Basement Mold Remediation

Basement Mold; Flooded Basement Causes Black Mold Problem.

Most homeowners are unaware of the extreme health problems that can be caused by the growth of mold in a basement.  Additionally, the presence of mold can present difficulties when trying to sell your home, and in extreme cases, mold can cause structural damage.

Basements that would never develop mold under normal circumstances can develop a mold problem after basement flooding.  The dampness alone caused by a flood provides plenty of moisture for mold to grow well in your basement, and the filthy backup of raw sewage provides an even richer medium upon which various mold may thrive.

Mold on basement walls can easily grow and spread into the floors and walls above.  Additionally, air born mold spores from the basement mold can travel through the air to contaminate other areas of your home.  The heating and cooling system, generally located in the basement (where the mold is present) provides and easy pathway to the entire house. 

Speaking to the health issues, allergies to mold infestation can cause open sores, skin rashes, itchy skin and eye irritation.  If you believe you have a mold problem, there are several steps you must take.

• the air in the basement must be mold tested

• the air of each room above the basement must be mold tested

• the attic must be mold tested

• the garage must be mold tested

• the outward air flow from each heating/cooling duct register must be mold tested for the possible presence of elevated levels of airborne mold spores.

• all of the above levels are compared to a baseline outdoor mold control test which you should also conduct.

You can buy do-it-yourself mold test kits hire a Certified Mold Inspector.  When working with mold yourself, you should use a breathing air respirator (sold at you local home center or hardware store) to avoid inhaling mold spores that you stir up with your efforts. 

Another little know fact by the average homeowner is that bleach is too weak to be an effective mold killer and is NOT EPA-registered as a mold fungicide.  To achieve the maximum mold killing power, you must use use two wet sprayings of EPA-registered fungicide and Tim-bor antimicrobial protective coating. 

Again, if a backed up municipal sewer system  is the water source that enables mold to grow in your basement, YOU CAN NOT CONTINUE TO HAVE BASEMENT FLOODS IF YOU WANT TO RID YOUR HOME OF MOLD AND KEEP IT THAT WAY.  Stopping the water / sewage problem with the installation of a backwater backflow prevention valve must be your number one mold remediation step!