Signs of Moisture Mold Problem in your Crawl space and Solutions

The humidity in the city can get relatively high during the year especially during the warmer months. Moisture from the outside can come through crawl space vents or get collected on cool surface areas such as air ducts and pipes. Once the moisture develops it can begin the corrosion process alongside of Mold, Mildew, and worse - rot. It is really important when purchasing a new home and or renovating your current home that is experiencing moisture.\

Here are some of they key signs that your Home/basement/Crawlspace is experiencing moisture problems.

• - Mold developing. New mold that is caused by water damage will appear fuzzy and almost transparent. Once the mold has grown and established itself in your home it will be in form of unmistakably dark spots on the affected surfaces. Old spores will start to develop after 72 hours of exposure to water. Mold colours that are of concern in orange, purple,yellow and green in color. Once these visible signs have occured it is best to book an appointment with a specialist who can get rid of the developed mold.
• - Musty odors in the living area. Musty odors are caused by mold and mildew. The odors given off is stale and earthy.
• Condensation ( sweating). You'll notice water droplets appear on air conditioning ductwork and equipment.
• Damp and sagging insulation. The insulation in your home shouldn't feel damp to the touch and once you've noticed the insulation starting to sag - that is a tell tale sign of moisture being retained.
• Buckled hardwood floors that are above the crawl space. Hardwood will buckle. During the warm months, wood expands due the moisture in the air. The pressure that builds up is what causes the buckling.
• Insect infested. Moisture attracts many bugs and insects. They can come into the home through cracks and when the insulation was poorly installed.
• Showing signs of rot on wooden window frames.

The common types of mold that is found in homes are 

1. Aureobasidum
2. Altenaria
3. Acremonium
4. Chaetomium
5. Cladosporium
6. Fusarium
7. Stachybotrys Astra
8. Mucor
9. Aspergillus
10. Penicillin
11. Trichoderma
12. Ulocladium

As soon as you've noticed any of these signs emerge your home it is paramount that you contact your local contractor to repair and prevent any future problems.

Common Solution for mold or moisture in your crawl space are installing a vapor barrier or a heavy-duty liner over the ground/soil,piers, walls,and foundation. You should also add a dehumidifier to ensure control over the humidity in the crawl space. Sump pumps are also important to have added to the encapsulation of your crawl space to make sure that it doesn't flood or pool when there's a future plumbing leak, or an unexpected water issue. Sump pumps are great because they will pump out the excess water and also an alarm will go off when the sump pump is failing to pumping the water out of the area.