Everyone has heard of mold. It is a fungus that occurs mainly in the dark and damp areas of a house and once it occurs, it almost always comes back and that is because mold is not easy to get rid of until careful measures are taken.
Many a times people realize they have a mold infestation only after the house begins to smell somewhat peculiar and that happens when the mold has spread substantially and that means the possible loss of items and also health hazards like difficulty breathing, skin irritations, sore throats, etc.
What Can Be Done?
The first thing to do is to understand that mold can happen at any time and an understanding of how it looks, where it can grow... and what it likes to grow on, can help a lot to find it in the early stages and to get rid of it.
There are many types of basement mold, contrary to popular belief and knowing the common forms may help a person find them when they clean their basement.
Common Types
The four major types of mold that you can find are:
Aspergillus: This is a very common type of basement mold and there are more than 150 sub types of this found in nature. This mold likes to grow on organic items that are stored and left undisturbed for long duration.
Many people use their basements to store grains, fabrics made of plant-based materials, and even use cotton based items in their basement and these are favorites of this type of mold. They are easily identifiable as they grow in a circular form and are light in color.
It is a good idea to not leave grains of organic substances still for a long time and to add to that, some ventilation can help deter the growth of this type of mold.
Cladosporium: This type of mold is found in about 30 variants and these specifically like to grow on surfaces like plywood, paint, and fiberglass. These molds need very high humidity of about 50% and grow in a very peculiar way that is again quite easily identifiable.
They are dark in color and may be completely black or even green in appearance. The easiest way to identify them is by focusing on their texture as they seem powdery.
Strachybotrys: This type of basement mold is commonly known as 'black' mold, and also called toxic black mold. These can mostly be found around leaky pipes or in water damaged areas. Many people have even seen this type of mold without knowing what it is; this type of mold appears black and shiny and grows in streaks.
One thing to know about this type of mold is that it grows very slowly and can only flourish if a water damaged area is left untreated for a long time. It is important to get rid of this type of mold as early as possible as it releases mycotoxins that cause various health issues.
If a person spots Stachybotrys growth in their basement, it is a good idea for them to consult a professional who will remove them effectively and fast because these types of mold also create favorable conditions for the other molds to grow.
Fusarium: The fourth major type of basement mold; Fusarium likes to grow in the soil or on plants. These are also quite common as they are found in more than 70 variants. One special need for these molds is very wet areas where they can grow and keeping the basement dry can lessen the possibility.
Mold can be quite harmful to the property and to health and it is a good idea to learn about it so it is identified in time.
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