Are you allergic to your basement?

Posted by jimpauls on Mar 7, 2013 | 0 comments

If you’re suffering from a stuffy nose, headache or similar allergic reactions that are present only when you are in your basement, you may just be suffering from an allergic reaction to mold that may be present in your basement.

Mold can grow in many places in the basement that are not visible to a homeowner, such as on the front or back of drywall; on floor joists or other structural wood; underneath or inside your flooring; or even on or inside your furniture.

Here are some tips to how you can prevent mold:

1. Prevent mold by preventing moisture – There are plenty of materials for mold to live on in your home, but it requires moisture.  Most molds require 24-48 hours of moisture to begin to grow so by controlling the moisture in your home you significantly decrease the chance of mold growing.

2. Prevent mold by preventing water leaks – If you know of any leaks in your home you should fix them immediately.

3. Prevent mold by preventing condensation – Condensation can form on any cold surface when water vapor in the air cools and become liquid.  You could find it on metal pipes, concrete walls, water tanks and windows.  By keeping the temperature in your home warmer by installing insulation, you can reduce this condensation.  Another method would be to put coverings over your pipes.

4. Prevent mold by reducing humidity – Mold can grow if the humidity stays high for too long.  The best way to keep humidity low is through ventilation.  Open windows during the day and close your windows when it’s raining outside.  It’s especially important to ventilate the kitchen and bathroom where steam and moisture build up.  Exhaust fans, air conditioners and a dehumidifier are all great ways to reduce the humidity.

Once mold has begun to grow in your home it’s not enough to just take away the source.  Mold that runs out of moisture can remain dormant for a long time.  You need to take steps to have the mold removed permanently.