Why Is There Mold In My Basement?

why is there mold

 

Why Is There Mold In My Basement?

Mold is a symptom of a moisture problem.  Mold starts to grow from one spore invisible to the naked eye at only .3 microns in size.  To propagate it the spore needs something to attach to, a nutrient and moisture.

 

The first two are easy to find – drywall, cloth, wood, etc., all so readily available in our basements.  The spore lies dormant without moisture.  Once the moisture is added to the mix, it can become a full-blown colony within twenty-four hours and a full-blown terrarium within two weeks.  Moisture can be as slight as humidity.  At 60% humidity, mold can thrive.  The colony grows as more spores are released by the new colony.

 

Spores are everywhere all the time.  Where they become a threat to our health is when the concentration of mold spores is excessively high.  A colony one square inch in size can create such an environment.

 

Remediation of a mold-filled environment is not the first remedy.  The mold will return if the moisture returns.  Once a mold colony has been identified, the first step is to eliminate the moisture.  Is there a water intrusion, a leak in the floor or wall, a leaking pipe, are the gutters on the house clogged or not performing properly, is the humidity too high?  Once the moisture is addressed, then mold remediation can be very successful in improving the environment of the basement.

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