The growth of algae, moss or mold has always been a problem for structures of
every kind as it not only spoils the aesthetics but weakens the build quality too. To
understand why they grow on walls, ceilings and floors along with leakage, it is
important to find out the correlation of this leakage with chemical and physical state
of the surface.
It is necessary to understand what moss, mold and algae are before we get into
details of how Building Waterproofing Services can help arresting their growth.
Algae: Algae are basically aquatic, plant-like organisms that contain chlorophyll but
are devoid of leaves, flowers, roots or stems. Algae are formed when nutrient
pollutants like nitrogen, carbon, potassium and phosphorus grow in excess. The
growth of algae is dependent on the phosphorus content.
Moss: Moss are non-vascular without any roots. Moss makes use of rhizoids which
resemble threads, in order to latch on to the substrates where it grows. Theses
rhizoids help the moss to feed themselves as the moss is incapable of absorbing any
moisture from the surface or the atmosphere.
Mold or Fungi: Fungi are composed of living things like nucleic acids, trace minerals
and water. Using nutrients like algae, the mold grow and feed themselves. While the
reproductive organs of the fungus lie above the surface while the rest of the body
continues to grow below the surface.
For the growth of mold, moss and algae, it is necessary for the area to be moist and
damp. Building structures provide ideal conditions for them to thrive and survive
since earth minerals are easily available in various materials like concrete, cement,
clay, gypsum and sand. Due to technological advancements, nowadays
Waterproofing in heavy rains is also possible and one does not need to wait for the
moisture to go away completely.
