Mold can sometimes be a good thing, particularly when it comes to making penicillin or blue cheese! However, when it starts growing in your house, that’s quite another matter. Mold spores are quickly spread and they’re very difficult to eradicate, so if you discover a mold problem in your home, you need to take action quickly.
Mold is capable of growing anywhere, and that’s why it can be so difficult to remove. Not only is it expensive to rectify, but it also produces irritants and allergens which could harm your health. If you don’t have a mold problem already, but you’re worried about one developing, moisture control is really the key to prevention. With that in mind, here are some tips for keeping mold away from your home.
Identify Your Home’s Problem Areas
It isn’t possible to mold-proof a home, however, you can try making it mold-resistant. Identify any problem zones – the basement and windows are two common areas where mold can develop. Once you know where the problems lie, you can take action to prevent a problem from occurring. Take up carpets in damp basements, install products which are mold-resistant, repair any damaged gutters or waterproof the space.
Dry Wet Spaces Straight Away
Mold is unable to grow if there isn’t any moisture, so make sure that any wet areas are dried immediately. If you have a flood or a leak, dry it up straight away. Never leave wet clothing in your washing machine, and don’t allow wet clothes to dry in the home.
Ventilation Is Key
Whenever you cook food, take a bath or shower or do laundry, always ensure the room is adequately ventilated. Vent all appliances which produce moisture to the outdoors and not your attic. Run exhaust fans whenever possible, or if you don’t have sufficient ventilation, open a window.
Install A Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is a great way to remove excess moisture from the air. Whether you live in a humid climate or whether you simply need to remove moisture caused by cooking and bathing, a whole house dehumidifier can resolve your problems. Read this to find out more about how a dehumidifier can benefit you.
Direct The Water Away
If you have ground surrounding your property which isn’t sloped sufficiently away from its foundations, you could find water collects there and seeps into the basement or crawlspace. Make sure that your direct away the water to avoid a problem.
Repair Gutters
Mold problems are often caused because your guttering is damaged and causing a leak. If the roof gutters are regularly inspected and cleaned, this won’t become a problem. Make sure that you carry out routine maintenance and your guttering will stay in good condition.
Improve Your Home’s Airflow
When temperatures go down, the air isn’t able to hold as much moisture, and if there isn’t sufficiently good airflow through your property, the excess moisture starts to appear on floors, windows, and walls. You can improve air circulation by opening the doors between your rooms and moving your furniture away from the walls.
Care For Your Plants
Although plants are really useful to have in your home – not only are they pretty, they also help to clean the indoor air – they can attract mold. Their moist soil is the ideal mold breeding ground, and the spores can then easily migrate around other parts of your home. Make sure you care for your houseplants’ soil to make sure that mold doesn’t become a problem.
Avoid Over-Filling Your Closets
You might never have thought that your over-filled closets could be causing your mold problem; however, they could be! The more full your closet is, the more mold is likely to breed since the air won’t be able to freely circulate inside. Make sure you keep the contents of your closets down and get rid of anything you don’t use so that air can circulate more easily.
The Takeaway
With these tips in mind, you’ll find that mold won’t become a problem in your home. Since mold can cause health problems, it’s always best to stop it before it starts by preventing its growth in the first place, and our useful advice will help to make sure that you never have to deal with the consequences of mold spores in your property.