How to Tell if There is Mold in My Basement

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mold in my basementMold In My Basement

The Basement Health Association (BHA) says that over 60% of the air you breathe indoors comes from the basement. At a glance, this might not look like a big deal until you consider that over 83% of homes older than 10 years have mold growth in the basement. Eventually, your family will end up breathing toxic mold spores that will circulate from below:

Mold Risks

To appreciate why mold is such a great risk, consider the fact that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers all types of mold as toxic. This means your family is at risk of health problems caused by mold growth including muscle and joint pain, skin and eye irritations, running nose, coughing, sore throat, among other respiratory complications.

Warning Signs

All these problems arise from the fact that your basement is probably leaking. As a home owner, it is thus important to understand how to tell if there is mold in my basement.This is the first step in removal and remediation in order to treat the underlying moisture and high humidity problem.

Here are some of these warning signs.

  1. Strange Odor

If you notice a pungent odor in your basement, it is time to call in a professional mold removal expert. If this odor is more persistent even after confirming your HVAC unit is working, there is, even more reason to call for professional help.

  1. Visible Mold Growth

As a conscious homeowner, it is important to constantly check for any moist surfaces in the basement in order to look for any signs of mold growth. It is easy to distinguish mold from normal dirt because it is blackish and sticks firmly on the surface. However, you should never touch such a surface to avoid skin irritation.

  1. Health Complications

If your family members are constantly falling ill, it is highly likely there is mold growth in your basement. If you are always feeling tired and listless, this is another symptom that this toxic substance is affecting your health. Other symptoms such watering eyes, nasal congestion and sore eyes should also not be ignored.

The presence of moisture either on the basement floor or walls is another pointer that there could be a mold colony either below the paint or wall paper. Well, if you have been wondering how to tell if there is mold in my basement, you should be constantly on the lookout for these signs.

Nevertheless, you need to understand that removal and remediation should be done by a professional contractor because they have the safety gear and equipment to carry out the process effectively.