Why Do I Have Mold In My Home?

"Why do I have mold in my house?" is a common question from our clients

. Most of us are familiar with, water leaks (roof or plumbing) causing excess moisture and eventually mold. In Moldstoppers of Virginia's experience this is not the most common cause of mold growth. At times mold infestations can appear random and indiscriminate, occurring in some of the less frequently visited areas of our homes; crawl spaces, basements and attics. Let's take a look at each of these areas and examine some of the typical reasons for mold.

Crawl Space Mold Homes are typically built on crawl spaces or basements. Most commonly a crawl space has two to four feet of clearance between grade (the ground) and the floor joists (the beams that hold your floor). We frequently find mold growing in crawl spaces. This mold will devour the wood's organic material and eventually degrade the structural integrity of the home. But why is there any mold if you haven't had a leak? Poor Circulation Virginia experiences four distinct seasons. The extreme changes in temperature also translate to drastic changes in humidity. Since most crawl spaces, particularly on older homes aren't conditioned, they are subject to these fluctuations. If the circulation in your crawl is inadequate it can cause condensation to develop and create a ideal environment for mold to flourish.

Inadequate Grading Few of us think about something as boring as the grade around our house. But if your yard does not effectively channel water AROUND the house, then it will channel the water into your crawl space wall. CMU's (Concrete Mason Unit, commonly called cinder blocks) are hollow on the inside and extremely porous. If water is directed to them they will absorb that water and it will transmit extra moisture in to the crawl. Again, adding moisture and creating a habitat conducive to mold growth.

Ground Water The ground is full of water. It's where we get much of our drinking water from. The elevation of the ground water supply fluctuates based on the geography of the area and on rain amounts. In areas of particularly high water tables and permeable soils excess moisture can intrude into the crawl space and dissipate into the air as relative humidity necessitates. This increases the humidity of the crawl and mold is able to grow.

Basement Mold A basement is the most cost effective way to gain square footage in your home. They can provide large open spaces for playrooms, media rooms, storage or a spare bedroom. Children can learn musical instruments in a basement without your neighbors putting cotton in their ears. However, basements are susceptible to mold for several common reasons. Drains Because a basement is below grade the drains for your house require pumps to push sewer water up and away from the house. This is why there are sump holes in basements. These pumps can fail, get clogged, short or lose power in storms. Basements also have drains for the stairs that lead directly outside. These drains are notorious for getting clogged and allowing water to flow over (and under) the threshold of the door into the living space. When one of these scenarios occurs a basement is susceptible to flooding. Water will absorb in to porous building materials such as wood, concrete, drywall and CMU and will remain unless adequately dried. The excessive humidity and moisture creates ideal mold habitat.

Inadequate Grading & Ground Water This tends to be a bigger problem with homes that have CMU (cinder block) basements rather than concrete basements. This is identical to the problems listed above for crawl spaces but now the water has found its way into your home, not under it. You will frequently see moldy damp walls as the water leaches through the block.

Poor Ventilation Sometimes rooms are built in basements as an after thought and HVAC ventilation isn't installed efficiently or effectively to remove and replace air. As the air remains stagnant and humidity builds and mold spores will find an excellent environment to grow.

Dust & Other Biological Material How often do you REALLY clean your basement? If it's unfinished then you may feel inclined to tackle it once a year with a spring cleaning. Over time dust and other biological materials build up. Dust is skin cells, hair cell, cob webs, bits and pieces of dead bugs and all manner of dead organisms. MOLD LOVES DUST. If you find for some reason the humidity in your basement rises (perhaps on that beautiful day outside when you turn off the AC and open the windows) you may also find yourself smelling the musty smell of mold or mildew.

Attic Mold other than a roof leak the most common cause of attic mold in our experience POOR VENTILATION. Similar to a crawl space attics are unconditioned and fluctuate based on the outdoor conditions. Attics have ventilation systems to allow for the transfer of air and humidity but sometimes these systems are inadequate or inhibited by a construction oversight. When the ventilation is unable to expel warm humid air built up during the day then when the temperature drops the moisture is squeezed out of the air and it condensates on the wood members. Attic Mold forms and will begin to degrade to roof sheathing and trusses/rafters.

Why Do I Have Mold In My Home?

By: David Young

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