Side Effects of Crawlspace Moisture

Crawlspace moisture can have a number of negative side effects, according to the University of Tennessee. Wet crawlspaces can weaken foundation walls, buckle floors and doors, and damage electrical and mechanical systems. Crawlspace moisture destroys insulation and increases humidity throughout a building, increasing energy costs and reducing value. A wet crawlspace can become a breeding ground for termites and other pests. Perhaps the most serious side effect of crawlspace moisture is to the health of the house's residents. Mold from wet crawlspaces can cause respiratory problems and skin irritations. Airborne mold can worsen asthma and prime people for allergic reactions, University of Connecticut researchers found. Mold can lead to cognitive deficits, digestive problems and neurological damage.

Allergies and Asthma

• Mold exposure exacerbates asthma.

  Mold commonly causes allergies and asthma. The spores sensitize the immune system and cause inflammation reactions. This can lead to allergic reactions such as nasal congestion, sneezing, cough and sore throat. Mold from wet crawlspaces can aggravate asthma. And mold exposure might lead to development of asthma in both adults and children, according to the University of Connecticut research.

Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

• Airborne particles can cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

  Mold from crawlspace moisture has been linked to many forms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, commonly associated with certain occupations. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis can affect people employed in farming, metalworking and woodworking when they inhale foreign particles. Symptoms include breathlessness, chest tightness, chills, cough and fatigue.

Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis, Allergic Fungal Sinusitis

• Fungus can proliferate within the airways.

  When the airways of people with asthma or cystic fibrosis become infected with the mold species Aspergillus, they become hypersensitive to the fungus and develop serious problems with respiration.

  Allergic fungal sinusitis occurs when fungal growth develops in the sinuses. Mold exposure from crawlspace moisture can encourage such growth to the point that it destroys sinus tissue, according to the University of Connecticut findings.

Allergic Dermatitis

• Mold exposure can cause itchy, dry skin.

  Mold exposure and its effects on the immune system can cause skin problems, too. Studies suggest that mold can contribute to dry skin, itchy skin and skin rashes, the University of Connecticut researchers report.

Organic Dust Toxic Syndrome

• Mold inhalation can cause pulmonary hemorrhage in infants.

  Organic dust toxic syndrome, or ODTS, is an umbrella term for a host of illnesses thought to be triggered by the inhalation of bacterial endotoxins or fungal toxins. ODTS is flulike; its symptoms are exhibited as fever and cough, but it differs from hypersensitivity pneumonitis in that it doesn't act through immune responses. It's an immediate reaction rather than one caused by heightened sensitivity.

  OTDS can cause pulmonary hemorrhage in infants.

Mycotoxins

• Warm indoor air draws moist air from beneath houses up through the building.

  Mycotoxins are metabolites that many molds can produce. Wet crawlspaces can lead to the production of these volatile organic compounds. These compounds lead to mold's musty odor, say the University of Connecticut researchers. They are very irritating to the mucous membranes in eyes, noses, throats, skin and chest. Mycotoxins can cause fatigue and headaches. Black mold is an example of such mycotoxic activity.

  Studies suggest that neurotoxic effects such as difficulty concentrating, memory loss and personality changes might be related to mold exposure and/or mycotoxins, according to the University of Connecticut researchers.

  Other non-volatile compounds produced by mold can cause burning eyes, dry cough, and itchy noses or skin. These compounds aren't officially mycotoxins but they can reduce antibodies in our immune systems and increase the leakage of cells into airways.