Find mold growing in your home basement; worried it may affect your health upstairs? Our team researched to answer a common question. Now you can have all the facts and take action to protect your families health!
It is common to find mold in a basement or crawl space, even in a home with the best drainage. Unfortunately, mold is naturally attracted to dark, damp areas that can quickly spread spores.
In this guide we’ll take a look at if mold growing in your basement can affect air quality upstairs:
Does Basement Mold Affect Upstairs?
Yes, mold spores growing in the basement can affect the health of people living upstairs. Once mold starts growing it can quickly spread to nearby areas and eventually start to grow in the basement ceiling and into the rest of the home.
Air conditioners can blow mold spores from the basement into the HVAC system and air ducts to be spread across the house. These mold and mycotoxin spores can cause countless health problems including respiratory problems!
Mold and Your Basement
Because of their unique qualities, mold finds basements appealing. Mold can thrive in chilly, frequently damp surroundings made cozy by inadequate airflow. Mold has the perfect conditions to develop and thrive in basements because of these elements and the numerous concealed cracks and fissures. Knowing why mildew favors basements can enable us to take preventative measures to avoid its presence and provide a better living environment.
We recommend checking areas where mold commonly grows every time you do sump pump maintenance and cleanings. This will allow you to check places like the sump basin and drain lines for mold multiple times yearly. If you find mold growing (even a tiny patch), it is essential to immediately protect your health!
Health Impact of Basement Mold
Mold growing unchecked in your basement can severely impact your short and long-term health. Mold exposure cause many respiratory issues, so removing it or calling a mold remediation company is essential.
If there is any family member with allergies like eye and skin issues or asthma, and they do not have a diagnosis for any mold allergy, ensure to run an allergy test to see if you should keep your eye out for the mold.
Long term exposure can have severe impact on all family members – including pets so take action the same day you find mold growing in your basement!
How Mold Spreads From The Basement?
Mold can spread from the basement to other parts of the house in a few ways. The most common way is for the mold to grow undetected inside the walls or under the carpet. Time will allow the spores to grow and spread until it eventually spreads from the first location to other nearby areas.
A second way mold spreads from the basement is through the air conditioner or heater. Spores are lifted from their original location and carried by air currents throughout the rest of the home. This can cause mold to grow in the air ducts and eventually spread to the rest of the upstairs house.
What Should I Do When I Find Mold?
If you find black mold growing in any part of your home, removal is essential immediately. If it is a small patch, you can clean and remove it with some spray and scrubbing – significantly if it is growing on a hard surface like concrete.
In case the mold has started to spread or is growing on a soft surface like carpet you will likely need to call a professional mold removal company.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can mold in the basement make you sick?
Yes, basement mold can cause short term and long term health problems if you are exposed to mold or spores in the air.
Is mold in the basement dangerous?
Yes, mold exposure can cause serious health problems
What do you do if you have mold in your basement?
If you find mold growing in your basement look for the cause and remove it before it can spread
How do you know if you have mold in your basement?
The best way to know if you have mold growing in your basement is to check common growth areas every month and keep an eye out for a mildew or musty smell