I was asked recently what was meant on a Home Inspection Report ordered by the buyer on a recent Real Estate transaction. It said the crawl space had "Mold" or a "Mold like substance" in the crawl space.
I told her she wasn't alone; we get that calls like that everyday. Many homes built in the southeast suffer from poor moisture management. The mold is most likely aspergillus or penicillium, both very common in the crawl space. Crawl Space mold which exists because of excess moisture, can cause allergies and affect your family's health. A plumbing leak, poorly installed vapor barrier, water intrusion in the crawl space, or just warm humid air entering the crawl space resulting in condensation could be the source.
Alone or in combination these conditions will lead to mold growth. We recommend removal of any standing water, having a proper barrier installed with 100% of the ground covered, repairing plumbing leaks, if any, treating the wood with an appropriate fungicide and installing an EZ Breathe unit. This will serve as a dehumidifier, air purifier, and ventilation system and will keep the crawl space humidity below 50% and not allow mold to grow.
11 years ago
