If you’ve ever dealt with a serious mold infestation in your home or business, you know how difficult and time-consuming it can be. Mold is a difficult enemy to overcome. It tends to appear in hard-to-reach places, and will fight hard to survive and spread. When infestations get particularly bad, cleaning them up can often resemble home renovation projects. The market value and even structural integrity of your home can be affected.
Prevention is far and away the best way to deal with mold. Anyone who wants to reduce the probability that mold will become a problem in their home or business can benefit hugely from these mold prevention steps.
Address leaks immediately
Leaks and seepage, whether in your basement or another area of your home, create perfect breeding grounds for mold. The constant source of moisture allows colonies to grow and expand faster than ever. It might be a pipe in the wall, an area of the room, or even a leaky tap. Whatever the case, leaking water or moisture is a definite precursor to mold and should be addressed immediately. It may seem like a minor problem now, but when you’ve got a full-scale mold infestation on your hands, you’ll wish you had addressed the problem when it was no more than a small leak!
2. Use a dehumidifier and/or ventilator
Humid, stagnant air is the perfect place for mold to grow. Most species seek out environments that are dark and moist, such as the basement, the kitchen and the bathroom. In fact, any area of the home can attract mold when the humidity is too high or the ventilation is bad. If you spend most of the time with your windows shut, consider opening them at scheduled intervals to allow circulation fresh air. Or use a ventilator to do the job for you during hot or cold months. Dry, well-circulated air is a great defense against mold.
3. Keep your air flow systems clean
Chances are, your home has a network of ducts for heating and cooling. When these ducts are left dirty and clogged, they can prevent proper airflow and contribute to mold growth. They’ll also drive up your energy bills.
Don’t let your airflow/HVAC systems become conduits for mold growth. Keeping them impeccably clean, and making sure they’re functioning as they’re supposed to, is an important part of any mold prevention strategy.
Not sure when your vents and ducts were last cleaned? There are any number of specialists who can provide this service at a reasonable fee. Mold removal specialists will also be able to test and examine your home for mold infestations if necessary.
4. Don’t Leave Wet Objects Indoors
If you want to make a mold colony happy, leave plenty of damp clothing and beach towels in the house. Better yet, hang clothes to dry inside the house. Mold absolutely loves it when you do this!
Always make an effort to hang wet objects outside. If the weather isn’t suitable to hang things outside, a garage or other covered area is far preferable to inside the home. Regularly hanging wet clothes inside will almost always bring about mold problems.
Preventing mold the right way
Mold prevention is really just a matter of common sense and knowing what to look for. Once you understand how mold grows and thrives, taking appropriate action is much easier.
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