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If you’ve noticed some dark staining under your plank flooring, it could be mold! Mold growing inside your home is never a good thing in regards to both your health and your home’s heath. The first thing you will want to do is confirm that what you are seeing is indeed mold and if so, what kind of mold you are dealing with.

There are a few different options that you can use to find out what kind of mold is growing under your flooring. The most popular options are purchasing a mold testing kit or calling in a professional mold remediation specialist to assess the problem for free by calling the number on our website.

The most commonly seen mold under vinyl flooring in a basement is black mold. Black mold is toxic to our health and needs to be addressed right away. If mold is discovered, it is best to act swiftly to remove it to not only protect the integrity of your home but also for the health of your family and anyone else who may come in contact.

How to Identify Mold Under Vinyl Plank Flooring

The first sign that mold may be growing under your flooring could be scent. Have you noticed and especially pungent or musty smell in your basement? This is likely mold. Let the smell be your first indicator of mold.

Mold is often difficult to diagnose because it is usually hidden. Without peeling your flooring away, you may not know that mold is present. You can start your investigation by checking under any cracks or peeling in your flooring.

If your home has a basement area that commonly takes on water and you don’t take measures to dry it out and ventilate, you may have a problem. It is likely you have mold lurking under your flooring and you may not even know it. If you are able to see under your flooring, the mold will look like dark, spotty staining, some mold may even have a fuzzy appearance or texture to it.

You can use a mold testing kit to help you verify the presence of mold, or you can have a professional come to your home to test and assess the situation for you by calling the number on our website.

How Did it Get There?

If you have discovered the presence of mold under plank flooring in your home, you are likely wondering how it got there. First, you will want to understand what optimal mold conditions are.

First, mold spores are everywhere in our environment-they are all around us all the time. Mold spores will begin to grow on organic surfaces as long as the following conditions are present; moisture, oxygen, darkness and warmth.

Knowing what conditions mold spores need in order to grow then makes sense why you may find mold under the basement floor. The area under vinyl flooring contains the perfect conditions for mold to flourish.

Vinyl flooring is resistant to moisture, however, if there is standing water around the edges or cracks in the flooring, moisture can easily seep in there. Basements that are wet, or commonly take on water when it rains are most prone to developing mold under flooring.

How to Get Rid of Mold

You’ve confirmed the presence of mold, now how to get rid of it. First, you need to determine the root cause of the problem. Does your basement frequently have standing water? Is your vinyl flooring cracked or peeling around the edges? These problems will need to be addressed right away.

You can remove the mold, but if you don’t remedy the cause of the problem, the mold will continue to come back. Fix any issue that is allowing moisture to get under your flooring. This may be a job best suited for a professional as they know what to look for and where. They may see a problem somewhere that you did not.

Your next action steps will be dependent on what type of mold is present in your home, how much mold there is and whether or not the mold was determined to be toxic.

If you tested the mold yourself with a home test kit and it came back that the mold is a less toxic household mold, the process will probably not require as much work.

If your mold problem is more serious, you may need to consider removing the flooring completely and replacing it. Certain strands of black mold are highly toxic and cannot be removed with a simple mold killing spray. Spraying a serious case of black mold with mold solution will only mask the problem temporarily.

If you have a large scale mold under your your flooring, you will need to cut the flooring out and replace it. We recommend getting a free estimate on how much this will cost, by calling the number on our website.

Professional Mold Remediation Tactics

If you chose to go the route of hiring a professional to remove your mold and potentially replace your flooring, they will employ certain tactics to make sure that the job is done safely and sufficiently.

Mold remediation teams are trained to safely remove mold under vinyl flooring in basements. They employ safety precautions to protect themselves, your home and your family from the harmful effects of mold.

Professional teams have access to and use large scale fans and ventilation systems to make sure that the mold spores are being directed outside of your home and not circulating back in your home and spreading.

They will then safely dispose of all materials that contain the harmful mold or come into contact with it.

Cost of Mold Remediation

The cost to the homeowner to remove mold under basement flooring will depend on many factors; extent of the damage, type of mold present, how much needs to be replaced, prevention techniques and whether or not you hire a professional or not. We recommend calling the number on our website for an accurate estimate from a professional in your area.

For small scale mold under your flooring that was determined to be non-toxic, the total cost to the homeowner may be anywhere from $50-$200 depending on the equipment and tools purchased.

For larger, more complex problems that require professional intervention and flooring replacement, you may be looking at $2,000+ to complete the project.

Regardless of the cost of the mold remediation required in your home, the money is well spent if it means protecting the integrity of your home and the health of your family. By letting a mold problem go without fixing, you are risking damage to your home and health complication for you and your family.

Fixing your mold problem right away and taking the proper steps to ensure it does not happen again will be well worth your time and money. The longer you wait to fix the problem, the more money it will cost you in the long run.

If you do not remedy a mold situation and you go to sell your home, many people will not even consider buying a home that has a mold infestation. Your realtor will most likely insist that the mold is removed before putting the home on the market.

How to Prevent Mold From Coming Back

You have removed the mold, fixed your flooring, now how do you prevent this situation from happening again? In order to make sure that mold growth is kept at bay, it is important to make sure that moisture is not allowed to get under your flooring. You can also prevent mold from developing by using a HEPA filter to suck up mold spores that may be in the air.

A professional mold remediation specialist will be able to advise you on exactly how to best prevent future mold growth. Call the number on our website to speak with an expert for free.

You should also test your home regularly for the presence of mold using mold testing kits.

By investing in proper mold prevention techniques, you are ensuring the safety of your home and family and saving yourself money in the long run.

Conclusion

We hope this article provided you with information that can help you if you determine that you have mold under vinyl flooring basement. Use our tips and tricks to test for mold, remove it and then prevent it from coming back.