Although it might not seem like a big issue, a leak in your basement can wreak havoc in your home. Even one pipe dripping every five minutes can be the onset of mold infestation in your basement, which eventually reaches the main living area. It’s good if you don’t have a leaky pipe in your home, but mold can be caused by other factors such as flooding.
Even if you eliminate flood water from your basement, you shouldn’t stop there because even the slightest bit of dampness or moisture in your basement will lead to mold infestation. As a result, you should apply basement masonry waterproofing paint to ensure that no water enters or leaves your basement. Even if dampness or water enters your basement, it shouldn’t wreak havoc if the basement moisture paint is applied well.
While it’s possible to eliminate mold and even water from your basement on your own, it’s best to leave this work to professionals. They have the skills and tools to do the job. Not only will they get rid of the mold in your basement, but they will also deodorize your basement to remove the foul smell of mold. After deodorization, the waterproofing business will proceed to apply basement moisture barrier paint to prevent future basement moisture issues. This review will discuss mold infestation symptoms and the process of mold removal.
It was a scary home improvement project. Although the homeowners who had known for some time that they had two small patches of mold growing in their rotting siding, it was simply too expensive to replace. The homeowners knew that they were risking the mold spreading by delaying the repairs, but it took a while for them to get the needed finances together. By the time the financing was in place, it was still a challenge to get on the calendar for the contractor.
The day that the construction crew finally arrived to tear the old siding off, the home owners watched from their ground. Barely breathing and completely silent, the home owners stood on the side walk as they watched the contractors tear off the siding and examine the foam insulation sheets. At the time the house was built, the additional house wrap was not required. Luckily, the mold had not penetrated the insulation. Breathing a sigh of relieve, the home owners knew that they had been lucky. Once mold symptoms begin, finding the solution to the problem can be difficult.
Inspecting for Mold Is a Tedious, But Necessary Process
In some areas of the country mold is so prevalent that it is standard procedure to install basement waterproofing membranes in all new homes and commercial buildings. Unfortunately, without the proper mold prevention methods, mold can take over basements and make its way into other areas of the home. Left unchecked, toxic mold can develop and some times lead to the need for complete demolition of a home or building.
Unfortunately, all areas of the country are susceptible to the dangers of mold. In fact, 98% of all of the basements in America will suffer some type of water damage during the lifetime of the home. According to insurance industry estimates, as many as 14,000 people in the U.S. experience water damage that leads to an emergency at home or work every single day. Not surprisingly, water damage and mold costs the insurance industry $2.5 billion a year. These reports average cost of a home water damage insurance claim is $6,965.
Some of the Most Common Mold Symptoms
Unfortunately, mold symptoms are often mistaken for allergies or other conditions. It is important, however, to watch for the extended appearance of the following mold symptoms:
- Persistent colds
- Persistent runny nose
- Persistent dry scratchy cough
- Watery eyes
- Dry and scaly skin
- Severe asthma conditions like shortness of breath and tightness of chest
Once the symptoms of mold are diagnosed, the difficult task becomes finding the mold and getting rid of it. Mold removal companies provide services to both commercial and residential customers. The initial inspection involves locating the source of the mold and eliminating the water source. Once the source has been located it is eliminated and the mold remediation process begins. Tearing apart the affected area layer by layer is the basic process. Simply removing damp carpet, for example, is not enough. It is also important to replace any damaged carpet padding and make sure that any dampness on the cement floor is removed as well.
The danger of any kind of water damage is that it can lead to mold. In fact, mold can begin to grow within 24 to 48 hours of an untreated moist environment. Left unchecked the mold can spread and penetrate through layers of carpet and into drywall. It can damage furniture and almost any kind of fabric. The sooner moisture is noticed, the faster it can be eliminated, Even one to two days of untreated moisture can foster the growth of mold.
Much of the water and mold damage that occurs in America is caused by flooding. In fact, other than wildfires, flooding in America is the most widespread natural disaster. As a result, 90% of all U.S. natural disasters declared by the President involve some sort of flooding conditions. When you realize that flash floods can bring walls of water that are as high as 10 to 20 feet high you begin to understand the implications.
Water damage must be dealt with as soon as it is discovered. Even a delay of one to two days can cause damage that is both expensive and extensive. Treating water damage before mold begins is key.