If you have noticed a small patch of mold in your Chestnut Hill, MA basement, chances are high that there is more that you cannot see. An excavation company can help to protect your home from mold and mildew problems before they require a costly repair.
What Are Mold and Mildew?
Mold is a fungus that thrives in a warm, moist, dark environment. Mildew is similar in that it reproduces quickly in a warm, moist area, but it needs some light. Mildew can spread through the air through the ventilation system. While they are both fungi, mold can cause more damage because it typically ends up in places that are not easily seen.
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What Causes Mold and Mildew?
Any sort of persistent leak can be a breeding ground for mold and mildew in your home. Some sources are a leaky roof that allows the water to seep into the wood, creating the moist conditions they need to grow. They also require a food source, such as wood.
Poor drainage is a common reason that mold and mildew take root in your home. When water stands in the ground beside your foundation, it seeps into the wood and sheetrock to become a haven for fungi.
Faulty plumbing can allow water to leak into the spaces of your home that you can’t see, such as between the walls, to create a spot for fungi to thrive. This space has all of the ideal characteristics for them to thrive—dark, moist, and warm.
Oftentimes flooding can occur when the rain is heavy and pours into your basement or puddles around your home’s foundation. If the water is not removed and the space allowed to dry out, mold and mildew can take root and cause problems.
Too much humidity in your home can also lead to mold and mildew problems. Keeping your home at a low level of humidity keeps the walls and woodwork dried out, making it more difficult for mold and mildew to take hold.
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How Can an Excavation Company Help?
Draining water away from your home is the first line of defense to keep mold and mildew from finding a favorable place in the basement, roof, or any other part of your home.
Keeping the gutters clear of debris and clogs can allow the water from storms to flow freely from your roof into the gutters and down to the ground where it can flow away from the house. A professional drainage company can help you by keeping the gutters free of obstructions.
If you have standing water around your foundation, experts can install a French Drain, which is essentially a gravel filled trench that holds pipes with tiny holes for the water to seep into. This type of drain diverts the water away from your home and into a better spot for absorption back into the ground.
If you think you could have a drainage problem that is causing mold and mildew to thrive, the best solution is to contact your local landscape and drainage company for an inspection. Not only can they remedy your Chestnut Hill, MA, drainage problems, but they can also grade your yard to slope in a better direction for quick drainage of any type of water.