Mold Remediation May Be Needed If Your Basement Is Moldy

It's fairly common for mold to grow in unfinished basements because there is usually more moisture in a basement due to condensation and water vapor rising through the floor. However, it's never good to have mold growing in your house since it can spread. Plus, mold makes your basement smell musty, and the odor can waft up to your living space.

If your basement is moldy, hire a mold remediation company to get rid of the mold and prevent it from coming back. This is what they may do. 

Isolate The Basement 

The mold remediation company may hang barriers in the door to the basement so mold can't escape while they're working. They may also set up a ventilation system in the space that pulls air outdoors. Once it's safe to work in your basement, the contractor may work to figure out the cause of mold.

Mold could be due to a wet basement problem when it rains. Water vapor through the floor might be the cause, or condensation dripping down the walls and off of plumbing pipes could be to blame. If any of these are the cause, repairs should be done to block condensation and water vapor so mold won't come back as easily. If your basement gets wet when it rains, the basement may need to be waterproofed.

Scrub Mold Off Walls And Floor

If your basement isn't finished, there may be a lot of concrete surfaces. Concrete is often easier than wood to get clean. However, the contractor will probably need to do some scrubbing. They'll probably treat the moldy area with chemicals that kill the mold.

Killing the mold is important or spores can survive that start growing mold again quickly. Once the mold is killed, it will probably need to be scrubbed off the concrete. The contractor may need to scrub the walls and the floor where the mold is present. Then they might seal the concrete with mold repellent to reduce the risk of mold returning.

Remove And Seal Mold On Wood

If the wood on the ceiling near pipes that make condensation has mold, the contractor will follow the same steps of killing mold and scrubbing it off. Mold is more difficult to remove from wood without causing a lot of damage to the wood. That's why the contractor will probably seal the wood that remains to lock the mold in place and keep it from growing back.

Throw Out Moldy Items

If you store clutter in cardboard boxes, the boxes and contents may be covered in mold too. These things will probably need to be thrown away. The mold remediation contractor may let you sort through the belongings and then bag everything that's not valuable or sentimental and remove them from your home.

Set Up A Dehumidifier 

It's often a good idea to set up a dehumidifier in your basement that keeps the space dry. A basement is naturally damp since it's underground, and a dehumidifier may be all it needs to keep water vapor and moisture away.

Contact mold remediation services to learn more.