Common causes of mold

7/5/2018 (Permalink)

Active mold growth in the basement

One of the rooms in the house where you'll most often see mold is the basement.

 This Blog informs you about the most common causes and the signs of mold in the basement. It also lets you know how to find mold growth in the basement and to prevent mold from growing in the basement.

Causes of Mold in Basement

There are many sources of moisture found in the basement. And any water problem in the basement usually takes a long time to dry out. This is because the basement gets no sunlight, very little ventilation and is often humid.

 To make matters worse, once mold has begun to grow in the basement it will probably go unnoticed for a long time since people don't spend much time in their basements. People rarely clean their basements too and the dust and dirt helps mold to grow.

Mold loves to grow on some of the building materials in the basement. Some favorites are drywall, wood and insulation.

Mold and Flooding

Mold from Basement Leaks

Leaking pipes in the basement or in nearby rooms lead to basement mold growth. Water in the ground can also find its way into the basement through cracks in the walls.

Basement Humidity and Mold

Once water in the basement evaporates it raises the humidity level in the basement. The humidity then usually stays high thanks to poor ventilation and no sunlight. Some molds can begin to grow in the basement just from this high level of humidity.

Signs of Mold in Basement

One of the clearest signs that you have mold in your basement is the smell. Because of the stagnant air in the basement, odors build up and become very noticeable. Don't ignore a musty or moldy smell in the basement as it probably means you have a basement mold problem.

If you need help with mold, please contact SERVPRO of Cambridge/Belmont (617) 864-7378