Our
basement is below ground. The walls and floor are concrete. It is
damp and cold, and we notice porous materials such as cloth suit
cases, rug (rolled up) etc. have some mold starting to show. What can
we do with such products to eliminate this situation?-Ira
, Massachusetts
Basements not subject to climate
control (heating in cold months and dehumidification in warm months
are at significant risk for mold infestation. The major reason for
this is that the lower temperatures (ground temperature is ~ 55oF)
causes the humidity to rise. For example air at 75o and
60% relative humidity becomes 100 % at ~ 60oF .
Once relative humidity levels exceed
70%, xerophilic mold species such as many species of Aspergillus
and some species of Penicillium begin to grow and infest
materials such as cardboard boxes, shoes, etc. Mold will grow on
anything that consists of organic matter and on the dust of items that
do not.
In an unfinished basement, stored
boxes easily become infested, particularly when stored on the floor.
In finished basements it is not uncommon for carpeting to become
infested particularly after it has seen some use. Though most modern
carpeting is synthetic and in theory should not support the growth of
mold, it often becomes infested as mold begins to use the dirt and
various forms of organic matter that accumulates in carpeting. The
use of carpeting in a basement is not a particularly good idea despite
its attractive qualities. Vinyl floor covering is preferred.
Most individuals that have basements
use them for storage. It is after all natural to do so. Most do not
realize mold infestation risks involved. This is the case even when
standing water is present from leaks in the foundation wall. Wet
materials will often develop infestation problems in a matter of days.
What does an individual do to salvage
their materials once they become infested and protect them from
becoming re-infested?
Once porous materials such as
cardboard boxes and other paper materials become infested, they in
most cases (save for important documents and keepsakes) should be
discarded. The cloth suit cases and stored clothing can be dry
cleaned. The solvent in dry cleaning not only kills the mold but it
also removes the odor. Ordinary everyday clothing can be washed in an
ordinary washing machine. The rug can also be dry cleaned and cleaned
by steam extraction (if it has a polyolefin backing).
Unless one climate controls a
basement to maintain relative humidity levels consistently below 60oF,
one should not store such materials as clothing, suit cases, boxes,
etc. in a basement.
September 10, 2004
Indoor Environmental Quality (2000), Thad Godish Ph.D.,
C.I.H
Direct E-mail
00tjgodish@bsu.edu
