What Does Crawl Space Mold Removal Look Like
If the inspection of your home indicates that you have mold, your inspector will let you know the extent of the damage, and what repairs need to be made, such as fixing leaking pipes. The inspector will define the extent of the necessary work, and what may or may not need to be done. Your inspector should talk through all your options and tailor a plan that fits your needs and your budget.
To learn about the mold removal or remediation process from start to finish check out our post Home Mold Remediation for all the details.
Especially if you dont live in our service area, you need to check out our post: How to Choose a Mold Removal Company. We tell you every question you should ask a mold removal company, and give you the details you need to know.
Mold In The Crawl Space Is My Health At Risk
Given that the crawl space is prone to moisture and elevated humidity, its one of the places thats likely to attract mold. And since its mostly left unchecked and dark, mold can grow for long periods, take over this space, and eventually enter your home. Youll only realize something is wrong once you start feeling the effects of mold.
Chronic coughs, musty smells, asthma attacks, stuffy nose, and breathing problems are all indications mold is very much alive in the crawl space of your Grand Junction, CO, home.
Crawl Space Foundation Walls Flood
Many contractors we come across tell homeowners that waterproofing the crawl space will control humidity and get rid of mold. Foundation flooding is certainly a cause of high humidity but not always the fix to high humidity. Also, removing humidity does not get rid of mold. If you suspect your crawl space is flooding then address it immediately. Just don’t forget the vapor barrier and dehumidifier in the process.
Do you need help fixing your crawl space or basement? If so, we can help. Please contact us to schedule your assessment. Also, let us know in the comments below if you’d like to suggest a future blog post.
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Humidity Causes Mold To Grow On Concrete
The most common cases of mold in a crawl space or basement is humidity or ground water intrusion. Ground water can be kept out by sealing the foundation properly, but that doesnt do anything for high humidity.
Controlling the relative humidity in a basement is very important. Especially if it does not have good ventilation. Mold can grow due to moisture in the air that lands on the surface. If youve ever gone into your basement or crawl space and seen water droplets collecting on the walls, thats a bad sign.
If relative humidity remains at 60% or below youll have a better chance at preventing mold growth. Keep the concrete dry with dehumidifiers and fans to create airflow.
What Is The Surest Way To Prevent Future Mold Growth In Your Crawl Space
Once the mold and mildew have been safely removed, the next step is to prevent mold from surfacing again in the future. The Alpha Foundations team can help you prevent mold as well. The process is as easy as 1-2-3:
- Step One: REPAIR. Mold can damage your crawl space and foundation. Alpha Foundations offers a comprehensive package of crawl space repair services that includes structural repair, treatment of cracks, and efficient drainage solutions.
- Step Two: RESTORE. With your structural repairs completed, Alpha Foundations can install a crawl space dehumidifier to transform your crawl space from a muggy moisture trap to a cleaner, drier environment where mold is less likely to develop.
- Step Three: PROTECT. To safeguard against future mold growth, Alpha Foundations offers professional crawl space encapsulation services. Our CrawlSeal encapsulation solution effectively seals your crawl space. The benefits of encapsulation include improved air quality, lower energy bills, and increased comfort. Additionally, the CrawlSeal solution prevents pests from entering your home or destroying your foundation.
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Kill Mold In Your Crawl Space Or Basement Mold Removal
Q: Which mold remover product should I use?
A: MoldSTAT Plus and Peroxy Kling Thank You!
The combination of followed by is an effective one two approach to resolving a cellar, crawl space or basement mold infestation.
The process is straight forward:
First, remove all of the dense or thick layers of mold build up using Peroxy Kling . Repeat this clean up until the black mold is no thicker than a sheet of paper.
Second, soak the areas for 10 minutes using MoldSTAT Plus. This 10 minute soak on areas with mold no thicker than a sheet of paper will kill the mold . You can soak cinder block walls, poured concrete or even dirt floors .
Third, if you choose, once the area is dry you can safely brush or sponge the dead mold residue. .
Mold Removal Products mentioned:
Why Should You Be Concerned About Crawlspace Mold
Mold can result in a negative impact on your health
One of the easiest places for mold to grow is in your crawl space since it doesnt necessarily require sunlight to grow. In fact, the major factor that mold needs for growth is moisture.
Mold can result in a negative impact on your health and continued exposure to crawl space mold can lead to a range of health issues. These problems may include eye irritation, coughing, wheezing, nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, eye irritation or even skin irritation.
Furthermore, some more serious ailments like obstructive lung disease have been linked to prolonged exposure to mold and damp places in general. And what makes this type of mold a lot more dangerous is the fact that you dont have to go into your basement to be exposed.
Thanks to the Stack effect, the air from your crawl space finds its way into your house and circulates. Since heat rises, warmer air rises which then brings along with it various particles. Some of these particles are crawl space mold.
Institute of Medicine publications in 2007, 2010, and 2011 reiterated evidence that linked association with damp spaces and indoor mold to respiratory illnesses. Therefore, spending time in a place with mold present such as your crawl space is a potential cause of ill health.
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How To Prevent And Get Rid Of Mold In A Crawl Space
When it comes to addressing crawl space mold problems, simple mold removal or mold remediation does not provide a long-lasting solution. Because mold relies on moisture to grow, keeping your crawl space dry is the only way to keep your home safe from future mold growth.
At AquaGuard Foundation Solutions, we provide the following crawl space waterproofing solutions to keep your crawl space mold-free and clear of excess moisture for years to come.
Crawl Space Encapsulation
Crawl space encapsulation refers to the process of completely waterproofing, sealing, and conditioning the crawl space to prevent moisture and high humidity problems. It involves combining a number of crawl space waterproofing products, including a drainage system and vapor barrier. Not only does crawl space encapsulation help to stop the growth of mold, but it also increases the energy efficiency of your home and transforms your crawl space into usable storage space.
Crawl Space Dehumidifies
Our dehumidifiers are the best performing residential dehumidification systems on the market and they are designed to permanently regulate the relative humidity and, in turn, air quality, in your crawl space. Their self-draining capabilities further add to your peace of mind as a homeowner and ensure you never have to experience a highly humid climate again.
Crawl Space Vents
Our CrawlSeal Crawl Space Vent Covers install quickly and prevent humid outside airas well as pestsfrom entering your crawl space.
White Mold In A Refrigerator
White mold on a refrigerator is normally harmless and can be wiped off without causing any damage. However, the reason why white mold may have grown in your refrigerator is that there might be some source of moisture that needs to be fixed, such as a broken seal or a faulty gasket. Fix this problem to prevent white mold from persisting.
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How To Save Money On Crawl Space Mold Removal
The best way to save money on mold removal in your crawl space is to have it done professionally as soon as mold is discovered.
Mold is often pervasive and challenging to treat adequately. DIY solutions can help slow mold growth, but we recommend you have one of our professionals with commercial equipment and testing capability to do the work to ensure all of the mold is removed.
Additionally, you can save money on mold removal in the long run by treating the underlying problem. Mold growth should always be treated directly, but preventing mold from recurring can potentially save you thousands of dollars in future repairs.
You can save additional money on labor costs by installing gutters and downpipes, properly grading your soil away from your foundation, and installing a French drain as DIY projects.
Hello I Am Converting My Families Vhs Tapes To Digital And A Few Have What Appear To Be White Mold Would You Know The Type That Grows On Tapes This Is A Long Process That Will Take A Few Weeks How Is It Best To Store The Tapes And Vcr Is There Anything I Can Place Around The Tapes To Help Reduce The Spread To My Place
I wouldnt worry about identifying the specific type of mold growth. The remediation and prevention is the same, regardless of species. Your need to lower the humidity in the area these tapes are stored. Aim for a relative humidity of < 50% with< 60% as your maximum. If you live in a climate with cool winters, this can be achieved by increasing the ventilation to the storage area and increasing the heat/temperature. The higher the temp, the lower the RH. Purchase a relative humidity gauge to monitor your efforts. If you live in a very humid location such as Florida, youll need active dehumidification.
Humidity problems are typically worse in closets or cabinets, due to the poor air flow. Try moving the tapes to an area that is more actively conditioned/heated.
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Is Mold In A Crawl Space A Health Problem Find Out The Truth
Crawl space mold, crawl space fungus, and crawl space mildew compromise your homes structural integrity and the air your family breathes.
Some homeowners in Cincinnati, OH, may live by the mantra what goes on in the crawl space stays in the crawl space. Not so, considering this in an area that gets moist and harbors many foreign things, including mold. When crawl space mold and crawl space mildew grows and takes over this space, the effects are likely to be felt in your home.
Is mold dangerous? What health problems can it cause? What are the signs of mold allergy? How can I protect my loved ones?
Well, youll find answers to these questions and more below.
Can I Eliminate Water In My Crawl Space Myself
As with many projects inside the home, this is something you may be able to tackle yourself, depending on the severity of the situation. If heavy rains cause moderate flooding in your crawl space, address the issue by repairing gutters or even installing a fairly simple drainage system following the directions above.
Keep in mind that many projects require the installation of a sump pump or dehumidifier, which means you may need to have a GFCI electrical outlet installed, a job that requires a licensed electrician.
If the rain is causing more serious flooding, youll need to call in a professional to develop a more sophisticated solution before it creates structural problems or mold issues in your crawl space.
While hiring a professional can be costly, its still much cheaper than the cost of structural repairs to your homes framing.
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Eliminating Mold Caused By A Flooded Basement
**IMPORTANT: If your sump pump fails and youve got a flooded basement, you MUST contact a professional water damage and dry-out company within 24 hours so they can bring in their equipment to rapidly dry the basement. In other words, eliminate the mold before it has a chance to grow.
If its too late to dry out the property, the wet drywall will need to be cut out and youre looking at costly mold remediation work and rebuild. Many homeowners are covered for this type of water damage by their homeowners insurance, but trust me, you dont even want to go there. Its a massive headache to deal with the construction work and fighting with the insurance company.
How Do I Remove It
If youre wondering how to get rid of white mold in your crawl space, youll need to assess the size of the problem. With a small emerging issue, you might be able to take care of it yourself, but you should not attempt anything over 30 square feet.
Use Personal Protective Equipment , even for small jobs. Youll need an N95 mask, gloves, and googles as a minimum since mold in the air can be as much as 10 to 1,000 times higher during removal/cleaning.
If the mold is on soil, and only a few square feet, you can dig down an inch to remove the affected area. After removal of the dirt, consider the installation of a plastic vapor barrier to help prevent reoccurrence.
Bleach may kill the mold but it doesnt prevent the spores from being airborne and you dont want to use bleach on porous materials. This action starves the mold of its food source.
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Is Mold A Health Risk
Yes, it is. Black mold is the most dangerous type, though the other benign forms can also trigger health problems or worsen them. When mold takes over the crawl space, it releases toxic microscopic spores that can float into the living space. When you or your loved ones inhale them, it will trigger many problems including itchy eyes, asthma, bronchitis, and even migraines.
Mold can also make breathing a problem for your loved ones. Your lungs arent designed to inhale them. When they do, you could sneeze or cough persistently, and you may also find breathing very laborious. Your lungs will have to work hard just to ensure you get enough oxygen, and this may leave you feeling weak and exhausted. In highly sensitive people, exposure to mold can be life-threatening. So dont take chances with your health.
Best Mold Guide: How Much Mold In Crawl Space Is Acceptable
If youre curious about how much mold in crawl space is acceptable, then well answer it for you. A mold-free crawl space is the only way to go.
In this article, you will learn why crawl space mold is an absolute no-no. We hope youll read until the end to understand what we mean fully!
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How To Prevent Crawl Space Mold
Crawl spaces are prone to mold growth due to the high levels of moisture and humidity in these areas. Some of the most common causes of increased levels of humidity in the crawl space include water leaks, damaged insulation, and inadequate ventilation. To get rid of a mold problem in the crawl space, you have to control the moisture and humidity levels. Here are some tips to help you do so:
Follow the above tips and the relative humidity in your crawl space should reach the desired level of 30 to 50 percent. Mold will easily grow if the humidity is above 70 percent. Learn more tips to control the humidity in your home here and how to ventilate your house properly in this article. For mold cleaning service and water damage repair, contact your local PuroClean office.
Reasons For Mold In Crawl Spaces
The main reason for mold growth is moisture and dampness. When we fail to keep the crawl spaces dry, mold thrives,
Improper Insulation- If crawl space is not properly insulated moisture can easily seep inside.Leaks in walls or floors- Overtime, the walls, and floors of a property might crack, even the tiniest hairline crack can bring groundwater inside your crawl space. Open Vents- Homeowners often use vents in the crawl spaces to make air circulation easier. However, outside air is humid, whereas, crawl spaces are usually cold. When warmer air enters a cold space, condensation occurs, giving birth to mold.Interior Flooding– If there has been minor flooding in your home, like an appliance malfunction that caused a flood, water will make its way to the crawl space below, if not extracted right away.
Hence, eliminating the moisture from your crawl space is extremely important. If your property needs a moisture-inspection, do not hesitate to call us at 833-914-1113. We use state-of-the-art moisture meters to detect hidden moisture and then fix the root of the issue causing the dampness.
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Causes Of Crawl Space Mold 5 Issues That Can Cause You Mold Problems That You Should Be Alarmed About
Mold growth heavy enough to write in!
The cause of crawl space mold is simply moisture. There are at least 5 different things that can cause you problems when concerning moisture in your crawl space. All of these items can cause mold in your crawl space. They can do it on their own, or then can all contribute to being the cause of mold in your crawl space.
Discolored Crawl Space Components
Mold growing on crawl space walls, posts and floor joists appears as fuzzy, slimy or powdery patches.
Look for these color-coded clues.
- Black Most common molds, including Alternaria and Cladosporium
- Green Also very common, may be Aspergillus, Cladosporium or Penicillium
- Greenish Black Slimy in appearance, dangerous Stachybotrys chartarum
- White Variants of Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Penicillium
- Brown Common Aureobasidium pullulans or Pithomyces chartarum
- Yellow Wood-damaging Serpula lacrymans or Epicoccum nigrum
- Orange Variants of Serpula lacrymans
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