High relative humidity can result in mildew on interior finished surfaces. For mildew to grow, the surface must be near the dew point temperature. Surface temperatures below the dew point will result in condensation and moisture. Mold and mildew will usually be present whenever there is prolonged moisture. Until the moisture is eliminated, the mold will keep returning. It can, however, be kept at bay by wiping the wall with bleach. This will effectively kill the mold for a long period, but you must get rid of the source of moisture to fix the problem. Wet and dry rot are more serious. If there is any evidence of wood rot, you should take steps to repair it immediately. Both wet and dry rot are caused by fungi that originate in wet timber.

Mildew dry-rot are discussed in Section Q of The Home Waterproofers Manual – Home Waterproofing A to Z. I’ve used this same knowledge every day to fix water problems. It will work for you too. You can get the job done fast, at low cost and have a dry, healthy and livable home again. Don’t put yourself at the mercy of high priced waterproofers. Most salesmen get a percentage of the sale and don’t consider it their job to save you money. They charge as much as they can. If they see a problem that can be fixed at low-cost, they won’t mention it, but will only talk about preventing serious damage and try to scare you into signing a big contract. You can save thousands of dollars by learning what is going on first.

You can save thousands of dollars and many headaches by learning what is going on first. Often what looks like an expensive and serious problem may not be. Once the problem is explained, solving it is just common sense. I’ve used the knowledge I’ve put in The Home Waterproofers Manual – Home Waterproofing A to Z every day to fix water problems. It will work for you too.

But remember, when dealing with salesmen, in the waterproofing business it’s “buyer beware”. Most get a percentage of the sale and don’t consider it their job to save you money. They charge as much as they can. If they see a problem that can be fixed at low cost, or one that has a simple solution, they won’t mention it, but will only talk about “preventing serious damage” and try to scare you into signing a big contract.