Dangers Of Mold and How It Affects Your House Structure
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The incredible summer heat faded away, and now comes the time for the cold dampness of approaching winter. Naturally, as the weather gets chill and gloomy, we take out warm clothes to protect ourselves against cold drafts. But what about your home?
If you have water leaking into your basement through cracks in your foundation, it’s important to get those cracks sealed up and repaired before the damage gets worse. Water intrusion will only make your foundation cracks larger over time, and can cause major damage to the structure of your home. Cracks big enough to allow water in easy form. Some foundation cracks are harmless and just happen over time as your home settles. Vertical cracks are sealed with epoxy or also another type of injection. However, if you have larger, horizontal cracks in your foundation or also basement walls, these indicate serious structural issues and cannot be solved by any type of sealant. So it’s important to fix basement leaks ASAP.
The cold weather, humidity, and dampness affect your humble abode just like they affect you. But when it comes to your home, the moisture can cause significant issues such as mold and mildew.
If you are dealing with humidity inside, it might be due to temperatures in the basement. Basement dehumidification will protect your basement from high humidity levels so mold and mildew cannot form. It can also help keep allergens, musty odors, dust mites, and other irritants away.
Mold primarily grows because of indoor moisture and spreads on your walls, furniture, floor, carpet, etc. It can cause significant damage to your house and your health. The reason is that wherever mold grows, it weakens that structure, and eventually, it rots. As a result, it can cause heavy structural damages to your home. So, below we will discuss some of the dangerous aspects of mold and how it damages your house structure.
1. Breaks down building material and structural components
Wherever mold grows, it causes irreversible damages to your home’s structure. It’s because when mold grows, it feeds on organic matter by breaking it down. As it spreads, it creeps its way towards the pipes, insulation, carpets, etc. Therefore, whichever household item gets plagued by mold, you need to discard it immediately.
However, the process is immensely inconvenient and expensive, especially for those dealing with it for the first time. But it is equally important to carry out this process for your safety and well-being.
Groundwater or standing water can be a significant cause of mold in crawl spaces or in the basement. As seasons change, you will have air coming in your vents into your crawl space. In the summer, hot, humid air will raise the humidity level in your crawl space, leading to issues like moisture in the wall. Crawl space encapsulation is one of the most effective ways of preventing mold damages caused by indoor humidity.
2. Damages personal property
A mold is like a parasite you can never really get rid of properly. Unfortunately, the cases of mold are worse in states that experience heavy rain. For example, Orlando experiences rainfall several times over an entire week between June and September. When there is no outlet for the moisture to spread out, it leads to severe mold growth.
Damp and humid atmospheres are perfect conditions for mold to thrive. So, if you’re in Orlando and are faced with this issue, you will have to acquire the services of a professional. We suggest you approach only reliable and efficient mold inspection in Orlando to tackle this problem expertly. They can determine which personal belongings are redeemable and which ones you cannot save.
Sometimes mold seeps into the object so deeply that it is impossible to remove its spores entirely. As a result, even if you clean it on the surface, the mold will grow and spread again in a matter of days.
3. Spreads in the heating and vent system
Mold contamination is not limited to walls and carpets. It can grow and spread into your ventilation and heating systems as well. Consequently, it becomes tough to clean the mold in such small and cramped systems thoroughly. As a result, the air ventilation or heating system carries the mold towards other parts of the house structure, where it can spread.
Therefore, it is necessary to clean the mold as soon as you spot it. Once it spreads into the heating and ventilation system, the costs will rise exponentially. In addition, you will have to replace the whole system if the moisture and cleaning problem isn’t fixed.
4. Cause rotting and decay
There are various types of molds, some more dangerous to the health and structure than others. The worst part is that molds can grow on any surface. Whether beams, sill, windows, etc., they are all susceptible to develop mold due to excess moisture.
If you do not take appropriate action promptly, it can cause your wood to decay and rot. It will eventually ruin your property structure, and its strength and integrity become questionable.
5. Causes health issues
If you spend time in a place that harbors mold, you will experience various health issues. These include respiratory problems, severe headaches, nausea, stuffy nose, cough, etc. Also, mold breakdowns construction material that releases dust, mites, bacteria, chemicals, and multiple gasses in the air, causing alarming health concerns.
Apart from minor symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, mold can also cause significant health issues such as lung diseases, infections, and even cancer. Therefore, you must always take immediate notice and necessary actions if you notice the slightest signs of mold. Likewise, if there are no signs of mold/mildew yet, focus on drying excess moisture from the walls and personal belongings. Nonetheless, take proper health precautions while dealing with mold for the sake of your and your family members’ well-being.
6. Decline in resale value
Once mold thrives in your house, it may get almost impossible to get rid of it yourself fully. You might miss one small spot, which can cause a spread once again in a matter of days. If you let it linger unchecked, it can spread into the piping, beams, etc., causing the structural strength to decline.
In that case, you will have to make significant renovations to remove the mold and excess moisture from your house. And this can impact the resale value of your home, as anyone who learns about mold growth may not want to buy that property. As a result, it can cause irrecoverable financial losses for you.
Conclusion
Mold can undeniably cause severe and irreversible issues to your house and belongings. Mostly, if personal belongings such as carpets and furniture get plagued by mold, it becomes almost impossible to save them. As a result, you may have to discard valuable possessions of significant monetary and sentimental value. The best course of action is to constantly check your home’s moisture levels during rain and snow.
Taking preventive measures will help prevent the growth. In case you still find mold growing in a neglected corner, hire professionals immediately. A professional can adequately assess the situation and use bio-friendly chemicals to remove your property’s mold and excess moisture; there are mold remediation specialists in every large community – make sure you find someone dependable and experienced.
partnered post • photo by Tatiana at Pexels