Many homeowners don’t treat the crawlspace as part of the home. They ignore it and don’t worry about water problems until they start affecting the rest of the house. What they don’t understand is the environment in the crawlspace is affecting the house already.
One of the biggest problems with the crawlspace environment is when mold is present. You may be unaware, but you might need to perform a crawl space mold removal in Long Island, and soon. The dangerous part of mold is two-fold: one breathing in mold spores can cause respiratory problems and two letting mold grow uncontrollably can actually cause rot if it gets into the wood framing and destroy the structure of the house.
If mold is contaminating the air in the crawlspace, that air can and will travel upstairs to the air you and your family breathes every day. The EPA says 50% of the air found in the upper levels of the house actually comes from the basement or crawlspace. The air moves up through chimney effect or stack effect. As the warmer air rises and escapes through the roof new air has to replace that air. The natural occurrence is pulling the air from outside and from under the house.
Mold that is ignored can cause serious structural damage. Mold alone can destroy natural materials like wood studs; however it is also a sign of moisture problems in the crawlspace. Any water problems and high levels of moisture anything above 50% relative humidity need to be corrected.
The best option is to remove the mold and completely waterproof the crawlspace with a preventative system to keep water from getting in as well as a water diversion system with a French drain system to allow for the water to get out. The crawlspace should be lined and encapsulated to prevent future problems. Remember, never use fiberglass bat insulation in the crawlspace or basement. It does not work well if there was a moisture problem.
The process of working to remove crawlspace mold can be dangerous. If you are doing it yourself protect your skin and wear a respirator. Don’t ever breathe in mold spores or work around mold without a respirator. It is best to call a professional contractor to help you remove the mold. Basement waterproofing contractors, crawlspace contractors or mold remediation contractor can help.
If you have a mold problem in the crawlspace or anywhere in your house, don’t put it off. You will regret it.
