How to Prevent Mold

How to Prevent Mold

The main things mold needs to grow in a home are organic materials to feed on and moisture. In houses there are always plenty of organic materials for mold to live on such as wood, drywall and various other building materials.
Moisture, on the other hand, can be controlled practically and so keeping the moisture in your home low is the best way to prevent mold growth. Continue reading for more tips on How to Prevent Mold.

Prevent Mold by Preventing Moisture
Most molds need 24-48 hours of moisture to begin to grow. Therefore if a suitable material in your home is wet for more than 24 hours then you run the risk of mold starting to grow.

Prevent Mold by Preventing Water Leaks
There are a few main things which usually cause moisture problems in the home. One is water leaks. These include things such as leaking roofs or walls, leaking pipes and leaking taps or a leaking shower. If you know of any leaks in your home you should fix them without delay. You might need to inspect your home to find any water leaks you didn’t know about.

Prevent Mold by Preventing Condensation
Condensation is another frequent cause of moisture. Condensation forms on cold surfaces when water vapor in the air cools and becomes liquid. Often you’ll see condensation on metal pipes, concrete walls, water tanks and windows.
One way to reduce condensation is to keep the temperature warmer in rooms. For example, by installing insulation. You can also insulate the surfaces themselves such as putting coverings over metal pipes. You’ll also have less condensation occurring if you keep the humidity in your home low.

Prevent Mold by Reducing Humidity

Many species of mold can begin to grow from humidity alone if the humidity stays high for long enough. In fact the humidity only needs to be higher than 55% before some molds can begin to grow.The best way to keep humidity low in your home is through ventilation. Open the windows during the day, especially when it’s hot since this is when humidity is usually the lowest outside. Close your windows when it’s raining outside though. It’s especially important to ventilate the rooms where steam and moisture builds up, like the kitchen and bathroom. Exhaust fans help to reduce the humidity when doing things like cooking or washing dishes.
Air conditioners can also reduce household humidity, as can using dehumidifiers in your home.

Thanks for reading How to Prevent Mold. Give JW Home Care a call if you need any help with Mold in Your Home.