Fungus in the underground of a wooden house: how to get rid of mold in the basement

Black mold and mildew appear in dark, damp conditions and lack of fresh air. Therefore, it is not surprising that dark spore plaque, as well as white mucus, cover the walls of cellars, basements and even the foundation. Today we’ll look at how to get rid of mold in the basement and fungus in the underground.

Remedies for basement mold

Basements and cellars are buried in the top layer of the earth, so dampness will be felt here constantly. This is due not only to the lack of sunlight, but also to underground water that can seep inside, as well as temperature changes that provoke the formation of condensation.

If there is poor ventilation, an unpleasant musty smell of mold will very quickly appear, which you will have to fight.

Traces of mold, fungal spores and foul odor should be removed at the first suspicion of their presence. Letting the situation take its course means facilitating the rapid proliferation of harmful microorganisms that infect everything around, causing damage not only to property, but also to human health.

There are many means to cope with the problem. Some of them are produced by the chemical industry and can easily be found on the shelves of hardware stores. Others may be at hand, and are included in recipes known to great-grandmothers - these are everyone’s favorite folk remedies.

Home remedies are only appropriate for minor areas of mold damage . When the fungus penetrates deep into the structure of the material, folk remedies are powerless. What to do in this case is to take more radical measures. It is possible to even call specialists of the appropriate profile to take care of the sanitation of the basement or foundation.

When working with products, do not forget about their harmful qualities. Therefore, you should first of all protect yourself by wearing a protective suit, gloves, a respirator, and sometimes safety glasses. You need to be wary of chemical burns on your body and inhalation of harmful fumes.

Copper sulfate and lime

The most affordable means is whitewashing surfaces with slaked lime. But if you enhance the effect of the chalk composition by adding copper sulfate, you can get rid of mold in the underground more effectively. Each product is diluted separately in a small amount of water. In this case, take 100 g of vitriol and 1 kg of lime.

It must be remembered that the lime solution is poured in a thin stream into the vitriol solution, and not vice versa.

Lemon acid

Citric acid can be called an ideal tool for removing fungus and the smell of rot when it comes to small lesions. In this case, the composition should be quite concentrated - 100 g of powder per 1 liter of water.

It is not rational to use citric acid over large areas due to the high cost of the resulting composition.

Chlorine and Whitening against mold

Disinfectants include preparations containing chlorine (the well-known one is “Whiteness”, which is used everywhere even in the food industry). You will need a fairly concentrated solution to remove the fungus in the basement.

Treating mold with white is simple:

Pour several bottles of bleach into a bucket.
If necessary, dilute with water according to the instructions.
Using a broom, brush or spray bottle, generously moisten the affected surface with white.
Dry the room.

Chlorine vapors are harmful to the nasopharynx and eyes, so precautions should be taken. At a minimum, a carbon respirator and goggles. A complete set is desirable - overalls and gas mask. There must be forced ventilation at the time of processing.

Combustible sulfur bombs

You can get rid of fungus in the basement with a smoke screen of sulfur (using a flammable bomb). It is enough to place the checker in a metal container with a stable bottom and set it on fire. first close all ventilation openings in the underground . After a few hours, the mold and smell of rot will disappear for a long time. The flammable substance itself quickly evaporates.

During the disinfection procedure (or better yet, for a couple of days), people and animals will have to leave the house.

Torch or blowtorch

Some try to fight fungal spores with fire using burners. At the moment, the product gives an effect, but does not eliminate the appearance of new rot , since it is not a disinfectant.

Hydrochloric acid

Hydrochloric acid will help get rid of mold for a long time (it can completely destroy spores) if you thoroughly treat all surfaces with it. The solution is made weakly concentrated (instructions to help), and it is used to treat not only the walls, floor and ceiling, but also shelves, racks, and containers. In this case, all food in the cellar should be removed .

Hydrochloric acid, even in low concentrations, can cause burns. Therefore, you will need fairly dense protection for all parts of the body.

The list of folk remedies can be endless, but all of them are short-term if the root cause of the formation of fungi and mold is not eliminated!

Recommendations for treating surfaces affected by fungus

You can use one of the previously described remedies or prepare another. For example, you can mix 1 cup of borax and 4 quarts of water in a large bucket, pour the solution into a spray bottle, and spray small areas with it. Large areas must be treated with a brush and mop. Blot the floor with this liquid. Wait about 10-15 minutes and scrub the floor with a brush. Blot it again with the solution and repeat again.

If necessary, the same solution can be used to treat parquet boards. Vacuum the floor thoroughly to remove dead mold. Wet the coating and floor again with a small amount of the solution and leave to dry for a couple of days. To help the areas treated with the solution dry faster, turn on the air conditioner or heater.

Borax will prevent the fungus from reoccurring. Replace baseboards and flooring. Before bringing things back into the house, treat them with a solution of borax and water.

How to get rid of mold in the basement and underground of a private house

It is not enough to choose one of the means to remove rot in the basement and cellar - you also need to properly prepare the room for disinfection, as well as pay attention to waterproofing and establish a ventilation system.

Cleaning (room preparation)

Before processing the basement, it must be prepared.

All food and items stored in the basement are removed . The shelves are removed and taken outside along with the racks. The same is done with containers. If the floor of the room is covered with boards, they should also be removed.
All wooden elements must be thoroughly dried outside under the sun. Therefore, it makes more sense to carry out disinfection in the summer, when it is a dry, windless day. After this, you need to treat the wooden surfaces with disinfectants in 2-3 layers. If the material is significantly susceptible to damage, it is better to get rid of shelves and racks, replacing them with new, pre-disinfected ones.
Metal structures and containers are washed, cleaned of rust and disinfected. Then they should be painted using a pre-bactericidal primer.
Concrete and brick walls of the cellar are thoroughly cleaned with a wire brush . All rot stains must be removed. If the walls are plastered, it is recommended to knock down the layer of plaster riddled with spores.
In the version with an earthen floor, it is necessary to remove the top layer of soil in which spore fungi can live.

Having finished with the preparation, begin to disinfect all surfaces using a whitewash brush. In versions with copper sulfate, slaked lime and chlorine-containing preparations, it is convenient to distribute the solution over surfaces using a spray bottle. For clarity, you can watch the video.

Waterproofing, treatment and wall covering

The main reason for the development of mold is considered to be dampness, so you should worry about waterproofing the walls of the basement. Before starting work, the basement should be thoroughly dried. To do this, you can use electric fireplaces or an industrial hair dryer.

After inspecting the walls, remove crumbling surfaces and open up existing cracks, which should then be sealed.
You can coat it with special solutions such as Penetron or Aquastop; these products can stop water from penetrating into the basement.
Depending on the depth of the defect, a sand concrete solution or plaster for wet rooms is used.
For reliability, you can apply an additional layer of cement putty.
After allowing the composition to dry, treat the walls and ceiling with an antifungal agent.

A good insulation solution is a second wall, which should be 3-5 cm away from the main wall to eliminate the risk of condensation. A moisture-resistant material is used as a false wall, in which several holes must be made for ventilation.

It is advisable to fill the floor with a concrete screed and ensure that no gaps form in it. Waterproofing of the floor will be provided by a drainage layer, for which it is best to use expanded clay.

If water constantly penetrates into the basement, only external waterproofing will help; the problem cannot be solved from the inside.

Ventilation against dampness

The cellar ventilation system is installed during the construction of the house; in theory, it should completely remove dampness from the basement. If it does not cope with its function, then it should be improved a little . You can remove 2 additional pipes from the room - one at floor level, the other under the ceiling.

Another option is holes in the door leading to the basement, or cracks around its perimeter. All this will ensure air movement, bringing a fresh flow inside. You can also install forced exhaust.

How to fill the underground from dampness

Builders do not have a clear opinion regarding filling the underground space.

Some believe that in this way you can make the house much warmer, others, on the contrary, believe that this will lead (especially with high groundwater) to rotting of wooden boards and floor elements. Because moisture from the soil will seep out more intensely and settle as condensation on the tree.

In our opinion, materials such as slag and expanded clay are much more suitable than clay.

How to remove dampness in the basement and underground of a private house:

To prevent the filler from getting wet on the ground, waterproofing (roofing material, rubemast, glass insulation, or, in extreme cases, dense reinforced greenhouse film) is laid to cut off groundwater.
The edges of the waterproofing are turned up vertically so that it is between the filling material and the foundation base.

If you decide to fill with clay, then this should be done according to the rules that are used when constructing a clay castle. To put it briefly, they take fatty clay, leave it in a heap next to the house for the winter, then use it by laying crumpled clay under the house in the underground space and compacting it.

This minimizes the moisture conductivity of the clay compared to ordinary clay.

Reasons for appearance

The main reason for mold to appear anywhere is high humidity. In this case, it may occur due to:

condensation that forms in the underground due to temperature differences in winter (it’s warmer inside than outside);
air stagnation.

Additional factors:

There is no insulation and/or waterproofing (of the foundation outside, as well as the ceiling of the first floor).
There is no anti-corrosion protection (coating) on the surface of the underground.
Use of wooden materials (especially without anti-corrosion treatment).
Air stagnation (no or insufficient number of ventilation holes).
Lack of control on the part of the owners: often the problem is discovered only when mold and dampness become noticeable in the living rooms.
Humid climate in the region: frequent and prolonged rains.
Wet soil.

Mold formation under the floor
Most often, the reasons are the first 5 points, either all together or partially. If the foundation is insulated and waterproofed, and the space is ventilated, then even with other factors, the fungus will not appear, or it will, but slowly.

Why is mold in the basement dangerous?

Mold pockets in the underground are harmful to the entire building as a whole.

Two main problems may develop:

acceleration of the destruction of wooden structures under the floors and the floors themselves, damage to finishing materials: floor coverings on the first floor, finishing of the bottom of walls in rooms on the first floor;
spread of mold spores into the residential part of the building: mold can spread throughout the house.

Problems can also arise for residents: mold microorganisms can cause a number of allergic and autoimmune diseases. Residents with asthma may experience frequent asthma attacks and exacerbations. Problems with the skin, respiratory system, and immune function may develop.

How to understand that there is a fungus in the underground?

If you notice that the underground is damp, but now there is no fungus, there will be no miracle: it will appear soon.

If there is already mold deposits, then detecting it in most cases is not problematic: it is enough to carefully inspect the underground

Pay special attention to corners and places where moisture accumulates (condensation)

Mold outbreaks are not visible to the naked eye immediately after their appearance.

If you do not notice a whitish coating, then pay attention to the air in the underground space. If it is stale, noticeably damp, musty, damp, then it is advisable to improve the microclimate

It happens that owners forget to check the underground. In particularly advanced cases, mold can appear on the ground floor, in the corners of rooms and along the bottom of the walls. It is likely that it arose precisely because of the unfavorable conditions below, under the floor covering.

What to do with the foundation if groundwater passes nearby

Often the reason for the development of rot is groundwater penetrating into the underground, which is located quite close to the surface of the earth. This factor can be eliminated by a number of actions. If a drainage system was not provided outside, then there will be water on the floor in the basement .

The groundwater level under the foundation of a house can be artificially lowered by installing a drainage system outside. It should be buried below the expected groundwater level, while providing layering . This will prevent moisture from penetrating into the underground and will keep the ground around the house dry. Then fungus is unlikely to appear on the foundation.

Preparation

First you need to prepare a room for removing the fungus.

No matter what product is used to remove spores, the room must be completely cleaned. Take out all the seams, food and everything else that is in your cellar. Only clean walls and ceilings should remain in the basement. Everything will have to be endured.

If the shelves are also covered with a black or green coating, leave them and treat them too.

Only after clearing the basement of all items can it be processed.

How to get rid of fungus in the underground of a wooden house

The smaller the basement, the more difficult it is to ensure normal air circulation in it. Therefore, special attention is paid to openings in underground walls . They must be end-to-end with access to the street and located opposite each other at a height of at least 40 cm from ground level. The optimal ones are squares with sides of 15-20 cm, covered with mesh (to prevent the penetration of rodents and debris).

Treating a small room with disinfectants containing harmful fumes is dangerous for humans . Therefore, in order to get rid of mold in the basement of a wooden house, it is better to use slightly different methods of combating mold, determining how to eliminate the problem.

The same smoke bombs as described above will do.
You can use hydrochloric acid, but in a different way - pour it over table salt. In this case, the container should be glass or ceramic, and it should be placed on the floor in the center of the room.
White moss powder absorbs harmful spores well. It is poured into metal containers and placed in the corners of the basement.

In a wooden house, using an electric fireplace to dry the underground room is risky due to the possibility of fire. The option of a professional hairdryer in a small basement is also out of the question. Here you can apply popular recommendations - lay out heated ceramic bricks in the underground on the ground along the walls . They absorb moisture well and can be heated several times.

If possible, whitewashing the inside of the walls can help. You can also mix lime with underground soil.

How to get rid of mold on boards and joists

If the damage is not significant, watch the video instructions on YouTube. In case of serious areas of rot, it is recommended to cut out the boards with joists and replace them with new ones treated with bioprotection.

Sulfur checker

This method is the most effective for treating basements. It lies in the fact that by removing fungal plaque in visible and accessible areas, you destroy the remaining unnoticed areas of parasites. This is done using smoke from burning sulfur.

Having sealed all the holes, closing the windows and doors in the room being treated, it is necessary to place a basin with a sulfur bomb in its center. Then you should set fire to the sulfur and immediately leave the room, tightly closing the door behind you. Acrid smoke will gradually fill it. You will be able to enter here only after 12 hours. After this time, you can open the basement, ventilate it and dry it.

How to Get Rid of Mold in a Garage Basement

Some car owners make their garage multifunctional by arranging basements there to store food supplies for the winter (especially those who live in apartment buildings do this). Typically, such cellars are an addition to the inspection hole and do not take up much space. Therefore, a slightly different method is required to remove fungus and mold.

Treatment of the garage against mold in the basement is carried out by all available means described above, BUT:

The use of hydrochloric acid will have to be avoided , since its vapors can damage the metal parts of the machine and tools.
It is also risky to use chlorine-containing products in small rooms without ventilation.
Burners and smoke bombs are excluded due to the proximity of fuels and lubricants and rags.

An effective option to get rid of mold in a garage basement is lime whitewash. It is also recommended to spread slaked lime on the shelves and floor of the cellar - it absorbs moisture well and neutralizes fungal spores.

Overview of the antiseptic products market

When folk remedies are useless, heavy artillery enters the battle - highly effective chemical solutions that are used both for prevention (initial treatment) and for “treating” already damaged elements. Let's look at the popular antiseptics that can be found on the shelves of construction supermarkets.

Wood for the external cladding of a house, like all elements of decorative interior design, must be processed without fail, otherwise the risk of damage is very high.

Tikkurila Valti - has excellent protective properties even in difficult atmospheric conditions, contains natural oils, and prevents the formation of mold. Volume 2.7 l – 1500 rub.

Let’s name several manufacturers of antiseptics that are popular and regularly occupy the top lines of the ratings:

Tikkurila. Known for a large range of multi-component impregnations that can protect wood in the most difficult conditions. Pay attention to Valtti Pohjuste deep penetration primer, Vinha covering solution. Tinted impregnation-glaze Valtti Color (Extra, Satin, Primer series) penetrates deep into wood fibers and does not form a film, as a result of which wooden products look natural.

Senezh The most reliable antiseptic is for deep impregnation, ideal for treating facades. It is not washed out by water and is able to protect wood in difficult weather conditions. Senezh Ecobio is designed for use inside the home, and Aquadecor was created specifically for decoration. There are many positive reviews about Senezh protective equipment for saunas and baths.

Belinka. Suitable for processing internal and external wooden surfaces. BELINKA BASE contains a concentrated portion of biocides, BELOCID is suitable for both prevention and treatment of contaminated surfaces

BELINKA IMPREGNANT is a colorless impregnation, good where it is important to preserve the natural texture of the fibers.

Aquatex. Perfectly protects logs, boards, lining, chipboards from mold and wood-boring beetles

Has more than 10 tinted options. The solution is used as a primer or impregnation.

Neomid. A well-known Russian brand with a wide range of antiseptic products. NEOMID 440 ECO effectively protects wood products in rooms with high humidity, NEOMID 400 is used for processing interior parts, NEOMID 46 BiO protects lumber from mold damage.

The list can be continued with the names of alternative products: Dufa Wood Protect, Sitex, Pinotex, Texturol, Woodmaster. When using this or that product, you must act strictly according to the instructions.

Mold and mildew in the basement of an apartment building

Problems with mold in the basement of a private house are resolved by the owners themselves. But what should residents of apartment buildings do, how can they get rid of fungus? It will be difficult for residents to cope with the problem on their own - the areas are too vast. In addition, utility services that receive rent are responsible for the technical condition of the house .

They are required to regularly inspect the technical premises located under the house and assess their condition. If fungi are detected, appropriate measures must be taken with the involvement of sanitary sanitation services.

If this does not happen, and the mold continues to develop, residents can collect a collective statement to take action and submit it to the head of the management company (MC), sending a copy to the housing inspectorate . If you do not respond, you can file a complaint in other places:

To the management company itself
To the district/city administration (The most ineffective government agency)
To the State Housing Inspectorate (the most effective government agency after the court)
To the District Prosecutor's Office
To the Court (Long, nervous, and also difficult without a lawyer)
To another management company (If nothing helps, is there any point in continuing to remain in the same management company? You can try to change it).

Where should you not complain?

To the police. They will refuse to initiate a criminal case with a note stating that you have a civil dispute.
There is no need to write a complaint to the regional prosecutor's office until you have written to the district prosecutor's office. The complaint will be sent down, and you will only waste your time. Contact the top only if the bottom does not help.
To the administration of the president, governor, etc. The same situation as in the previous case. Go only if the district administration, the prosecutor's office and the State Property Committee did not help.
Deputies. They simply forward the complaint to the appropriate authority. They are not capable of anything else.
Senior at home. This is a person who doesn't decide anything.

Does mold often appear on the foundation of your home? This is either fungus from the basement starting to penetrate outside, or the drainage system around the house is broken. If a private owner can still cope with a similar situation himself, using recommendations regarding mold in the basement of a private household (described above), then the apartment building is under the jurisdiction of the housing and communal services, which should worry about disinfecting the foundation.

In a situation where mold has appeared on the foundation, special services are involved that have the appropriate equipment to dry the foundation and treat it. They also use stronger antiseptics.

The boards turn black. This is bad?

The problem is well known and has probably been discussed on the forum. Only the SEARCH for the words “the boards are turning numb” did not yield anything sensible. So I'll try to start a thread with a question: how bad is this?

Edged board 25x100 for lathing under metal tiles and under plastic ceilings. Beam 150x100 for rafters. The material they brought was damp, but all white. In just two or three days, half of the boards began to actively turn black. It's clear it's from moisture. So what should we do with it now? How serious is this? What will happen to this blackness if the board is used in dry conditions? Won't this cause the boards to rot? Maybe there is some remedy?

So this is rot (((What you called “blackening”. Run a search, “compositions that protect wood from rotting” will be found right away..

2 Scorpio No, this is not bad, but very bad. Looks like prussic fungus. Depending on the moisture content of the lumber and the depth of the damage, the blue may appear more intense. They also say that pine turns blue, and larch and spruce turn black. But the latter rarely happens.

maybe it's a fungus

And what? Were the boards not stacked with spacers? NOT ventilated?

but no, in two or three days, at least ventilate it, or not. Obviously the author bought the soaked wood. Screw the product.

If you turn blue, you can’t do anything. You can't bleach it...it's mold. initially a common occurrence for forests in swamps, etc. (i.e. if the board is initially blue).

However, if it’s for sheathing, you can treat it with the appropriate impregnation and install it. It shouldn’t rot, but it won’t be suitable for front finishing.

PS By the way, in stores I saw veneered doors, under the veneer the whole timber is blue and this doesn’t stop the manufacturer, it’s not visible

I completely agree – this is a prussic fungus. Saw material from the spring forest. It was not ventilated or dried to a transport humidity of 15%. Can be treated with antifungal compounds. But perhaps it’s too late. Return it to the seller. or burn it.

What fear. “Lumber that has blue stains—blue stains—or spots of black spot mold is suitable for any structure.” " > (and more)

2 Scorpio You need to look directly. If it is only mold or prussic fungus, then when the boards dry, it will stop developing. True, the color of the boards will not change, the blue will remain, but this will not affect the performance or strength in any way, only the decorative ones. You can try bleaching, I’ve never tried it myself, so I can’t vouch for the results. And this is of no use for sheathing and rafters. It will be necessary to treat with a penetrating antiseptic, for example, green Senezh. But this is worth doing in any case, and not just because of defeat.

For the future, if you buy lumber for future use and will use it over a long period of time, then treat it with a paint or garden sprayer with a special antiseptic for transportation. It is colorless and decomposes over time, but for at least six months it will help prevent blue discoloration. And stack them with spacers to ventilate them and cover the stack from precipitation. Lumber should never be stored in bulk.

What is mold afraid of?

It is easier to remove mold and mildew when measures are taken to prevent their occurrence. Therefore, prevention for rooms with high humidity should be mandatory so as not to guess why rot appeared.

What mold is afraid of:

The specific nature of basements contributes to the appearance of humidity there. Therefore, it should be monitored regularly. You can prevent the appearance of moisture with the slaked lime already described above, which is recommended to be poured on the floor or kept in open containers on shelves.
Lime mixed with sand should be poured into the boxes where food preparations are stored.
During cold and wet seasons, you can periodically burn sulfur , the vapors of which will prevent rot from developing.
Ventilation is of great importance. Don't rely on the ventilation system alone. It is recommended to leave the doors to the basement open for several hours from time to time .
The white moss powder mentioned above can be used for preventive purposes by placing small jars on the shelves. In this case, it is necessary to change it periodically.

Don't wait for mold to appear in the basement. Treatment of walls, ceilings, floors, as well as racks, shelves, and drawers should be carried out every summer, preparing the room for storing new products.

Prevention measures

Prevention is always easier than dealing with an existing problem. Therefore, it is better to invest time and money in advance to prevent the appearance of fungus.

Mold under the floor: before and after treatment

Prevention measures:

Organize underground ventilation to prevent dampness.
Waterproof and insulate the entire outer surface of the foundation.
Be sure to ensure that excess moisture does not appear under the floor: check the subfloor at least once a year (in winter or early spring). If you suddenly feel damp, you need to immediately increase ventilation.

If these rules are followed, risks are significantly minimized, and even if it does appear, it will happen more slowly and on a smaller scale.

Harm from mold

Fungal mold spores are a pathogenic microflora that can cause great harm not only to the room in which they develop, but also to people and their pets.

For living organisms

The fungus multiplies not only by moving on surfaces, its spores fly in the air and can enter the body through inhalation. Going down into the cellar, the housewife can introduce mold spores into the house, thereby endangering her household. Their penetration into a living organism can also occur from the hands during cooking or eating.

An annoying dry cough, causeless headaches, aching joints, allergic manifestations, asthmatic syndrome - this is just a small list of diseases that can develop under the influence of fungal spores.

Types and signs of fungal formations

It's hard to believe, but the mold that can create so many problems is just a single-celled fungus, or rather, an entire colony of single-celled fungus. It is almost always present in the air, but in an inactive state, waiting for its hour, when it becomes sufficiently humid and warm.

The material for mold is absolutely unimportant; it settles absolutely everywhere.

Probably everyone has seen the bluish color of wood - this is also a mold fungus. Bluish mold not only affects the appearance of the wood, but also penetrates inside and creates passages for water. And then it is almost impossible to defeat mold. Subsequently, such a tree will be corroded from the inside, losing not only its beauty, but also its strength.