Atlanta ProSource Services, Inc

Dirt crawl spaces are great places to live, thrive and reproduce if you're a bug. There is an even temperature, moisture, damp wood and shelter. Spiders, beetles, centipedes, termites, and all kinds of other insects are found in dirt crawlspaces . Animals such as mice (dead and alive) are commonly found in dirt crawl spaces. In some cases, even rats, snakes and small animals have been found.

Structural Damage in places like Atlanta and surrounding areas in GA

Moisture is the prime factor that causes structural damage. Over time, rot and decay form a moist environment damaging wood framing and steel structural members.

Mold spores, the seeds of mold, are in the air everywhere. All they need to grow is organic material such as wood, the right temperature range, and moisture. Of these, the only one that can be controlled is moisture.

Dirt crawl spaces have the high humidity levels necessary for mold growth. Humidity levels from 50% to 90% are easily found in dirt crawl spaces that have never flooded. Mold can grow on dirt, insulation, framing and even under your carpet on the first floor. Mold destroys organic materials as it feeds on them. Many people are sensitive to the millions of floating airborne spores mold reproduces, causing allergic reactions, illness and asthma. Spores can be dormant for many years, waiting for the right conditions to grow. Some molds produce mycotoxins, such as the black mold Stachbotrys. There has been considerable recent documentation on the effects of mold, and toxic mold.

Dr. Harriet Burge, an expert in airborne diseases at the Harvard School of Public Health says, "Mold in houses is not a good thing. It could lead to asthma. Houses with mold are damp, and have dust mites and other things in them that can cause illness, especially in children."

Don't panic; there is a solution that will stop your crawl space from being a hospitable environment for mold. Mold will not grow when the humidity levels are reduced below 40%.