Mold on Concrete
Have you ever looked at your basement foundation walls and notice something growing on it? If so, you are not alone. This could be something hazardous, or it could be harmless.
We will look at what is growing and how to remove it correctly, not harm your dwelling or regrow after it has been removed. If you see something like mold on concrete, contact Mold Busters right away to get it professionally tested to ensure it is safe.
What causes mold on concrete?
Mold needs three things to survive and thrive:
- Mold needs an organic food source to grow and multiply
- It needs the correct environmental temperature to colonize and expand
- Finally, mold needs a damp, wet environment to survive.
Concrete is, by nature, porous. Therefore, if there is high humidity or water intrusion, the concrete will hold that water content and provide mold with the water source needed to colonize.
It would be best if you always kept your basements dry by using a dehumidifier and keeping temperatures elevated. If there is water pooling outside around your foundations, you may have a drainage issue causing water to creep inside and provide a water source for the mold colony.
Signs of mold on concrete?
To know if you have mold growth on your concrete, you can first see what the “growth” looks like. Sometimes, a reaction with water and concrete creates the mineral growth called efflorescence. This can look like a white mold type growth coming out of your concrete structures.
If you see any growth happening on your concrete, contact Mold Busters to have a professional inspector visit your location and test the affected area to see if you have mold or not.
If the growth is brown, green, or black, the chances are that it is some mold colony growing on your concrete surfaces. At this point, you should not touch the affected area as mold spores are highly transportable via air currents. If you even walk by a mold colony, you could spread it to other areas of your home.
Did you know?
Chaetomium is the 2nd common toxic mold type found in homes we tested?! Find out more exciting mold stats and facts inside our mold statistics page.
What does mold on concrete look like?
Mold on concrete can look like any number of different things. It depends on what classification of mold is growing on the surface of your concrete. It could be white, black or green.
Mold can be harmless or harmful regardless of color, so you should have a professional from Mold Busters visit your property for an expert inspection.
If you mistake black mold for mildew and try to clean it off, you could spread it to the rest of your home. Certain black molds grow in circular formations and are easy to spot; however, this is not always the case.
This mold should be treated in the same way as any mold colony growing inside your home.
Is mold on concrete dangerous?
As with any mold, mold on concrete can be dangerous to your health. If the mold colony is growing inside your home, professional remediation needs to be performed as not to spread the mold spores to other places in the home.
The risks of having mold growing on your concrete surfaces are twofold. The first risk of having mold in your building or home is health concerns. Mold causes a variety of sicknesses and illnesses if you come in contact with it. Therefore, having it removed the correct way is essential to the health of your dwelling.
Mold Busters will provide all of your needed inspection and remediation services to ensure that your home is 100 percent safe while the remediation is being completed.
How to identify mold on concrete?
If you think you have mold growing on your concrete surfaces, you can look at few things to see if it is indeed mold.
Color of the growth pattern. If it is white, black, brown, or green, it could be a mold colony growing on your surfaces.
The shape of the growth. Are there circular patterns? What about a “climbing” growth pattern from the floor up the wall? If so, this is a good indication of a mold colony growing on the concrete surfaces.
If you see any stains, growth patterns, or other concerning objects growing on your concrete walls, contact a professional at Mold Busters and have a complete inspection done to confirm the growth is, in fact, mold. If you’re in the Montreal or Ottawa area, our teams are ready to assist you with comprehensive mold inspection and removal services.
How to prevent mold on concrete?
As mentioned earlier, mold needs three conditions to thrive:
- Water source
- Food source, and
- Proper temperature.
If you remove one or more of those, you stop the mold from growing.
To keep your basement safe, you can do some easy steps to ensure your home is mold-free. First, make sure you have a dehumidifier and it is operating correctly. A dry basement is a healthy basement. Keep the temperature a little warmer in the basement since relative humidity (RH) decreases as temperature increases.
Keep your basement clean and clear of unnecessary organic materials like dirt, old newspapers, and other items like that. If you need to keep things, make sure they are in a storage container to keep them and your basement safe.
How to remove mold on concrete?
The answer to this question is straightforward. It would be best if you did not touch mold growing in your home by yourself. It needs to be remediated by a professional, who are appropriately trained and certified to inspect and remediate any mold in your home.
To properly remove mold, you need to have a full containment created so that the spores do not travel to other home areas. Furthermore, it would be best if you had complete personal protective equipment (PPE) as well. Failure to do either of these will compromise the health of your home, as well as yourself.
Leave it to the professionals at Mold Busters, and feel safe that your home is in the right hands to diagnose and remediate the mold growing in your home. If you’re unable to have an in-person inspection, we also offer a free virtual mold inspection service to help identify potential mold issues.
Frequently asked questions
Can mold grow on concrete?
Yes. Mold can grow on any surface if the right conditions are met.
Will bleach or vinegar kill mold on concrete?
Technically, yes. Bleach or vinegar can kill the mold organism. However, it’s not enough to kill it. It needs to be removed from your home. Just washing the area with a solution does not effectively do the right job.
The dead mold spores can still cause sicknesses, and while trying to clean the mold with solution, you can spread spores to other areas before they are killed, causing more colonies to form. Remediation by a Mold Busters professional team is the correct way to remove and kill mold in your home.
Should you paint over mold on concrete?
Painting over mold is never a good idea on any surface. You will spread mold spores while introducing more moisture into the colony, providing further growth. It will look as if it was covered for a few days, and afterward, it will return to an area bigger than before it was painted. Remediation is the correct way to get rid of mold on concrete.
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Published: August 9, 2021 Updated: August 3, 2023
Written by:
Steven Adams
AMRT, WRT, ASD
Mold Busters
Fact checked by:
Michael Golubev
CEO
Mold Busters
