Fungus under the floor and in the underground of a wooden house: ways to combat it

Mold on boards is a common occurrence, which, however, requires radical measures. It won’t be difficult to remove mold just once: it can be easily cleaned off. However, it is already difficult to achieve lasting protection against reappearance.

There are many products for treating boards against fungus, but it is best not to use any specific product, but to combine several. It is necessary to treat lumber with different means at intervals: today one means, after a few days another.

Content:

• A little about mold
• Black mold
• Harm from household mold on walls
• Causes of mold on the walls of the house and its elimination
• How to get rid of mold in a wooden house
• Eliminating the causes of mold
• How to prevent mold from reoccurring
• Folk remedies for mold control
• Copper or iron sulfate
• Sulfur checker
• Warmer
• Substances containing chlorine
• Recommendations for treating surfaces affected by fungus
• Video on mold in a wooden house

Wooden walls are not only susceptible to the destructive effects of moisture and are an excellent environment for pests, but are also prone to mold. Most often, it becomes an unpleasant surprise and appears in areas with high levels of dampness and moisture, poorly lit corners and in rooms where there is poor or no air exchange. Typically, these are parts of the walls adjacent to the foundation, basement and basement levels.

Causes of fungus

Methods for dealing with fungus in a wooden house will be useful not only for people who live in a private house and in damp or swampy areas. Sometimes in apartments fungus can appear, at first glance, out of nowhere.

Many people ignore the presence of an unpleasant smell or black corners in the room and simply re-stick the wallpaper or re-lay the floor. Damp green or blackened basement walls do not interfere with food storage. And the appearance of shortness of breath, headaches and other diseases is mainly attributed to the weather or age.

In order to prevent the fungus from spoiling the health and decoration of the room, it is better to prevent its appearance in the house. It's much easier than dealing with the consequences. To avoid harmful spores in your home, you should know the reasons for their occurrence.

The main reason that fungus has appeared in the house and you are thinking about how to get rid of it is moisture from the ground or high humidity in the underground covering:

• Dampness penetrates the floor covering and infects the walls with fungus.
• Damp apartments on the first floors of multi-story buildings are an excellent habitat for toxic mold spores.
• Insufficient room ventilation contributes to the appearance of dampness.
• Growing many indoor plants in small spaces that require constant humidity.
• Improper use of humidifiers is also a cause of mold.

A little about mold

Mold in a wooden house is the simplest microorganisms that very quickly unite into numerous colonies, which quickly become visible to the human eye.

If there are several types of mold - wood-staining, which destroys wood and causes harm to humans, and wood-destroying - which does not have a negative effect on people, but contributes to the rapid destruction of walls. In case of large lesions, the house is usually designated for demolition.

The most poisonous mold is yellow. It releases substances that, in some cases, lead to the formation of tumors.

Black mold

If you don’t look closely, you might think that a black coating is just ingrained dirt that can be easily wiped off. However, these are colonies of microscopic fungi that are extremely dangerous to human health. They appear in places of high humidity - in swimming pools, bathrooms, bathrooms, kitchens. This scourge affects air purifiers, starts up in washing machines and air conditioners, and clings between tiles. Fungal spores quickly enter the body through the respiratory tract, into the trachea, bronchi, and alveoli, leading to various diseases and necrosis. Growing rapidly and releasing large amounts of toxins, microorganisms can cause suffocation and even death.

Harm from household mold on walls

When mold and mildew appear in a home, not only wood surfaces, but also human health are negatively affected. Therefore, if such a problem is identified, you should immediately move on to solving it. Spores enter the human body by air, causing various diseases of the respiratory tract, skin, and even lead to the development of bronchial asthma. As the fungus divides and multiplies, it releases substances that not only can cause serious health problems, but also emit an unpleasant odor that wafts throughout the home.

Children and adults with weak immune systems are susceptible to the negative effects of mold. It can cause nausea, migraines and loss of energy.

Types of fungus

If fungus occurs in the house, not everyone knows its consequences and how to deal with it. And at the same time, any type of fungus is very dangerous for wood products. They contribute to the destruction of wood fibers. As a result, if harmful formations are not eliminated in a timely manner, a house made of wood may completely collapse to the very foundation. Fungal spores can spread through the air or be carried on clothing or animal fur.

Important! In ancient times, buildings infected with this kind of pest were burned to protect other buildings from being affected by this “disease.”

White house mushroom

It contributes to the destruction of the wood structure, changes in its color and the appearance of cracks.

Blue fungi

When such formations appear, the wood acquires a gray-blue tint. Bacteria destroy varnish and paint. Thus, moisture gets inside the products.

Rotting fungi

There are wet and dry rot:

• Wet damages damp wood that is near the ground or drainpipes. Affected products become loose and dark lines form on them.
• Dry, in turn, manifests itself as reddish dust in the corners and multiplies quickly in a humid environment. Gray stripes appear on the tree, destroying the wood fibers.

White and black mold

This type of microorganisms can form not only on wooden surfaces. Stone, concrete tiles and various fabrics can become a place for the emergence and active reproduction of fungus. In addition to its destructive effect on various materials, mold is very harmful to human and animal health. Therefore, if a fungus appears in the house, its consequences and how to deal with it still need to be clarified, and as quickly as possible.

Causes of mold on the walls of the house and its elimination

Mold spores are constantly in the air. They can wait a long time for the emergence of a favorable environment and a suitable surface for settling and beginning to reproduce. Wet wood is the best conditions for the development of fungus. It takes root at lightning speed on the surface, sprouting with the thinnest threads and forming whole foci of brown-black color. If measures are not immediately taken to remove them, mold will soon cover all wooden surfaces in the house, making it uninhabitable.

From the above it follows that the main cause of mold is high humidity. As for the ambient temperature, many types of this “disease” of the wood surface can exist and develop at 0 degrees and sub-zero temperatures. This is why we can often see basement walls covered with black stains and emitting a stench even in the winter season.

Another reason contributing to the appearance of fungus is improperly organized insulation and ventilation of rooms, as a result of which condensation accumulates on the walls. You can notice this quickly - by fogged windows, where the accumulation of steam is better visible.

Normal humidity is 70-80 percent. If this indicator is higher, due to excessively darkened rooms, an abundance of plants, frequent washing or other reasons, the liquid concentrates in certain places and leads to the formation of fungus.

The boards turn black. This is bad?

The problem is well known and has probably been discussed on the forum. Only the SEARCH for the words “the boards are turning numb” did not yield anything sensible. So I'll try to start a thread with a question: how bad is this?

Edged board 25x100 for lathing under metal tiles and under plastic ceilings. Beam 150x100 for rafters. The material they brought was damp, but all white. In just two or three days, half of the boards began to actively turn black. It's clear it's from moisture. So what should we do with it now? How serious is this? What will happen to this blackness if the board is used in dry conditions? Won't this cause the boards to rot? Maybe there is some remedy?

So this is rot (((What you called “blackening”. Run a search, “compositions that protect wood from rotting” will be found right away..

2 Scorpio No, this is not bad, but very bad. Looks like prussic fungus. Depending on the moisture content of the lumber and the depth of the damage, the blue may appear more intense. They also say that pine turns blue, and larch and spruce turn black. But the latter rarely happens.

maybe it's a fungus

And what? Were the boards not stacked with spacers? NOT ventilated?

but no, in two or three days, at least ventilate it, or not. Obviously the author bought the soaked wood. Screw the product.

If you turn blue, you can’t do anything. You can't bleach it...it's mold. initially a common occurrence for forests in swamps, etc. (i.e. if the board is initially blue).

However, if it’s for sheathing, you can treat it with the appropriate impregnation and install it. It shouldn’t rot, but it won’t be suitable for front finishing.

PS By the way, in stores I saw veneered doors, under the veneer the whole timber is blue and this doesn’t stop the manufacturer, it’s not visible

I completely agree – this is a prussic fungus. Saw material from the spring forest. It was not ventilated or dried to a transport humidity of 15%. Can be treated with antifungal compounds. But perhaps it’s too late. Return it to the seller. or burn it.

What fear. “Lumber that has blue stains—blue stains—or spots of black spot mold is suitable for any structure.” " > (and more)

2 Scorpio You need to look directly. If it is only mold or prussic fungus, then when the boards dry, it will stop developing. True, the color of the boards will not change, the blue will remain, but this will not affect the performance or strength in any way, only the decorative ones. You can try bleaching, I’ve never tried it myself, so I can’t vouch for the results. And this is of no use for sheathing and rafters. It will be necessary to treat with a penetrating antiseptic, for example, green Senezh. But this is worth doing in any case, and not just because of defeat.

For the future, if you buy lumber for future use and will use it over a long period of time, then treat it with a paint or garden sprayer with a special antiseptic for transportation. It is colorless and decomposes over time, but for at least six months it will help prevent blue discoloration. And stack them with spacers to ventilate them and cover the stack from precipitation. Lumber should never be stored in bulk.

How to get rid of mold in a wooden house

Simply removing mold from the walls is not enough - the results will not last long and the problem will soon return. The correct technology for removing mold is to first eliminate its cause: waterproof the basement, ensure effective ventilation, allocate funds for insulation and create an optimal heating system.

Eliminating the causes of mold

One of the main points when building a house, which specialists always pay attention to, is the mandatory coating of the surface of the wood used in construction with special antiseptic substances that prevent the appearance of fungal formations. Walls should be treated with similar products once every certain period, usually indicated on the packaging. To start using drugs that have antifungal effects, you first need to:

• Sand problem surfaces using sandpaper or using a grinder.
• If possible, replace the affected part altogether.
• If the wood is damp, it must be dried by additional heating or ventilation of the room.
• Then, the product is applied to the surface with a brush or roller, penetrating deep into the timber and destroying the pores of mold.
• After some time, it is recommended to repeat the procedure.

Please note that along with other products, preventive liquids are sold in stores - they will not suit you if you need to get rid of fungus. Carefully read the instructions for use and clearly explain to the seller what is required, otherwise you risk buying an ineffective product, wasting time in the fight against mold in a wooden house and wasting money.

It is also better to treat not only areas with mold with mixtures, but entire walls.

How to prevent mold from reoccurring

To prevent mold from settling on the walls of your home again, you should follow certain rules:

• ventilate the room more often;
• do not place furniture close to the wall, leave at least a minimum gap to ensure air passage;
• the drainage system should be organized in such a way that melt and rainwater do not flow down the walls;
• the façade of the house is also hydrophobic;
• use preventive measures;
• leave a small distance between the wall and thermal insulation materials.

Please note that if your neighbors’ houses are infected with mold or have noticeable cracks, the problem can quickly spread to you. Warn her by following all the above rules.

Folk remedies for mold control

If store branded antiseptics are unaffordable or there is nowhere to buy them, all that remains is to fight the mold yourself, using time-tested means.

Boric acid is also effective against fungal deposits. In a 10-liter bucket of water, dilute 400 grams of acid with a kilogram of borax and one and a half liters of vinegar. The main condition due to which a good result is achieved is preheating the mixture to 70 degrees and then spraying it on the walls.

You can also apply a protective layer of oil or resin - they prevent spores from penetrating deep into the wood.

Boric acid can also be used in combination with salt in the proportion per 100 grams of solution - 2 kg of certified salt.

In addition, various chemicals are used as antifungal agents:

• Treat the walls with hydrogen peroxide and wipe with a damp cloth after 10-15 minutes. Sometimes it is mixed with vinegar to enhance the effect;
• a mixture of laundry soap and urine;
• a solution of water and office glue;
• ammonia;
• coating the surface with drying oil.

How to fight fungus on wood

To remove mold from a wooden surface, there are a lot of professional and folk remedies, but before you remove mold from wood, you need to get rid of the root cause of its appearance.

Prevention is the best way to combat mold and mildew

For a good owner, the fight against mold begins long before it appears. There are a number of simple recommendations, following which you can prevent such vegetation from appearing in your home.

• First of all, you need to take care of decent ventilation. In houses made of SIP panels and similar frame structures, forced ventilation is installed; natural ventilation is not enough there. The same can be said about basements, subfloors and bathhouses; forced drying is not necessary here, but is desirable.
• If groundwater is close, then ventilation alone is not enough; in order to get rid of moisture, it is necessary to arrange external waterproofing of the base and foundation, as well as install drainage around the house; how to make drainage with your own hands is shown “HERE” .

Waterproofing and arrangement of drainage in the underground part of the basement and at the foundation level are guaranteed to rid the basement of the house of fungus and mold

• Inspect the sewerage and plumbing; the slightest leak and even condensation can cause mold to develop and feed fungal colonies.
• Deep cracks in walls, floors and ceilings can harbor a colony of fungus, because in the depths there are ideal conditions for it - quiet, warm and not drafty. Therefore, the cracks need to be expanded, treated with an antiseptic to the full depth and sealed.

Advice! To prevent mold from growing behind large furniture, move it away from the walls by 50 mm, and drill a series of holes (diameter 10 - 12 mm) at the top and bottom in the back wall of the cabinets for ventilation.

Mold and mildew control products

The technology for removing mold and mildew is the same; first you need to clean the affected area, then treat it with the selected antiseptic and, so that the problem does not recur, treat the wood again with a protective agent.

To combat this scourge, there are a number of fairly high-quality products on the market, for example, Aquatex, Pinotex, Element T-0 or Bioshield. The products are good, tested many times, plus each of them has step-by-step instructions for processing the material yourself.

Factory-made wood preservatives guarantee good results

But these products have several disadvantages: firstly, they are chemicals and often quite harsh, secondly, the price of such liquids is not always acceptable, and most importantly, our people trust proven folk remedies more.

Important! Do not even think about mixing bleach or other chlorine solutions with ammonia; with this product you will not only spoil the wood, but can also cause serious harm to your own health.

How to remove mold from wood in a bathhouse

The bathhouse is a specific structure; using harsh chemicals here is extremely undesirable. Therefore, you need to get rid of mold with something safe; alternatively, you can clean the stain with vinegar or soda, and then treat the problem areas with a solution of tea tree oil in several passes.

How to get rid of mold on wood in a bath using tea tree oil

Advice! If you don’t trust folk remedies or don’t have time to clean boards for a long time, you can buy a professional antiseptic for baths and saunas. The cost of such compositions is several times higher, but you get quick and guaranteed results.

Professional effective antiseptic for treating wood in a bathhouse

Black mold

The question of how to get rid of black mold on wood deserves separate consideration, because this type of vegetation is especially difficult to remove. If you do not take into account factory products, then you can try to destroy black mold in three ways.

For owners of wooden houses, bathhouses and other buildings, black mold is considered one of the serious problems

1. Take 1 part vinegar, 1 part peroxide and 1 part boric acid. Dilute all this in 4 parts of water. The solution is practically safe and can be used indoors.
2. Treat the wood with a solution of copper sulfate. There is no point in writing the concentration, because no matter how hard you try, copper sulfate dissolves in water only 5%. The solution is effective, but the wood turns a peculiar bluish color.
3. To 5 liters of water you need to add 50 g of boric acid and 1 kg of salt. The surface is processed at least 3 - 4 times.

Sulfur checker

If you don’t know how to get rid of mold in the basement of a wooden house, use a sulfur bomb. This is a fine aerosol that, when combined with air, forms a deadly mixture for fungus and its spores. At the same time, the smallest particles easily penetrate the narrowest crevices of wooden surfaces, being an effective way in the fight against mold.

Types of fungus and causes of its appearance

Before you start fighting fungus in a wooden house, you need to find out the reasons for its appearance, determine the boundaries of its spread, and then move on to choosing a composition for treatment. The most common types of this pest found in buildings made of logs or timber are:

• White house fungus. It develops most quickly, covering a large area with mycelium, constantly increasing it. The best conditions for emergence are formed, as a rule, underground. Also often fungus is found under the floor or in the basement;
• Rotting fungi. There are several types that differ in color and appearance - white brown and bacterial. They most often appear near places with high humidity, for example, near water pipes, although dry rot also occurs;
• Blue fungi. A very dangerous pest that can penetrate wood, destroying the varnish or paint coating. Despite the fact that they do not cause serious consequences for the strength and integrity of the tree, they often act as a harbinger of the appearance of more dangerous types of fungus. In addition, they give the surface of logs and beams an extremely unpleasant bluish tint;
• Actinomycetes. They are a cross between algae and fungi. They have an extremely destructive effect on wood, quickly reducing its strength;
• Mold fungus. A universal pest that can exist not only on wood, but also on concrete, fabrics, stone and even ceramic tiles. They have spores that are extremely harmful to humans; in addition, they give contaminated surfaces of building structures an extremely unpleasant appearance.

Most often, fungus appears in the subfloor of a wooden house and its other structures for one reason - due to increased humidity levels. Therefore, it is quite logical to begin the fight against this extremely harmful phenomenon by creating an effective ventilation system that can ensure rapid and effective removal of moisture from the premises of the building.

Identifying different types of fungus is quite simple. Among its typical manifestations are the following: a sharp and damp smell, stains and darkening on wooden surfaces located in different places, wet areas in the corners of the building, on the floor or walls, etc. It should be noted that removing the fungus is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. Therefore, you should study the sequence of work very carefully. Naturally, you should not forget about choosing an effective remedy for fungus.

Substances containing chlorine

The sensational and well-known “Domestos” or “whiteness”, other liquids containing chlorine, also help get rid of the scourge. They need to be applied temporarily to wooden surfaces with a dampened cloth or using a spray. The second option will be of better quality, since the smallest particles will better penetrate into cracks, chips and irregularities. Do not dilute the products with water - the concentrated version will deal with mold better. After some time it will begin to lighten, after which it will disappear completely. Do not wipe the walls; let them dry naturally.

Recommendations for treating surfaces affected by fungus

When using store-bought and homemade antiseptics, use personal protective equipment and take care of your eyes and respiratory organs. At the time of treatment, it is better for the residents to leave the premises altogether.

Mold most often eats deep into the wood and sometimes there is nothing left but to cut down and remove the affected area; there are also cases when the house can no longer be restored. It is better, when a problem is discovered, to entrust its solution to professionals who will not only select the optimal remedy, but also guarantee the quality of the measures taken and the result.

The appearance of mold is a signal that certain processes in the house are not going as they should and mistakes were made somewhere during construction. It is not recommended to ignore a problem that significantly affects wall surfaces and human health. The sooner you find an effective remedy, the larger the area of ​​the wooden house you will be able to save. It is better not to wait for fungus to appear - regularly treat the surface with preventative agents, cover it with protective substances, and then your wooden house will not be subject to fungal plaque.

Prevention is the basis of wood integrity and human health

To reduce the risk of mold development on wooden structures, use the following expert advice:

• 
  Protect wood with special coatings that not only suppress the growth of pathogenic flora, but also prevent it from swelling under high humidity.

• Ensure good ventilation in enclosed areas to prevent warm, moist air from accumulating.
• Provide access to sunlight from enclosed spaces. If it is not possible to open the windows, use UV lamps that are turned on periodically.
• Inspect surfaces several times a year for mold.
• Treat wood annually with special disinfectants, since the structure of this material is a good place for the development of fungus.

You should not ignore the treatment of the facades of residential buildings with special means. Just a few hours a year will help your wood last longer, eliminating the risk of contact with harmful bacteria.