Why Does Mold Grow In Your Long Island Basement?

8/2/2018 (Permalink)

Mold spores exist all over your house and in the environment outside of your home as well.

Mold Damage In Your Basement

There are plenty of questions that people have about mold growth in their Long Island residence. With a plethora of bad information that can get found across the internet, it is important to get the facts straight about a discovery like this in your home, and the best approach to remove this fungal colony before it causes too much damage.

Since many of the instances of mold damages that our SERVPRO professionals encounter in Long Island homes gets uncovered in the basement, many homeowners are naturally curious as to the reason. Of all the places that mold growth could occur in your home, what makes the basement such a common location to find a colony?

Mold spores exist all over your house and in the environment outside of your home as well. These microscopic organisms are waiting for the conditions to get met so they can seat on materials and colonize. Basements often provide an essential component to this colonization with persistent moisture. This area of your home is continually under attack by the external water looking to force its way into your property. In cracks and crevices, and even through seeping into the concrete flooring from below, moisture finds a path inside the basement and provides a damp environment.

Another condition that basements tend to allow to aid mold growth is darkness. Do not assume that mold colonies require darkness to grow and thrive, but rather these areas provide better conditions for rapid expansion. Many varieties of household mold can spread more quickly in the dark, which in turn means a broader remediation area for our SERVPRO technicians.

Warmth is another condition that many basements have to offer mold spores, which can accelerate their growth rate. Since many homes have their furnaces in the basement, this persistent warmth throughout the months this is in use provides a continual breeding ground for mold spores if the moisture conditions already get met.

Better understanding the conditions required for mold growth and the likelihood that any basement could be at risk for colonization should help homeowners appreciate the need for regular inspections. You can usually quickly tell if mold is present by a musty odor or by physically seeing the colony. If mold is growing in your home, give our SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol mold remediation technicians a call right away at (423) 245-5552.

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