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One of the Worst Effects of a Leaky Basement: The Growth of Mold

Leaky Basement TorontoMold is not a bad “thing” in absolutely every context; after all penicillin is a species of mold and that’s saved millions of lives since it was first discovered. While outdoors many types of mold are responsible for decomposing tons of organic matter on a daily basis (which is vitally important by the way), when allowed to grow in the home environment, mold can cause a wide range of problems. One place in the home that you are likely to find mold in more than others is the basement area. Thousands of homes in Toronto suffer moisture problems in the basement area every single year, and a leaky basement represents the perfect environment for it to grow in.

What Causes Mold to Begin Growing?

There are essentially four things that need to be present in order for mold to thrive. These things are moisture, mold spores, mold food and the correct temperatures. Mold spores, which aren’t actually visible to the human eye, are almost impossible to control since they are present in almost every space that we inhabit. Mold food (although all three of the other conditions must be met for this to become a factor) is equally difficult to control since mold will virtually survive on anything that contains carbon atoms. In terms of temperature, mold enjoys the same type of temperature range that we do, making your home a great “home” for mold too. That leaves moisture, which is essential to the existence of mold, yet the most controllable of the four requirements. A leaky basement must be therefore avoided at all costs if mold growth is going to be prevented.

What Problems Could Mold Growth in a Leaky Basement Lead to?

“Why is it important to ensure that mold doesn’t grow in my property?” may seem like a straightforward question to answer, but there are a number of effects that many people simply aren’t aware of, such as:

  • Potential Health Problems – While most types of mold that grow in places with the right conditions, such as a leaky basement, pose no threat to us at all, roughly 10 percent of people are considered “sensitive to mold allergens.” If these people are exposed to mold, they can experience a range of health-related problems including rashes, coughing, sinus congestion, difficulty breathing and watering eyes. In extreme cases, toxic varieties of mold (“black mold” being one of these), which release chemicals called mycotoxins , can lead to the development of serious health conditions even in otherwise healthy individuals.
  • Foul Smell – The first thing that you’ll notice when you walk into a space suffering from mold growth, such as in a leaky basement, is a pungent smell that isn’t at all agreeable with your nose. This is because many varieties of mold growth produce compounds called mVOCs (Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds) as a by-product.
  • Visual Impact – You’ve almost certainly seen some kind of mold growth in your property at one time or another (it does grow pretty darn rapidly). It doesn’t look attractive does it? It certainly doesn’t enhance the appearance of the room; it takes something away from it. If you don’t sort a leaky basement out rapidly, fairly quickly huge sections of the walls will become covered in it and may even spread to any items that are being stored in this area.

If you live in Toronto, Maple, Richmond Hill, King City, Stouffville, Newmarket or Aurora and you are battling a leaky basement and not having much success, contact our team today for professional assistance. Not only can we clean up the mold and stop the problem that’s causing it (the presence of moisture), but we will explain how you can avoid the same problem occurring again in the future. We are an experienced plumbing contractor having been leading the industry locally for many years and offer emergency plumbing services too. Visit us on Google+

Contact us today for your leaky basements questions