Eliminate Basement Mold Permanently!

Eliminate Basement Mold Permanently!
This mold spore looks cute, but it can actually cause a lot of harm if not removed correctly.

This mold spore looks cute, but it can actually cause a lot of harm if not removed correctly.

Mold loves to grow in dark, moist places around your home. This makes your basement prime real estate for the intrusive fungi. But while common molds such as aspergillus, penicillium, and the dreaded “black mold” stachybotrys are unsightly and persistent, their negative effects go far beyond simple aesthetics. In fact, mold can cause serious health concerns like asthma or allergic reactions if left untreated. Cleaning mold can be a simple task for most homeowners, but many cases require a professional mold removal service.

Cleaning the Mold out of Your Basement

Below are a few simple steps you can take to clean the mold out of your basement:

  • Measure the mold colony area. Even if there are several small moldy areas in your basement, they may be part of a larger colony. Measure from the first visible spot of mold to the last.
  • Determine if you can do it yourself or if you need to call in the professionals. If the area is less than ten square feet, proceed to the next step. If it is larger, it’s time to call someone with experience to remove the basement mold.
    • Close any doors to your basement to keep mold spores from entering your house while you work.
    • With a sponge, wash over any moldy surfaces with warm soap and water. Remember to use goggles, gloves and a dust mask to protect yourself from the risk of illness.
    • Allow the area to air dry.
    • Wash the area again, this time using a solution of one-part bleach to four-parts water.
    • Wait twenty minutes, and then bleach again.
    • Wait another twenty minutes, and then bleach a third time.
    • Wait yet another twenty minutes, then wash with a borate-based detergent and warm water to help keep the mold from coming back.

This process will thoroughly eliminate basement mold, as well as mold anywhere else in your home, including your kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, and anywhere else that tends to get damp. 

Preventing Basement Mold

Basement mold thrives on moisture. Therefore, in order to sufficiently remove the mold, you’ll need to eliminate the source of moisture. The most common sources of moisture in a basement come from cracked walls. When water from the soil outside seeps into your basement, it practically invites mold spores to join along.

So now that you’ve cleaned the mold from your basement, you’re probably wondering how to prevent it from ever returning, right? It’s easy, really. Fix all leaking cracks or small holes in your basement walls with a concrete filler and sealant from your local hardware store. To sufficiently confine the cracks, and to prevent your wall from cracking again, apply StrongHold™’s Cracked Wall Repair Kit after stopping the leaks. The bi-directional carbon fiber straps counteract the shear forces that try to split your wall in two, keeping your basement bone dry and structurally stable.

StrongHold's cracked wall repair kit confines wall cracks, preventing basement mold from returning.

StrongHold’s cracked wall repair kit confines wall cracks, preventing basement mold from returning.

HJ3’s line of StrongHold™ carbon fiber products can help you get the job done yourself or send in a certified technician to do it for you. From basement repair to structural reinforcement, we provide the material and expertise you need. If you’d like more information about how StrongHold™’s system can prevent the return of basement mold, give us a call today: 877-303-0453

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