The Mold You Can’t See: The Hidden Health Threat in Your Home

You get home after a long day, set your keys down, and there it is again: that damp, musty smell you have tried to cover up with candles, sprays, and wall scents. It works for a moment, but the smell ALWAYS returns. After checking the trash, the laundry, and even the dog, you finally look where no homeowner ever wants to go: the crawlspace.

You open the access panel, shine a light inside, and that is when you see it: a thin grayish film on the wood, darker patches climbing up the joists, and a fuzzy white strip forming along the subfloor.

What most homeowners do not realize is that crawlspace air does not stay down there. Up to 50% of the air you breathe upstairs comes from below your feet. So while you were busy covering up the smell, the source of it was already working its way deeper into your home’s structure.

How Mold Affects Your Health

For most families, mold is “gross,” maybe “annoying,” but never “dangerous.” But recent research tells a different story. Mold releases allergens, irritants, and mycotoxins, which are toxic chemicals mold produces to defend itself. These particles can irritate your lungs, inflame your sinuses, and worsen breathing conditions even in otherwise healthy individuals.

Here are the health risks most commonly linked to household mold:

• Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: inflammation of the lungs caused by long-term mold exposure

• Aspergillosis: a mold-related illness that can cause severe sinus and breathing problems

• Asthma and Allergy Flare-Ups: wheezing, coughing, headaches, and respiratory irritation

And with nearly 47% of homes in the United States experiencing mold or dampness, these risks are far more common than most homeowners ever imagine.

The Remedy That Started With the Statue of Liberty: Soda Blasting

If you have never heard of soda blasting, you are not alone. But the Statue of Liberty has. When the monument needed major restoration in the 1980s, experts turned to sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) propelled through specialized nozzles to remove decades of grime and biological growth without damaging the copper.

Under a microscope, baking soda crystals look sharp and angular, almost like tiny blades that lift mold off the surface and pull its roots out from the wood. It was safe enough for a national monument, and it is safe enough for your crawlspace.

Why Soda Blasting Works Better Than Anything Else

Soda blasting does not soak the wood the way bleaching or scrubbing does. It removes the mold completely while leaving the wood intact and avoiding damage to wiring, ductwork, PVC, or modern building materials.

It is non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and because it leaves behind a light alkaline film, it naturally discourages mold from returning. And unlike harsh sanding or scraping, it protects the structure by removing contamination without weakening the wood.

In other words, soda blasting eliminates the mold and preserves the integrity of the materials your home relies on.

What Should You Do If You Think You Have Mold?

1. Don’t ignore the smell. Try to identify where the odor is strongest.

2. Don’t bleach it or scrub it. This pushes moisture deeper and spreads spores.

3. Get a professional inspection from The Crawlspace Ace.

Your Home Deserves Clean Air and a Safe Foundation

Your crawlspace is not just a part of your home, it is part of your health. If you have noticed a persistent smell, unexplained allergies, or signs of moisture, your crawlspace may be trying to tell you something.

At The Crawlspace Ace, we specialize in mold removal using safe, effective soda blasting, the same technology trusted by the White House to restore national monuments, paired with moisture control solutions that keep mold from coming back.

Cleaner air. Healthier lungs. A safer home.It all starts under your feet.

📞 Call The Crawlspace Ace today at (270) 556-7075 to schedule your mold and moisture evaluation. Your home and your family will breathe easier for it.