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Wet Basement Waterproofing MA | Basement moisture can be a mold breeding ground

Did you know that if you have a sensitivity to mold that your child has about a 33% chance of having a mold allergy? Now factor in whether your significant other has a mold allergy. If so, this boosts the chances for your child and/or children to be allergic to mold up to almost 75%.

Mold is everywhere. The way indoor mold testing works is a comparison between indoor levels and natural outdoor levels. The beginning of spring is poses a very high potential for mold both outdoors and indoors. Melting snow, warmer afternoons and cool mornings create a prime breeding ground for mold.

The first rule of thumb when considering whether you may have a mold problem or not is to use your senses. If you see it or smell it then it is usually there. Do not disregard that “basement smell.”

Basements are naturally inclined to higher levels of humidity than the rest of your home. Why? Because your basement acts as its own weather system. Small amounts of moisture trapped in an area with high pressure along with the natural cooling effect from the ground surrounding the foundation causes significant moisture levels to accumulate. This is usually easily noticeable in unfinished basements on cold water pipes and other metal or non-porous surfaces.

If you don’t see it then it can’t hurt you, right? WRONG. Finished basements are breeding grounds for mold. The problem is that many mold problems in finished basements go unnoticed for so long because the mold is hidden in wall cavities which, when built well, are pretty air tight. The biggest hazard in these situations is the amount of mold that grows in the wall cavities before it is noticed. The EPA states that a ten square foot area covered in mold is considered serious and should be professionally remediated. Nine times out of ten the coverage area of mold in finished basements is well over that limit.

So how do you know if you have a mold problem?

Do you see it?
Do you smell it?
Are people in the home complaining of headaches, shortness of breath or of flu/coldlike symptoms after being in a particular area of the home?
Was there a moisture problem? Pipe burst, leaky appliance, water intrusion due to heavy rain, etc.

If you need more information about mold testing or mold facts go to http://www.greenbearinnovations.com/mold_remediation.html

The key to mold control is moisture control. To learn more about controlling moisture in your basement go to http://www.greenbearinnovations.com/basement_waterproofing.html

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