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.

Mold is a living organism that occurs in wet environments. After the concrete is cured secondary efflorescence can happen if there is a water problem present. The white powder is efflorescence or minerals left behind as water that has flowed through the concrete walls evaporates. While the white powder often found on basement walls and mold are caused by similar conditions they are actually different materials.

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. If the white powder is creating up on your concrete surfaces only then the substance is most likely not mold. Most people confuse secondary efflorescence with mold because it looks like a white dusty mold growing on your concrete. Instead this powder is a mineral salt that s usually recognized as efflorescence.

Mold can have adverse health effects through excessive exposure. 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. Mold is a fungus that thrives in damp environments. There are several similar looking substances that can fool you.

It is not. This is when efflorescence is usually more than a white powder. Moisture problems can occur in areas where rainfall is heavy and drainage is insufficient. Efflorescence can look very similar to white mold growth.

White mold in basement. This builds up on concrete surfaces in basements and in crawl spaces regularly occurring as part of the process of moisture coming from the earth. In fact to the untrained eye efflorescence is almost identical to white mold. But if it s white mold growth things can get confusing.

Identifying mold growth on concrete can be a bit tricky. Mildew a type of fungus similar to mold may also appear white and powdery. This happens after the concrete is established. Efflorescence is often mistaken for white mold in basement concrete because they look a lot alike.

Types of white mold in basement environments. Basement is one of the most ideal habitats for white mold. It is not uncommon for mold to form on a concrete basement floor. If it s black mold growth it is easy to identify.

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.