5 Common Issues That Could Mean Mold is in Your Basement

Having pools of water or a flooding basement is hard to miss! If you see either of these, you know that you have some problems in your basement that need to be fixed right away!

But what if you were able to spot the early signs of an issue? You could be able to get them fixed before they become big issues or impact your family’s health.

So what are the common signs that you need to get your basement looked at?

1) Plumbing leaks and moisture

Your plumbing for your sinks, toilets, and showers all run through the basement. Take a good look at all the pipes and follow the length of them to see if you notice any moisture, drips, or bigger leaks. If they are hard to see, take a rag or paper towel to run along the pipes. Check it periodically to see if it is damp at all.

2) Discoloration or “dark spots” on wood

Look at where the wood meets the outer wall of your basement and the floor. If you see any spots that are darker than normal, it could be signs of the wood soaking up some water. Be sure to test the wood by poking it with a screwdriver. If it is soft at all or if pieces break off from the smallest amount of pressure, then that is a sure sign it is starting to rot.

3) Bowing of the outer wall

To spot this one, get your eyes as close as you can to the wall and look down the length of it. This is the same way you check to see if lumber is straight at the hardware store. If you see any bowing or an uneven surface, that’s a sign of a bigger issue and you will want to get that checked out ASAP.

4) A musty or foul smell

In this instance, the nose knows! Odd smells are usually because there is standing water or mold growing in your basement. It can also be a sign that a drainage system is blocked and there is standing water collecting in it. Or it could be that a poor drainage system was installed that doesn’t properly route water away from your home and isn’t keeping the moisture out.

5) Cracking or signs of past “repairs”

Just because you see signs of past repairs doesn’t necessarily mean that something is wrong. But unfortunately in many of the cases we see, if you have signs of past repairs along with any other of the signs we mentioned above, the repair likely wasn’t done correctly. If you have found any new cracks that have not been repaired, there is likely a bigger issue that needs to be addressed.

--

Having to deal with a leaky or moisture-prone basement is never fun! If you have water issues, it is likely that mold is present as well. Mold can easily contaminate the air you are breathing in every day throughout your house, even if the mold is only present in your basement. When it comes to your health, you can’t close the basement door and ignore any potential issues down there.

By regularly checking your basement for these signs, you can catch an issue early before it starts to affect your health or become an even bigger problem. If you’ve spotted any of these signs, give us a call today for a free inspection and estimate. No strings attached!

You can take the first step in making your home healthy by confirming your basement doesn’t have any of these signs.

Interested in scheduling an inspection? Just give us a call today.