Should You Dehumidify Before Cleaning Mold From Your Crawl Space?

Michael Rubino

February 4

Dealing with mold involves eliminating any issues that could allow the colony to continue thriving. Here's how humidity plays a role.

You probably don't spend much time in the crawl space below your house. However, keeping a close eye on it is important to ensure the shallow, unfinished area doesn't suddenly become covered with mold. Designed to contain your home's plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems in an easily accessible spot that costs less than a basement, crawl spaces are frequently damp due to poor ventilation and drainage. Because of these conditions, it's easy for fuzzy or slimy mold to quickly take hold, growing on the soil, walls, and wood beams. If this happens, the mold should be removed as soon as possible — and you should dehumidify the area before doing so, according to mold and air quality expert and HomeCleanse founder Michael Rubino.

In an exclusive interview with House Digest, Rubino said dehumidifying is a crucial aspect of remediation because it's important to resolve issues that led to mold in the first place. "If the humidity remains high, mold can begin growing once again in the crawlspace," he said. "This means that the monetary investment in remediation will need to be made again." Rubino says the main reason to dehumidify first is to immediately start limiting exposure to the most common types of mold for anyone living in your home. "When humidity is too high, it can cause microbial growth, poor indoor air quality, and structural issues in the building," he warned.

Read More Here: https://www.housedigest.com/1772632/should-dehumidify-before-clean-mold-crawl-space/

Michael Rubino
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Michael Rubino is your mold and indoor air quality expert.

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