White Mold On Concrete Basement Floor

Mold can grow on many kinds of surfaces including drywall tile fabrics and even concrete.

White mold on concrete basement floor.

The white powder is efflorescence or minerals left behind as water that has flowed through the concrete walls evaporates. Identifying mold growth on concrete can be a bit tricky. Mold can have adverse health effects through excessive exposure. Mildew a type of fungus similar to mold may also appear white and powdery.

Darkness humidity and warm temperature are characteristics that white mold loves. It is not uncommon for mold to form on a concrete basement floor. While the white powder often found on basement walls and mold are caused by similar conditions they are actually different materials. Also since the basement is dark the growth of white mold is often unseen until it reaches a serious level of infestation.

Most people confuse secondary efflorescence with mold because it looks like a white dusty mold growing on your concrete. Efflorescence is often mistaken for white mold in basement concrete because they look a lot alike. White mold in basement after flooding or prolonged dampness is easily identified by the characteristic white cottony mycelium of the mold that grows on the surfaces water damaged organic material. After the concrete is cured secondary efflorescence can happen if there is a water problem present.

White mold in basement. If it s black mold growth it is easy to identify. Mold is a living organism that occurs in wet environments. Efflorescence can look very similar to white mold growth.

Types of white mold in basement environments. Removing concrete mold is important in preserving the health of those living and or working in the area where the mold is present. It is not. Moisture problems can occur in areas where rainfall is heavy and drainage is insufficient.

Many types of mold can appear white in color depending on the type of material on which they are growing including aspergillus cladosporium and penicillium penicillium is often blue or bluish green and white. But if it s white mold growth things can get confusing. In fact to the untrained eye efflorescence is almost identical to white mold. Mold is a fungus that thrives in damp environments.

On concrete basement floors a problem with moisture rising up from the wet ground can cause a fuzzy white mold to grow on the surface. Instead this powder is a mineral salt that s usually recognized as efflorescence. Basement is one of the most ideal habitats for white mold. This happens after the concrete is established.

This is when efflorescence is usually more than a white powder.