Water Damage and Mold Clean Up

Water damage in a home can lead to mold if it is not taken care of. Mold in basements is a more common occurrence then what most people think. The fear of toxic black mold that can make entire buildings uninhabitable scares people and insurance companies to death. The occurrence of mold has been happening for ever; it is the way we look at and handle it is what has changed. The addition of moisture into any part of a building or home can lead to the growth of mold. This does not always mean you have to pack up the family and dogs running away screaming. Water damage and mold can be cleaned up and got rid of when done right.

We will take a look at how to get rid of mold on a basement wall in small patches. When drain tile start to hold water in them or fail , it allows water to get into the concrete block and leach forward into the basement. This constant moisture and non-freezing temperatures allows mold to grow on the surface creating a black or fuzzy type look on the face of the block. This can also occur when your gutter system does not get water away from the house allowing it to run down the basement walls causing water damage. More basements get water damage and mold just due to the fact people don't clean their gutters or don't use a gutter protection system, like the Gutter Care II foam insert system. The addition of a good gutter protection system will save people alot of time and money.

So, you have mold growing on the basement walls. What many people have done for years is mix up bleach and water and spray or wipe this mixture onto the surface of the walls. This can help to kill the mold that is growing on the wall. Now, you need to remember that you need to get rid of the source of the water damage before you can help stop the mold growth. If you don't stop the source of water you will need to keep on killing the spots of mold. Many people go years with spots of mold here and there on their basement walls. I have seen the black spots alot in older homes. The first course of block is normally were it is seen the most. Now, to a trained pro this is a good indication that water is not getting away from the house. Most people just don't see it and let it go. When water starts coming in faster the mold growth can get worse. Mold on concrete is a little easier to control then mold in wood or drywall.

The wood and drywall is were you hear about entire houses being taken over by mold if it is not controlled. When looking at the basement walls and you have stopped your source of water, you can take your bleach and water solution to clean it up. The bleach and water solution can work for many types of mold. What people don't know is it will not work on all types of mold. For years people have been cleaning up mold with bleach and water. Why not? It is cheap and works well in most cases. Bleach does not kill all types of mold. The levels of mold and different types require a anti-microbial solution to get rid of the mold growth. This is the best route to get rid of isolated areas and patches of mold. The anti-microbial solution is also used on large mold problems where a house has flooded and required a dry-out and cleaning to make the house safe again.

When you see the stories on TV and in the papers about entire families becoming ill, this is when mold goes unseen and grows in the walls behind the insulation and drywall. It does surface sooner or later but the spores can become airborne and make people sick. Many times people try to handle badly water damaged walls with out the know how of a contractor. They don't open the walls up enough, many times to save time and money. When this occurs the water damage gets worse and mold grows even more. I don't blame people for trying to save time and money, but the results can be a lot worse then if it was taken care of the first time correctly. Mold can also grow back, but the right steps to solve the moisture issues in a home and mold clean up can save a lot more money in the long run. Not to mention your health also. Regular exposure to severe mold issues can cause very serious health problems for people of all ages.

Once you have applied your antimicrobial solution you need to monitor the area to see if it has killed the mold in that area. Keeping the area dry will help to ensure that mold does not occur again.

Remember, safety first with all home projects.