How to Treat Fungus in a Crawl Space

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Things You'll Need

  • Fogger

  • Mold inhibitor

Fungus that begins growing in a home's crawl space can create real problems. Not only does it present a health hazard for humans, its presence also indicates that there is a moisture problem underneath the house. If fungus is located in the crawl space under a home or building, it must be treated immediately to kill it. Proper treatment will also kill any fungus spores that have not yet begun to grow.

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Step 1

Purchase a fogger with which to apply the treatment to the crawl space. Although a garden sprayer can be used, the fogger is easier to use and will do a more thorough job of completely coating the underside of the crawl space. Foggers are most often used to apply pesticides, and are available at home improvement stores.

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Step 2

Fill the fogger with a liquid mold inhibitor. These products will kill existing fungus as well as spores that have not yet begun to grow.

Step 3

Place the fogger underneath the crawl space in the center of the home. Plug the fogger's electrical cord into an electrical outlet and allow the machine to run until all of the solution has been applied.

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Step 4

Turn off the fogger and wait an additional two to three hours to allow all of the solution to settle before accessing the crawl space to remove the fogger.

Step 5

Allow the crawl space entrance and vents to remain open for two to three days to allow the solution to thoroughly dry on the interior of the crawl space. At the end of this time, check the fungus growth to see if it has died.

Step 6

Reapply the mold inhibitor solution two to three times per year or after periods of prolonged, excessive rain.

Tip

Making sure the crawl space has adequate ventilation can prevent the growth of fungus.

Consider installing a moisture barrier in the crawl space. Moisture barriers are thin layers of plastic that cover the floor, walls and ceiling of the crawl space.

As the fungus dies, it sometimes emits a foul odor. This odor should dissipate within one week after treatment.

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