Saturday, April 3, 2010
The best way to keep mold out of your basement is to know why it would be there in the first place.
Living in a high water table area can cause droplets of water on the basement walls, and even collecting in puddles on the floor. Mold flourishes in damp humid air, so a temporary solution is to install a sump pump to remove the standing water. Check out this article about solving a "mysterious" leak in this guy's basement... good practical advice.
If your neighborhood is prone to flooding, you can count on the basement flooding. This is the ultimate growing medium for mold! It's imperative that you attack the problem immediately. First, remove the standing water with a sump pump, then use a dehumidifier to dry out the air and walls.
Do you have water lines, sewer pipes etc running through your basement? Water condenses on cold water pipes and then drips onto the floor, or trickles down the pipes into the walls.
Constant dampness is a green light for mold growth. You can prevent this pretty easily by just wrapping the cold water pipes in a vapour barrier and insulation.
A more permanent solution to all this will take some work, and won't be cheap. But if you are a DIY advocate, here's some steps you can take:
Mold is a recognized threat to you and your family's health. It's also a threat to the value of your home. But, the effort and cost of preventative measures is nothing compared to what's needed to repair or replace mold damage to your home.
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(Disclaimer: The above is an affiliate link that will provide compensation to me if a purchase is made.)
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Living in a high water table area can cause droplets of water on the basement walls, and even collecting in puddles on the floor. Mold flourishes in damp humid air, so a temporary solution is to install a sump pump to remove the standing water. Check out this article about solving a "mysterious" leak in this guy's basement... good practical advice.
If your neighborhood is prone to flooding, you can count on the basement flooding. This is the ultimate growing medium for mold! It's imperative that you attack the problem immediately. First, remove the standing water with a sump pump, then use a dehumidifier to dry out the air and walls.
Do you have water lines, sewer pipes etc running through your basement? Water condenses on cold water pipes and then drips onto the floor, or trickles down the pipes into the walls.
Constant dampness is a green light for mold growth. You can prevent this pretty easily by just wrapping the cold water pipes in a vapour barrier and insulation.
A more permanent solution to all this will take some work, and won't be cheap. But if you are a DIY advocate, here's some steps you can take:
- Slope the ground around your house away from the foundation to help divert both ground water and rain.
- Install a vapour barrier on all the outer walls in your basement.
- Cover it with some decent insulation.
- Hang drywall over that, apply drywall tape and texture
- Apply a mold resistant sealant
- Finish with paint.
Mold is a recognized threat to you and your family's health. It's also a threat to the value of your home. But, the effort and cost of preventative measures is nothing compared to what's needed to repair or replace mold damage to your home.
.
Ads By CbproAds
(Disclaimer: The above is an affiliate link that will provide compensation to me if a purchase is made.)
.
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