Mold can quickly gain a foothold indoors

Mold can quickly gain a foothold indoors

The recent flooding in North Dakota is serving as an example of just how quickly problems like excessive basement moisture can escalate into a full-blown mold problem.
According to the state’s KXMC-TV, mold can appear in a home as soon as 48 hours after excessively moist conditions appear. And it doesn’t take a high-profile flood or major weather event to cause serious problems for homeowners. In many cases, elevated levels of humidity are sufficient to let mold thrive in almost any part of the house, especially in the basement and crawl spaces.
“It’ll grow on any kind of organic material from wall boards to carpets to your clothes, so when you think drying stuff out, think everything,” environmental specialist Lila Marquart is quoted as saying in the report.
Worse, the report also says that mold can grow inside of a person’s body, leading to lung and sinus infections. Less extreme health conditions are also possible, including respiratory irritations and asthma.
Given the household damage and health problems that mold can quickly cause, it may make sense to consider taking steps to keep spores and moisture from getting a foothold in your home.