Chicago Mold Removal Services 773-885-8528

GOT BASEMENT MOLD?

Why is it not surprising to find mold in your basement?  Mold and mildew (both are types of fungi) thrive in dark, damp environments where organic material is present.  Mold is especially fond of cellulose-rich materials like wood, paper and fabric; but it can also take hold on leather and even on paint that contains organic resins like linseed oil.

You may not use your basement a lot but it’s not wise to let basement mold just sit there and fester and become worse.  Mold (especially inhaling airborne mold spores) can cause a wide range of health problems, most notably respiratory ailments. Mold or mildew causes damage to its host material.  Mold can also be a big problem when it comes to any real estate deal, making a house difficult or even impossible to sell.  

Help for Basement Mold

All is not lost if you have basement mold.  There are effective ways to get rid of mold appropriately.  Contractors who specialize in mold remediation can effectively handle steps required to eliminate basement mold problems. To find out who does what and why, take a look at the 4 steps described below.

1.     Remove mold-damaged materials. It’s usually better to remove and discard materials that are covered with mold than to attempt cleaning and reuse. This applies to mold-damaged carpet, wood paneling, drywall, paper-faced fiberglass insulation and “2by” framing used in basement walls. The reason for mold removal is easy to understand:  Even if you succeed in killing and scouring off the mold, you’ll still have ideal mold fodder that can attract a new infestation.

2.     Kill mold on materials that can’t be removed. If there are significant mold colonies on materials that must stay in place –like basement ceiling joists, for example—you might consider calling in a mold mitigation contractor to kill and remove the mold.

3.     Replace mold-prone materials with mold-resistant materials. Once you’ve gone to the trouble of removing basement mold, the next step is to create an environment that’s hostile to mold, so that it doesn’t return.  Use inorganic building materials that won’t support mold growth.  Like standard paper-faced drywall can be replaced with special mold-resistant drywall faced with fiberglass.

4.      Control basement moisture to prevent new mold infestation. Creating a mold-hostile environment is really a two-pronged strategy: Eliminate materials that nourish mold, and keep the basement dry.  Keep basement humidity below the 60% level that favors mold growth, a basement dehumidifier is recommended.