What Can You Do When There's Mold in Crawl Space?

What’s that smell? Did you know that unhealthy mold levels are found in an estimated 45 million buildings in the U.S.? Mold doesn’t just create an unpleasant odor; it comes with a plethora of health issues.

Mold in crawl spaces is particularly prevalent, especially in older homes. So, how can you protect the health of your home and your family? Keep reading to learn what you need to do when you find some so that you can protect yourself.

The Causes of Mold in Crawl Spaces

Mold is caused by excessive levels of humidity, and crawl spaces are the perfect environment for mold to grow and thrive. Crawl spaces are unfinished, narrow areas between the bottom floor of a home and the ground for purposes of insulation. Most modern crawl spaces are built with a vapor barrier to cut down on moisture levels, but not all of them are.

When moisture and humidity levels in crawl spaces are frequently high in areas like crawl spaces, mold, and fungus growth can spread to the surrounding areas and structures. It will not only cause an unpleasant, earthy smell but could have harmful health effects.

Harmful Mold Types

Hazardous types of mold aren’t always easily identifiable. These mold types are commonly found in crawl spaces, basements, and similar areas:

Cladosporium is commonly found in the home and likely to grow in bathrooms, basements, and attics. It may present as green, brown, or black spots. It’s know to cause allergies/allergic reactions, asthma, eye, ear, or sinus infections, and skin problems.

Aspergillus is one of the most common, harmful types of mold that grows in homes. Of the 200+ species, 16 cause serious health risks to humans, including chronic and acute infections. People with weakened immune systems are at an exceptionally high risk for illnesses.

Stachybotrys is known to cause sick building syndrome (SBS). SBS refers to situations where people in a building come down with acute or chronic illnesses due to time spent in the building. Prolonged exposure is toxic.

Hiring a Professional for Crawl Space Mold Remediation

Crawl spaces need regular maintenance and inspection to make sure no hazardous molds and fungus are growing inside. It’s not something you want to take on yourself, so it’s best to get the help of a home crawl space cleaning expert. Our experts will assess your crawl space, identify issues like mold growth, or the potential for growth, pests, excessive dampness, etc.

Be sure to set a budget and discuss crawl space cleaning costs. Proper cleaning services are necessary for your home’s health and will help you save money in the long run. We can give you tips for improving your energy efficiency and protecting the area.

No More Mold

If your home has a crawl space, you need to have it check out. Mold in crawl spaces is typical and destructive to the health of you and your home. Our certified crawl space experts at Healthy Crawls are trained to assist you with all elements of crawl space maintenance.