Basement Mold Prevention Tips

Basement mold is an insidious, yet common problem in many houses. If you can see mold or smell it, you could have an infestation that could have significant effects on the health of your family.

Mold can hide behind drywall, wallpaper and paneling, on ceiling tiles and beneath carpeting and passing. Heating and air conditioning ducts can also be great hiding places for mold, as can pipes that stay damp due to condensation or pipes that leak.

One of the best ways to prevent the growth of mold in your basement is to control the dampness, because mold can’t grow in a dry environment. That makes it even more important to not just keep your home clean, but to keep it dry as well. It doesn’t take must moisture to make your basement a breeding ground for mold; most of the typical materials used to build basements can provide all the nutrients mold needs to thrive.

10 helpful tips to keep your basement from being victimized by mold growth

1. Try to keep the ground outside your home sloping away, so that rainwater moves away from the house rather than collecting near your basement.
2. Keep other sources of water away from the basement, if possible. This includes sprinklers that hit near the basement walls, and water from downspouts.
3. Keep water from collecting in the basement whenever possible. If there are any spills, clean them up immediately. Dry out any wet building materials within 24 hours.
4. Do not use carpeting in either the basement or any bathrooms.
5. Condensation that accumulates on basement windows or pipes are breeding grounds for mold. Wrap basement water pipes with insulation to keep condensation from forming.
6. Keep the humidity in your basement below 60 percent.
   1. Run a dehumidifier if necessary.
7. Make sure the vents to your clothes dryer direct air to the outside of your home.
8. Use an exhaust fan to force moist air out of the bathroom while running your shower. Let the fan run for another 20-30 minutes after your shower is completed.
9. Make sure your basement is well ventilated by using fans to keep the air circulating.
10. If possible, have a professional with you when you check for mold in your basement. The mere act of checking for mold can be a problem, because spores can be released that can move throughout the house and cause significant health problems.