Inside Air Quality: Home Mold & Dust Mite Problems in Illinois and Iowa
Information on Mold, Rot, And Dust Mite Problems in IL and IA
Mold and dust mites can wreak havoc both your health and your home like no other. In just a few years, they can significantly damage your home and personal property, while allergens from mold spores and dust mite waste damage your health.
At Mid America Basement Systems, we can help you find easy solutions for controlling mold, dust mites, rot, and humidity in your home. Our warranted products can seal your basement or crawl space from outside humidity, while our Energy Star rated dehumidifiers keep your space dry and healthier than ever.
Common Humidity Problems:
(Click for more information about each problem.)
We've been fixing damp, moldy spaces since 1990, and we have the experience and products you need to keep your space dry all the time!
We offer free home humidity inspections in the Illinois and Iowa area, including Cedar Rapids, Peoria, Davenport nearby areas such as Bloomington, Waterloo, Iowa City, Dubuque, Normal, Clinton, Moline and the surrounding areas.
Mold & Dust Mite Health Facts
- Dust Mites & Mold Eat Organic Materials: That means any organic material at all. Dust, fabric, fiberglass resins and dyes, drywall, wallpaper, glue, paint, wood, or anything else is enough to keep it growing. As for dust mites, 1,000 of these critters can live in a single gram of dust, each one creating 20 waste pellets per day.
- Mold Can Live In The Cold: Ever see mold in a refrigerator? Research shows that as long as the temperature is above 40 °F (4 °C), mold can grow and spread.
- Mold & Dust Mites Grow Fast: Mold can begin to grow in a home in as little as 24-48 hours, with a billion mold spores growing on a single foot of drywall. A single female dust mite can lay upwards of 250 eggs in its three-month life span.
- Mold Leads To Insurance Woes: Due to tens of thousands of mold-related lawsuits being filed, most general liability and property insurance companies now exclude mold insurance from their policies.
- Mold Destroys Your Home: Professional Builder Magazine warns that mold will dramatically lower the value of your home. A home worth $250,000 can have $100,000 in mold problems. Mold can even lead to structural damage to your home!
- Mold Spores Can Damage Your Health: Mold spore exposure can occur through inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact. Mold and dust mite waste is connected to allergies, asthma, and other breathing issues. Even dead mold spores can be damaging to your health.
- Dust Mite Waste Is Highly Allergenic: 90% of patients show dermal reactivity to dust mite waste and 10% of the general population is also sensitive. Dust mite waste makes up 80-90% of the allergic component of house dust, containing 15 potent allergens that sensitize and trigger allergic reactions. In fact, American Family Physician states that "controlling dust mites is the most important thing you can do in your house to make your asthma and allergies better."
- Mold & Dust Mites Are Sneaky: Mold can grow in fiberglass insulation, behind drywall panels, and behind wallpaper. Dust mites can live in furniture, cloth, and pillows. Just because you don't see a problem does not mean that one does not exist.
To Sum It Up: As Glenn Fellman, executive director of the Indoor Air Quality Association states, "If you are reacting to a problem because somebody's been sick, you've waited way too long to address indoor air quality." The best way to protect yourself is to prevent the mold or dust mite problem before it begins!
Water can also rise directly through the porous concrete of your basement floor.
Carpet or wood installed on the concrete will trap this moisture underneath, resulting in mold and rot. Be sure to seal your basement floor before installing carpet or organic materials.
Controlling Mold, Rot & Dust Mites in Illinois and Iowa
Mold, rot and dust mites all have a common weakness: they all need ample moisture and humidity to survive.
Both mold and dust mites need moisture from the air to survive. When humidity levels drop below 60% they will not be able to thrive.
By sealing out humidity from outside air and installing a dehumidifier, you can protect yourself from mold and dust mite problems.
We offer free moisture control quotes to homeowners in our Illinois and Iowa service area. Each quote includes a on-site inspection, written quote, and a copy of our 88-page color basement waterproofing & crawl space book.
