The indoor air quality of your home is greatly affected by draining problems both inside and outside your residence. Whenever moisture accumulates in puddles and in walls, the likelihood of mold and mildew growth increases, causing unpleasant odors and organisms that can cause serious health issues for residents who suffer from allergies and asthma. Searching for moisture in locations inside your house and in the outside area surrounding it can alert you to the presence of draining issues that can harm your health as well as your residence’s structure.
Mildew Odor from a Damaged Roof
If the air in your Delaware residence has the distinctive odor of mold or mildew, walk up to your attic and check the underside of your house’s roof. Bad draining can cause mold and mildew to grow in this area, which is the result of an accumulation of moisture. This condensation can travel down insulation, collect in the fans of your kitchen and bathroom, and cause health problems for residents who suffer from asthma or allergies.
Overflowing Gutters
The purpose of home gutters is to direct water flow away from your residence. When these devices are not working correctly and clog, they can indicate a draining problem that threatens to damage your home’s siding or paint. It is important to extend the bottoms of the gutters a good distance away from your house to avoid water damage.
Cracks in Your Home’s Foundation
Large foundation cracks caused by poor water drainage are easy to find if you examine the outside of your home. To search for these sizable cracks inside your residence, look for damage to the higher area of your basement’s foundation walls. Cracks often lead to serious moisture problems, which quickly result in the growth of mold and mildew. The issue may be extensive enough that standing pools of water may appear on your basement’s floor, and installing a sump pump can greatly deter the draining problems you are experiencing.
Standing Pools of Water in Your Yard
It is not uncommon to see puddles in your yard after a sizable rain storm in Delaware, but you should suspect a draining problem if you find these puddles in sunny weather. Water should drain away from your home via gutters and curbs. A substantial draining issue tends to cause water to accumulate and may benefit from the installation of French drains.
Wall Deposits
Efflorescence is the presence of a white crust caused by mineral deposits that cling to walls after water evaporates. The presence of this unsightly buildup is a strong indication that water from poor drainage has condensed in these areas. These wall deposits are a breeding ground for the growth of mold and mildew that can pollute your home’s air.
Scattered Debris on Your Lawn
A draining problem that affects the soil around your residence is easy to spot. If you find dislodged paving stones, mulch that has moved to a new location, or silt on your pavement or driveway, a draining problem is a likely culprit. The installation of a swale can improve water flow away from your residence and prevent the moisture from accumulating.
When you find cracks in your home’s foundation, areas where condensation has accumulated, or the presence of efflorescence on your walls, you should quickly address your draining problem so that it doesn’t cause more damage to your Delaware house’s structure. The mold and mildew which frequently grow in these conditions can cause the air in your residence to smell musty and inflame allergic and asthmatic conditions members of your family may suffer. It is important to consider selecting an indoor air quality system that can filter out these dangerous organisms, allowing your family to breathe freely and enjoy the fresh scent of clean air.
A knowledgeable HVAC technician can help you find clean ait solutions that filtrate your home’s air and remove the presence of old and mildew odors due to poor water drainage. First Class HVAC has been assisting the residents of Delaware and Maryland for over 40 years in installing whole house filtration systems for their homes. Contact us today if you are interested in duct cleaning and deodorizing maintenance, or if you want to select an indoor air quality retrofit system for your water heater, central air conditioning system, or heat pump.