What You Need to Know About Mold in Your Garage

Residential garages get used for many different purposes. Sure, many homeowners do use their garages for parking their vehicles, but some serve as workshops, storage areas, animal housing and more. The fact is, the majority of garages are either cleaned on irregular schedules or rarely get cleaned at all. Think of all that rainwater, dirt, debris and chemicals picked up on roads rolling into your garage everyday, and we can’t forget the lack of ventilation in garage spaces. But mold can be found in places other than walls and floors. Storage boxes, camping equipment, sports gear and stacks of old books, magazines and newspapers can get moldy, too.

All that being said, it’s not surprising that mold in garages is a fairly common problem. Here’s what an experienced mold inspector in Portland, OR wants you to know about mold in your garage.

The risks of garage mold

We know that mold inside the house is a health hazard and can cause damage. It can trigger asthma and allergic reactions, cause respiratory disorders and other serious health problems, and may even bring on migraines. Unfortunately, the mold in your garage can cause the same health issues as mold found in your house, although mold in the garage often poses a lower risk at first due to the fact that most people don’t spend much time in the garage. Keep in mind, though, that mold spores and mycotoxins inside the garage can seep into your house over time and become a problem where you eat and sleep.

Mold can grow on concrete surfaces

Although mold does not grow well on concrete, there are a couple reasons you may find it on your concrete garage floor:

• Mineral deposits get left behind after moisture on concrete dries. While these deposits are not mold themselves, mold can begin growing on them.
• Some concrete garage floors are painted for aesthetic purposes. The downside of painting concrete surfaces is that mold grows easily on most types of paint, and it’s difficult to see mold growing on a floor that has been painted certain colors. If you do decide to paint your concrete garage floor, consider applying a mold-resistant paint.

How to remove mold from concrete garage floors

If the mold growth is not totally out of control, you might be able to remove mold from a concrete garage floor yourself, as long as you wear protective gear to avoid exposure to mold spores. To do it, take a wire brush and scrub the mold and mineral deposits off the concrete surface, or use a wire brush and a scraper to remove both the mold and paint. Vacuum up the debris, then disinfect the entire surface with an anti-fungal cleanser. Mold growing on garage walls and ceilings should be removed in the same manner as mold that’s growing inside homes. Call a professional for help.

Don’t let mold in your home or garage spread—take care of it immediately! Contact Active Mold Control LLC to schedule an appointment with an experienced mold inspector in Portland, OR today.

Categorised in: Mold Inspection

This post was written by Writer