How Clogged Drains Can Lead to Mold Growth in Your Home
Clogged drains can cause a variety of problems in your home. For instance, it may result in water not flowing through a sink, toilet or tub in a timely manner or at all. In some cases, sewage or other hazardous materials may flow backward into your home. However, perhaps the most likely scenario is that standing water inside of those drains will serve as a key ingredient to mold growth throughout your house.
How Clogged Drains Can Lead to Mold
Mold typically needs moisture and darkness to grow and thrive. After mold spores have had a chance to take hold in one area of your house, they can easily take flight and spread rapidly. It’s also possible that mold will flow through a drain or take a ride through vents or ducts throughout your house after being born in a clogged line.
A drain is the perfect spot for mold to grow because the standing water inside of it will provide one of the key nutrients it needs to survive. In addition, the inside of the drain will be almost permanently dark. When put together, you can see how this airborne contaminant would want to set up shop there.
How to Get Rid of Mold in Drains
A drain clearing may be the only way to remove standing water and clean out any mold that might already be inside of it. Cleaning out a drain can also be an effective way to remove sludge, roots or anything else that might be growing inside of it that led to the clog.
Ideally, the cleaning will be done by a professional who has the tools and experience to do the job in a safe, proper and timely manner. In fact, if we cause any delay, it’s you we will pay to compensate for the interruption to your life.
In most cases, a drain clearing is a straightforward process that helps to bring your home back to a more efficient state. In addition to getting rid of mold, a clearing may also help with hard water as it may be possible to remove calcium or other minerals that have built up in the line over time.
Signs of Mold Growth in Your Home
Depending on the extent of the mold issue in your home, you may spot it far from your sewer or other drain lines. For instance, you may smell a musty odor coming from your basement, attic or other spaces inside of the house. This may indicate that the mold has grown inside of walls or in other areas of the house that you can’t see or otherwise access.
Mold can also grow on walls, ceilings and other surfaces in your basement or attic. The kitchen and bathroom are other prime locations to see green or black mold as they also tend to be moist environments.
Is Mold Dangerous?
Mold can be dangerous depending on what type is in your home. Typically, black mold poses a greater danger than green mold, but either type can present issues to your health if it remains in your home over an extended period of time.
For instance, you may notice issues with concentration, short-term memory and mood after prolonged exposure. You may also notice that it’s harder to breathe or that you have other symptoms often associated with allergies or asthma.
If mold is growing in a drain, it may come into contact with water that you use to bathe or wash your clothes. This may enhance the amount of this item that enters your body, which can exacerbate any health issues you may experience.
If you’re dealing with a clogged drain, it’s critical to have it cleaned immediately. Doing so may get rid of mold or other material that may damage pipes or cause other secondary issues. The folks at Benjamin Franklin will clean any drain in your house in a timely and professional manner to ensure that your property is a safe place to occupy. Learn the risk of a slow-draining sink or tub.