Crawl Space Mold Remediation Services

Mold in the crawl space will almost always have a lower impact on indoor air quality than visible mold indoors. The crawl space may have increased impact on indoor air if it is pressurized. Pressurization of the space can occur via heating and cooling ducts, air infiltration through foundation vents, or differences in temperature.

Mold is common in crawl spaces and can usually be found to some extent in small areas. This can become more pronounced as a home ages or ground moisture problems are left uncorrected.

Uncorrected mold growth in crawl spaces may affect the resale value of your home even if it isn’t a health issue. It may even prohibit the sale to potential buyers in the future. We recommend fixing any mold issues in the crawl space before listing your house for sale.

It is true that mold releases spores into the surrounding environment when agitated. Physical disturbance or even air currents can cause this release. Spraying the surface with a cleaner will produce the same result, albeit not to the same extent as physical agitation.

When removing mold from the affected area(s) of a building, it may be important to prevent spores from spreading to unaffected areas. For large areas of concern, or more sensitive occupants, isolating the affected area from the rest of the home may be the best option. We can minimize the spread of spores from one area to another using airflow, positive and negative pressures, or containment barriers (like plastic sheeting).

According to the EPA, “You may suspect hidden mold if a building smells moldy, but you cannot see the source…”

As molds grow they produce compounds released into the air known as microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOC’s). The “musty” smell that people often associate with mold growth can be attributed to these compounds. They generally are good indicators that mold is growing somewhere in the home.

Smells can be very hard to describe without referring to other odors, so we often hear that my house smells “musty” or “earthy” or “gross” or some other word that people use to try and tell us what’s going on. From experience, we have found that many times these unpleasant odors are associated with other sources such as mice nesting or sewer gas. Unfortunately, until you have experienced various odors first hand many times, it can be hard to tell the difference.

The more history that is known about a house, the easier it is to narrow down the source of an unpleasant odor. The occurrence of water damage in the past, the presence of mice, or recent plumbing problems can all help to determine where the odor is coming from and what the solution is to resolve it.