Why Scrubbing Mold Off Your Basement Walls Is A Horrible Idea
Mold outbreaks are the worst because they ruin homes and jeopardize human health. The most common place to find molds in a home includes basements, attics, bathrooms and kitchens. Taking a mold infestation seriously is very important, even though the matter merely seems like an emergency. A mold infestation in your basement can lead to;
- Stubborn stains on walls and the floor, something you want to avoid.
- The horrible odor produced by the molds can spread to the whole house, leave alone the basement.
- Serious respiratory issues from prolonged exposure to the mold.
- Structural damages as the mold eat away foundations and weaken the building after some time.
Scrubbing mold in your basement does not make the situation any better, as it only spreads the spores further in the basement. The spores might even travel through the air and contaminate the whole house unknowingly. Think of it as scrubbing a dusty floor without using soap and water. The dust spreads and settles elsewhere in the room. Since mold spores are as light as dust, they will float in the air and settle in different places, leading to more problems.
How Does Mold Get to the Basement?
Minute mold spores are everywhere because nature uses molds to break down organic matter. When the spores are in contact with moisture, for instance, a damp surface, mold grows and tries to break down the surface on which they have grown. Different types of molds exist, but each type can be identified easily as they have different colors.
Your basement will get mold if pipes pass through and are leaking or if condensed air settles in it. Additionally, if your basement walls are poorly constructed, they might sip in water from rain or other activities, leaving your walls and floors full of mold.
Identifying Mold in Your Basement
Sometimes, we might not be sure whether the spots we identify in our basements are mold or just stains. If that’s the case in your home, don’t fret because there is equipment dedicated to detecting mold. These test kits can be bought from different stores and are inexpensive. Using a test kit is the easiest part as it is usually quick. After confirming that there is mold growth in your basement, ensure to act as soon as possible. Also, be careful not to touch the infested surfaces because some molds are more toxic than others, therefore, they might cause damage to the skin.
How to Properly Remove Mold
Dealing with basement mold without professional help might be dangerous and less effective. If you identify mold in your basement, immediately contact a certified mold control company such as Orange County Plumbers to deal with the matter appropriately. Once you contact us, we take certain measures to determine the base cause and clear the impending issue. Additionally, our team of professionals will advise you on the most effective methods of preventing mold growth in your home. To understand how we conduct our mold control procedure, here is a set of summarized steps.
- Inspection
It is crucial to inspect your basement to determine whether there is mold and how far it has spread. This lets our experts know what they are dealing with and what equipment they will require during the removal process. This is where we use moisture meters and air testing equipment.
- Determining the source
If mold is detected in your basement, we take measures to identify the cause of mold growth. This is also important because it will prevent future mold growth, save you costs, and keep you safe. Basement mold usually grows because of poor ventilation and leaking roofs.
- Containing the area
This helps to keep the mold in one place without accidentally spreading to the rest of your house. We do this by sealing the basement using special machines.
- Blasting
Once the area is safely contained, the next step is to media blast to remove the mold. Media blasting is the most effective way of removing basement mold as it gets even the tiniest molds and spores.
- Vacuuming
As mentioned, vacuuming helps remove the spores and other dirt around the area.
- Removing the insulation and ventilation installation
Here, we remove the covers we had installed to prevent the spread to other house parts. Additionally, we replace your old ventilation or repair it if need be.
What to Never Do
Other than scrubbing the molds off, there are several other actions you should avoid because they only make the situation worse.
- Do not use bleach to clean or treat mold, whether it is on a porous or non-porous surface. Prolonged exposure to bleach and mixed other cleaning products emits harmful gases like chlorine gas that jeopardize human health.
- Washing off with water and soap is not recommended either because water provides suitable conditions for mold to thrive in. This will only lead to further growth and spread in areas where the mold was previously absent.
