The Smell of Mold; What Does It Cost?

Many people may not understand why mold exists but behind this awful creature, there is a purpose. Its purpose is to breakdown or eat dead and wet organic matter. Organic means it is a material that was once living, such as wood. Mold sends out spores everywhere, and our building materials and contents of our homes are made from organic materials, this factor cannot be controlled. The only one that we can control in our homes is the moisture. Mold needs 70% relative humidity to grow. It releases airborne spores or, 'seeds', which are so light they float on the slightest air currents, off to find more suitable places to grow. 

You can not find a doctor who says mold in a home is good. You can not find a doctor who says mold in your home is "not bad". It is bad. It is all bad. Besides irritating people with asthma and mold allergies, studies show that prolonged exposure to mold can actually cause asthma. 

What is the design 'life' of a house? In other words, how long do you want your house to last without needing major repairs? If the answer is longer than 10, 15 or 25 years, then you had better fix your dirt crawl space that is filled with mold. By not fixing your dirt crawl space, over the life of the house, you are paying many times more than it costs to fix the issue now.  Think about it... what is cheaper: replacing the floors and paying higher energy bills, or fixing the dirt crawl space? Answer: fixing your dirt crawl space. 

Credit: Lawrence Janesky