Even if you only use your basement to store some stuff that you don’t use very often, that doesn’t mean you want mold to start growing on the walls, floor, and other places. Since basements are notorious for being prime places for mold growth, it’s important to know how to prevent this problem that can grow larger and larger as time goes on.
Monitor the Humidity Levels
While you may not have paid much attention to your basement’s humidity levels in the past, it’s time to rethink your strategy. To get started, you can purchase a hygrometer for only a few dollars and measure your basement’s humidity levels whenever you wish.
When doing so, remember that any levels higher than 45-50 percent can produce mold growth. If you do have high levels, don’t ignore them and the potential problems they are sure to bring your way.
Purchase a High-Quality Dehumidifier
If your hygrometer shows your basement’s humidity levels are unacceptable, then it’s time to spend some of your hard-earned dollars on a high-quality dehumidifier. Extremely energy-efficient and available in many different sizes and styles, running a dehumidifier in your basement will virtually guarantee any mold problems you may have been experiencing will disappear.
Don’t Clutter Up Your Basement
As someone who is determined to make mold prevention a much higher priority than it has been in the past, you will need to head down to your basement and start clearing out the clutter. While some folks may only have some furniture and other things stored in their basement, you may find you’ve got clothes, books, sporting equipment, and other things that are prime sources for mold growth.
As 58 Foundations technicians know, mold that starts growing on cloth, paper, or other surfaces will not only eat away at that surface but grow at a fast rate and thus spread to many other items you have in your basement. Instead of letting this happen, send some things to the junkyard, a climate-controlled self-storage unit, or another part of your home that has lower humidity levels. As for any items that stay in the basement, make sure they are not in direct contact with either the floor or walls.
Reduce Your Humidifying Factors
When you perform certain tasks in your basement such as laundry, you may not think this has anything to do with increasing the humidity levels. However, some of the things you may be doing are likely giving mold a perfect atmosphere in which to grow and spread. One of these involves hanging your wet clothes in the basement to dry since this puts an excessive amount of moisture in the air. Also, you should make sure your dryer is set up so that it exhausts to the outside. If it doesn’t, this will also put tremendous amounts of humidity back into your basement.
Now that you know how to prevent mold in your basement, you can make a few changes, have a dry basement, and gain peace of mind.
