Crawl Spaces and Mold Issues in California Homes and Businesses

It can sometimes be obvious that a home or building has a mold problem when it is visibly growing on the walls, ceilings, floors or other observable areas. However, it’s important to note that a structure may have a mold problem that could be causing indoor environmental quality (IEQ) concerns for building occupants that is taking place completely out of sight.

Crawl spaces are one of the common areas where mold issues are found but may be unnoticed. This is due to the fact that many property owners may go years without ever inspecting it for leaks or other types of moisture issues.

In a crawl space where there is high relative humidity, mold growth can appear, especially if the crawl space has a bare earth floor. The soil wicks moisture, through capillary action, from moist to dry areas. The relative warmth of a crawl space can also dry the soil by evaporation, adding moisture to the air in the crawl space where it can contribute to mold growth. If a flooding event occurs, or in areas where the water table is high, water may enter a crawl space. Crawl spaces also often contain water and sewer pipes that can develop leaks or have issues related to condensation. During extreme cold weather, they could even freeze and burst causing major water issues.

“Moist air from a crawl space can also enter other parts of a home or building creating mold growth issues elsewhere in the property,” said Joseph Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at LA Testing. “Another thing to consider is that just as moisture in the air can spread to other areas of a home, so too can any mold that is airborne in the crawl space. Mold spores and fragments can enter livable areas through cracks and openings or through air ducts if the HVAC system runs through the crawl space as these ducts frequently have leaks and openings.”

LA Testing, with multiple laboratories in California, provide laboratory testing services to identify indoor mold growth from air and surface samples. They provide all of the sampling supplies needed, easy-to-use test kits, air monitoring instruments and even building inspection tools. LA Testing has also sponsored an educational video about crawl spaces and mold that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/I574R9YkhBY.

To learn more about mold, indoor air quality or other environmental, building science, industrial hygiene, health and safety issues, please visit www.LATesting.com, email  info@LATesting.com  or call (800) 755-1794. For access to IEQ test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.


About LA Testing
LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: : AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego and Ontario.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

LA Testing

(1) 856-303-2503

Contact via E-mail