Identifying mold in a house is extremely important. It is better to caught the problem at an early stage and avoid the various problems related to their presence. Such problems may cause a threat to the health of the occupants and it could also result in high expenses.
The basement is a common place to find mold. The lack of light, the presence of humidity are only a few characteristics favorable to mold growth. There are a couple of places to look for when trying to identify mold in a basement.
The following list are the most common places to find mold in basement:
- Prior Water Entry: Look out for evidence of prior water entry. Mold sometimes grows on wet surfaces. Remains of cardboard boxes and floor stains should serve as important clues as to such an event.
- Water Entry and Leaks: Examine the basement for evidence of water entry and recurrent leaks. If it is the case, then it is very likely that molds are present in the area.
- Walls: The lower sections of the wall, the areas behind the furniture, and the basement corners should be reviewed when searching for molds. Do not forget to check hot water heating baseboards for bleeder vents and leak points.
- Ceilings: The ceiling should be checked, especially the area right under the main floor’s kitchen or baths. It is also important to inspect the exposed side of posts, girders, joists and framing. This should also include the exposed under side of sub-flooring from the floor overhead.
- Floors: Wall to wall carpets commonly act as reservoirs for allergens and mold. Therefore, you shouldn’t ignore these reservoirs since they may contain pet dander and mite fecal.
- Staircases: Review the back sides of stairs with special attention to the lower risers and treads.
- Exposed Insulation: Never assume that since no molds are visible on the surfaces of exposed insulation that there are no mold problems on it.
- Basement Contents: Inspect everything stored in the basement. This includes cardboard boxes, their contents, and the furniture. Serious mold growth may be found on wood objects, especially those with unfinished surfaces. The reason being the lack of a coating leads to the absorption of more moisture.
It does not matter if the basement is finished or not. Molds may grow on the organic surfaces such as carpets, drywall and wood, in a finished basement. In a unfinished basement, the floor joists is a common place to find them. Remember, an environment with darkness, moisture and warmth is the perfect condition for mold growth.
Basements that were previously wet or moldy, or those that stored a sizable collection of cartons with moldy files and papers may have deposited large reservoirs of mold in the settled dust and the fiberglass used to insulate the basement.
Overall, remember that the steps to identify mold in basement are not as easy as it may seems. Extra attention is needed to discover the molds, allergens and any other harmful particle.