No one wants a Moldy home

Mold is a pesky problem that seems to love your crawlspaces. This would be because mold’s sole purpose is to eat dead, wet, organic material. A favourite delicacy of Mold’s is none other than drywall, which is a very common feature in most basements and crawlspaces.

You may think that you can avoid the issues of mold by simply not venturing down where is grows, just shut the door of your crawlspace and never think about it again. Unfortunately, that is not a very safe option. When mold grows, it sends it spores out everywhere and they are carried through the air up through the vents onto all the organic material upstairs and can lay dormant there for many years.  This is a factor that cannot be controlled as mold is a force of natural with a purpose – but what homeowners can control is the moisture levels in homes.

The moisture level on the surface of organic material, instead of the level in the air, is what triggers mold growth. With this in mind, most molds need 70% relative humidity (RH) to grow, and in a crawl space the RH of the surfaces is often higher than the RH of the surrounding air.

Remember how mold adores drywall? Well, that’s because it has paper on it, a processed organic fiber. Plywood, chipboard, and last but not least, framing lumber.

Mold growth in a home is not good for anyone whether they be allergic to mold spores or not, it becomes a heath concern for those in your home, as well as the structure itself. No one wants to buy a house with mold, and no one wants to live in a moldy home. That’s why it’s important to deal with the problem before it becomes one.

For more information on how to protect your home against mold, give the Foundation Guys a call.