The Busy Dog Blog

Mold & Mildew – Common Basement Problems

Tweet

  

 

Basement Mold: Basements are bound to be humid because they are naturally damp. This makes a breeding ground for mold and mildew. Keeping humidity down reduces the chance for mold to grow. In general, mold will not grow at less than 50% relative humidity! The goal here is to use a basement dehumidifier.

Basement Mold

Excess moisture on almost all indoor materials leads to growth of microbes, such as mold, fungi and bacteria, which subsequently emit spores, cells, fragments and volatile organic compounds into indoor air. Moreover, dampness initiates chemical or biological degradation of materials, which also pollutes indoor air. Dampness has therefore been suggested to be a strong, consistent indicator of risk of asthma and respiratory symptoms (e.g. cough and wheeze). The health risks of biological contaminants of indoor air could thus be addressed by considering dampness as the risk indicator. To prevent this, we recommend basement waterproofing.

Basement Mildew

One in three homes have some type of mildew and that found in drywall is known to be toxic. Mildew usually grows where you can’t easily see it, so you may need to remove items in your basement first to eliminate mildew. Once you find the source, it’s a good idea to install a dehumidifier.