hesitate to contact the experts at Triad Basement Waterproofing. We have been dealing with basement issues and mold for more than 27 years and we guarantee that we can help you keep your home and basement in tip-top shape year round.

    What Is Mold And Why Do You Have It In Your Basement

    How to Prevent Mold In Basements | Basement Finishing Tip

    Mold is everywhere around you, both indoors and outdoors. It is basically a fungus and can be white, green, orange, purple, and black. The fungus needs moisture to grow and a surface to spread on. Mold forms lightweight spores for reproduction that are continuously present in the air and arent harmful in small amounts.

    When it has ideal growing conditions, mold reproduces extremely fast.

    Drying a poor-ventilated basement is difficult, and mold can appear. In simple words, mold spores float in the air and need moisture to reproduce.

    There are numerous reasons why your basement is wet, even if you dont have water damage or a leaking problem. The foundation walls might be wet because the water might penetrate the porous concrete walls.

    Some people keep the dryer in the basement, which releases the humidity, or the air around the basement is humid, and it has access to the basement.

    Whatever the reasons for mold are, you can control it and remove it, but it can be a daunting task. Making mold cleaning part of your regular household cleaning routine can help you sustain it.

    Also Check: Is Mold Harmful To Your Health

    Where Do I Start

    The first and most important thing to know is that mold most commonly affects peoples health through the inhalation of the spores. Even if the mold you see is limited to your basement, the spores from that colony can move throughout your entire house and stay airborne for a very long time. Even if you dont smell a moldy odor upstairs, heavy concentrations of mold spores can be floating in the air your breathing right now.

    Mold is everywhere in nature, it is vital to the ecosystem and plays an important role in the breaking down plants into soil. The outdoors is a big place, and mold has plenty of room to blow around, disperse, and dilute in all that space. The problem starts when it becomes concentrated in an enclosed space, like your basement. Many mold spores contain mycotoxins, small amounts of toxic compounds that help them survive in nature. Its these mycotoxins that create the health effects people suffer when exposed to elevated levels of mold spores in the air.

    Its important to understand that finding mold in your basement is a consequence of some type of water damage to that area. The water damage may be from liquid water, or from extended periods of high humidity . The water caused conditions in your basement to be favorable to mold growth. Mold needs four things to survive and grow:

  • A surface to grow on
  • Temperature between 60-90 degrees Fahrenheit
  • A food source like wood, drywall, cardboard, or even bacteria on concrete walls
  • How To Detect & Test Basement Mold

    If youve ever had a leak in your basement, or your basement contains humid air and condensation, checking for mold may be a good idea.

    Even if you cant immediately see evidence of mold, it could still be growing in places not easily visible to the naked eye.

    There are a variety of ways to test for mold ranging from professional to do-it-yourself testing.

    When it comes to deciding whether you want to use a do-it-yourself kit or a better off with getting a professional to test your basement, there are several important factors to take into consideration.

    While very affordable, do-it-yourself tests are often considered less reliable. Most do-it-yourself tests require you to set a plate out from one to four days.

    The idea is that the plate will collect mold spores and yield positive or negative tests results.

    The downside to this method is that its not nearly as accurate as professional testing. In contrast, professional testing is more expensive, but is often more accurate and may do a better job of knowing how to get rid of the mold in your basement.

    A good do-it-yourself home test kit for mold will range from $10 to $100 while the cost of a professional testing for mold can be anywhere from $200 to $1000 depending on the size of the space you want to test.

    Recommended Reading: What To Spray On Mold In Crawl Space

    Basement Mold Growth Inhibitors

    Mold Fogging Products: There are numerous mold removing foggers on the market. Foggers are designed to remove mold, reduce mold odors, and prevent mold from growing in the future.

    Foggers kill most types of mold including aspergillus, Cladosporium, and fusarium. Foggers can also be used in a variety of different locations, and are especially useful in hard to get to areas such as crawl spaces, basements, and attics.

    Here is a short video using Conrobium and Fogging Techniques to Remove Basement Mold

    When compared to other commercial mold removing products, mold foggers can be an excellent choice for mold treatment of a large area at one time.

    They can also be more cost-efficient and labor proficient in terms of dollars and time saved in handling large mold infested areas.

    Cleaning Mold On Basement Walls

    Basement Mold From A Flood or Leak

    Basements are usually dark areas, with poor ventilation, and tend to have higher than normal humidity. Under these favorable living conditions, mold will grow rapidly and thrive. Mold can come in a variety of colors, from black to white, and from blue to green. Molds color and type are not too important. What is important is getting rid of it. Successful cleaning of mold on basement walls can be difficult unless the causes allowing for mold growth are first addressed. Foundation leaks, caused by years of wear and cracks in walls and floors, along with condensation on plumbing and HVAC pipes and vents, tend to help maintain humidity levels that are higher than those normally found in above ground areas of the home. Another reason that cleaning mold on basement walls is difficult is due to the porous, rough surface of concrete. Its hard to reach deep into all the tiny crevices and pores.

    When you see mold on basement walls, the mold is not growing on the concrete or the concrete blocks. Mold cannot eat concrete because concrete is not an organic substance. Organics, along with moisture, are some of molds requirements to grow to survive. Usually the mold is growing on dirt and dust or paint and wall coverings that contain organic components. Many paints are latex-based and latex is an organic compound.

    Note: This article discusses how to remove mold on concrete walls. If you have mold on other surfaces like sheetrock or wood, read our mold removal guide.

    Don’t Miss: How To Eliminate Mold In Crawl Space

    What Causes The Growth Of Mold In Your Basement

    It is important to know the possible causes of mold growth in your basement in order to prevent them in the future.

    So how do they appear?

    Certain fungi species generate tiny spores to reproduce. These spores start to grow into what we know as mold.

    Actually, these spores, just like their fungi sources, are present everywhere. They only become an issue when in contact with damp surfaces.

    As such, the direct causes of mold growth are sources of moisture such as:

    Cat Litter To Clean The Air

    The producers of cat litter make it especially to eliminate odors from strong-smelling sources. It has a high capacity for absorbing scents and may be used like vinegar to clean the air.

    • Small bucket of cat litter
    • Several containers

    Place a cup of cat litter in multiple containers, spread throughout the basement. Change the litter out at least once a week, or a couple of times if the smell is potent, to successfully get rid of remaining odors.

    Also Check: How To Remove Mold From Garden Hose

    Diy Mold In Basement Removal

    If you want to do a DIY cleanup of the mold you see, follow some basic principles so you dont end up making things worse. Typically, the cleanup process increases the number of spores that are released into the air by disturbing the mold growth colony. Thats why professionals are trained in techniques to seal work areas and use high powered air filtration units when they do a cleanup job.

  • Try to remove the mold from the surface using a HEPA fitted vacuum first, then scrub the area clean with a disinfecting cleaning agent, then seal the surface with a sealer with an anti-microbial agent added to the product.
  • If the material is porous like carpeting, drywall, wood, etc., or of little to no value, then bag or wrap the material tightly and remove from the basement. Then clean as described above.
  • Use a respirator fitted to your face and rated as a N-100 or higher filtration unit. If you are determined to attempt a large project on your own, then goggles, gloves and a Tyvek type protective suit should be worn.
  • Ventilate the area to flush out the spore heavy air with fresh air .
  • Consider your health, physical condition, other occupants of the home, the neighbors, and the amount of mold you think you have before deciding to tackle it on your own.

    How To Kill Mold In Basements

    Using Concrobium Mold Control in My Enclosed Porch with Mold on Walls
    • Spray mold-killing chemicals on surfaces affected by mold. Wear gloves, mask, and proper clothing when handling chemical products.
    • Remove items that are heavily infested by mold. Discard them immediately. For objects that can still be recovered, make sure you clean them thoroughly.
    • Dry the surfaces. Ensure proper ventilation after cleaning the mold to ensure it doesnt grow back. Use air movers, fans, or simply open doors and windows to facilitate faster drying of your basement.

    Read Also: Does Black Mold Cause Seizures

    Step : Clean Out The Mold Site

    You have your cleaning solution and are ready to get started. Follow the steps below

    1- Apply the solution over the affected area either by pouring it over or spraying the area. For premade solutions such as phenolic detergents or mold cleaners, follow the manufacturers directions.

    2- Wipe off the mold pieces using paper towels. Then clean off excess moisture with paper towels.

    3- Repeat the two steps above: Do this several times.

    Popular Articles
    Related news