Mushrooms in the house. What to do ?

If you have spotted a fungus in your home or even an entire family, unfortunately this is only the tip of the iceberg. Undoubtedly, the presence of fungus always indicates an underlying moisture problem. Mushrooms can go unnoticed for a long time, but in the meantime, they seriously compromise the stability of your home. If you’ve noticed a fungus, then there’s no time to waste.

Contact an expert to examine and eliminate your humidity problem once and for all. Indeed, eliminating only fungi is like a plaster on a wooden leg. Under the motto “knowledge is power”, here is a summary of the main points to remember.

What are the different types of mushrooms?

What is house rot?

The house dry rot is a fungus that feeds mainly on wood and especially on resinous trees. Depending on the environment it is in, it is either white in the dark or brown in the light. These mushrooms are often considered to be among the most dangerous.

What is the cellar fungus?

Cellar fungus is less aggressive than dry rot but it is also preferable to treat it as soon as possible. They have a very similar appearance. Cellar fungus is much thinner and the surface it sits on will change color much faster than house rot. In addition, the cellar fungus is much more dependent on humidity.

How to recognize mushrooms in the house?

Both the dry rot of the houses and the fungus of the cellars are distinguished from the characteristic black mold by their considerable size and their predilection for wood. Pay attention to these signs to determine if your home is facing the presence of fungus:

1. A round or oval, brownish, fluffy lump with gray-white edges
2. The wooden structure of your floor, stairs and beams changes
3. Holes and cracks in the wood
4. Musty smell

If you observe the presence of fungi in the house, it is almost certain that you are facing a humidity problem. React quickly is the key word because fungi can cause irreparable damage to your home. They destroy everything in their path. Also, their spores cause serious health problems if you inhale them.

What is the cause of the appearance of fungi in the house?

Mushrooms like moist places. The fungus of the cellars even a little more than the dry rot of the houses. When the humidity in your home is extremely high, above 70%, it can lead to the appearance of fungus. An untreated moisture problem in your walls, a water leak or a damp basement, whether or not associated with insufficient ventilation… constitute an ideal environment for the development of fungi. Especially if there is a lot of wood, paper or cardboard.

The appearance of fungi can be caused by condensation, rising damp, rain infiltration and the presence of humidity in the cellar. In the worst case, it is even a combination of several humidity problems.

How to prevent the appearance of fungi?

There are several solutions to prevent the presence of fungi:

1. Regularly ventilate places where fungi often appear, such as the bathroom, kitchen or basement.
2. The fungus thrives in damp places. Always be on the lookout for leaks or water ingress.
3. Store logs in the garage rather than the basement to prevent the appearance of fungus.
4. Keep the woodwork in good condition by treating it regularly with a special product.

How to fight fungus in the house?

To combat fungi such as dry rot and basement fungus, the underlying moisture problem must first be addressed. Fungi are unable to grow without moisture. Removing only the carpophore, the brownish mass, makes no sense.

A professional expertise of the moisture problem is essential before starting a treatment against fungi. Based on the result of this analysis, we can determine the most suitable treatment.

• An air treatment system
• Injection of the walls
• Facade impregnation
• Waterproofing or drainage of the cellar

Can you eliminate fungi in your home yourself?

You can buy mold and fungus products, but they are not a permanent solution. Plus, you can make fungus overgrowth worse if you get it wrong.

If you want to get rid of fungus permanently, you need a treatment for the dampness problem and not just a temporary fix.

If you try to eliminate the problem alone, many things do not go as planned:

• mushroom spores spread further,
• your health is toast,
• you do not destroy all the mycelium,
• store-bought products only slow the spread of fungi.

Why eliminate fungi in your home?

Mushrooms proliferate quickly but are usually well hidden. They like damp, poorly ventilated and dark places. That’s why house rot and basement fungus usually seep into the heart of walls and wooden surfaces before you even notice their presence. The presence of fungi can have serious consequences for your home and your health.

The consequences of the presence of fungi for your home

The consequences of the presence of dry rot or cellar fungus can be disastrous for your building. The woodwork is dangerously weakened. When fungi attack the structure of the load-bearing elements of your home, the consequences can be catastrophic. Fungi feed on the fibers of the wood and cause it to rot.

In a nutshell, dry rot and cellar fungus destroy everything in their path:

• wooden structures
• plastering
• Masonry

Eventually, all materials containing wood, such as floors, stairs, walls, skirting boards, etc. are reduced to dust by the fungi. House rot and basement fungus are so resilient that they can even move through plastering and masonry. They thus spread through the walls of your home and also attack healthy wood in other places. The wood in your home cracks, softens, loses its load-bearing capacity and can seriously compromise the stability of your home.

The consequences of mushrooms for your health

Mushrooms are at least as dangerous to your health. The spores spread by a fungus can cause various health problems:

• Respiratory infections
• Respiratory problems
• Inflammation of the pulmonary alveoli
• Itching
• Eczema
• allergies
• Decline in immunity

The health risks associated with the presence of fungi in your home are enormous. If the damage is already done and the fungi have already appeared in your home, act immediately. The sooner you get rid of the fungus and fix the underlying dampness problem, the better for your health.

Protect your home and your health

Try to prevent moisture problems and fungus first. Do you already have humidity in the house? Do you think fungus is growing on a damp wall or in your damp basement? Contact an expert as soon as possible to resolve the problem.