Preventing Basement Humidity and Mold

If you have a smell problem coming from your St. Louis area basement, it might be mold.

Humidity is the key offender of places that grow mold spores.  When the relative humidity is over 60%, mildew and mold have enough moisture in the air to seriously thrive. In Columbia and other Metro East Missouri areas, we certainly have humidity high enough for this to be a challenge.  They also live on organic materials (anything of carbon origin) like wood, paper, cardboard, and insulation so mildew and mold have a field day and blossom in that space.

If basements acquire a water leak or wetness that is caused by something else like moisture, it may cause mold development. Mold may start to grow in two days after any water leak or moisture has been caused. You might not see it but it may or will be there hiding from you somewhere in your house. Mold will only grow if there's moisture or wetness in the area. If the places in your house are dry, mold can't grow, and you simply will not get harmed from it. It's a nasty mess of fungus that can grow in homes, buildings, outside, or anywhere it wishes. It propagates and reproduces.

This could cause significant damage, and the professionals need to remove it for you so it's not going to harm you. Mold can show up anyplace if it isn't dried out and cleaned. It will get worse and the cost to eliminate it and the repairs for the damage it's done will be higher, too. If moisture becomes worse, the mold will spread to other areas of the house or other places in the basement. You will be able to tell there's mold by the smell in the atmosphere because all you need to do is smell it. The aroma can smell like moldy must or even worse than that. The moisture can release it in the air, causing it to develop beneath things like carpets and appliances, in the air vents, and in your stuff.

Everybody is by nature allergic to fungus since it is an organism which inflames our immune systems. However, there are various degrees to which each person are allergic to it. Quite often, people have chronic allergies as a result of the mildew and mold coming up from their moldy basement. This may create sniffling, sneezing, chronic asthma, chest congestion, fatigue, amongst other symptoms.

If you are considering remodeling your basement, you really need to make sure you have a dried out basement. Even if you are not renovating your basement into a finished one, basement dampness is not a challenge you should ignore. Basement dehumidifiers are frequently the easiest and most beneficial solution to basement humidity issues.

Once you have taken out the water source (like leaks) and transferred the water outside (with drains and sump pumps) you will then wish to install a dehumidifier to keep your basement air below 50% humidity.

A skilled waterproofing company which specializes in this area can give you an inspection and estimate of the many costs of converting your basement into a dry, livable space. A waterproofing contractor may be cheaper than trying this on your own, in any down time you've got.

Please feel free to let us know for more information, or answers to any questions you might have.