Mold can be a sign of many things in your home. For one, it can be a sign of leaking pipes, poor ventilation, or many other issues. Ironically, homeowners overlook one of the most likely culprits: foundational damage.
Something’s off if you see mold growing in your home, but how can a sinking foundation cause harmful mold growth? Here’s how.
Mold: The Least Fun Fungus
Mold exists everywhere in nature and is an undeniable part of life. Despite negative connotations, outdoor mold aids in breaking down decaying organic matter and facilitates decomposition processes that are essential for our environment.
As a fungus, mold reproduces and travels via minuscule spores, which HVAC systems can sometimes filter out. However, when mold spores enter homes, they attach to wet surfaces and multiply rapidly, which is why mold thrives in moist environments.
What Causes Mold Growth in Your Home?
Generally, your home’s protective walls and ventilation system should work to keep the indoor humidity level consistently low. However, when the foundation is compromised, cracks in and around your home can develop, leaving vulnerabilities in walls, windows, gaps, and corners, letting in outside moisture and mold spores.
During incredibly humid months or rainy seasons, mold grows quickly within exposed homes. To make matters worse, mold patches grow rapidly in poorly ventilated areas that most homeowners might not frequent or be able to see at first glance, like crawlspaces. When these spores spread, mold can grow under floors, behind drywall, and in all the least convenient places, unbeknownst to the unsuspecting homeowner.
Also, moldy walls and excessive moisture can be attributed to leaking pipes and bad plumbing, which also indicates a foundation in desperate need of repair. When homes sink, the internal plumbing can be crushed or shifted, with pipes bursting under the weight of the house or becoming unattached to their pipelines. This causes dripping, or worse, flooding, which will inevitably lead to mildew and mold, if not extreme water damage.
Other Signs of Foundational Damage
Mold growth is one of many signs of foundational damage. As mentioned, the usual first sign of foundational damage cracks in walls. Other signs that you should start inspecting your foundation a bit more carefully are damp basements, cracks in floors and walls, uneven floors, and gaps between windows and doors. In extreme cases, you might even be able to see stair-step cracks along bricks on the outside of your home. At this point, you’re likely long overdue for some major repairs.
See Mold? Call an Expert
If you’ve noticed mold or any other signs of foundational damage, call the experts at WTX Foundation to inspect your foundation, especially if you find no evidence of anything else causing mold growth. We’re here for you and your foundation in Amarillo, Dallas – Ft. Worth Metroplex, Lubbock, New Mexico, and other nearby areas.