We cannot run away from the fact that mold is good. Yes, it comes in handy in the decomposition of organic matter in nature and is critical in making penicillin and brie.
However, if mold is allowed to grow in undetected places, especially inside your home, it can be detrimental to the health of your loved ones and can compromise the integrity of the abode.
Mold can grow on clothes, food, carpets, walls, ceilings, and floors. As long as there is moisture, it can thrive in invisible places such as inside walls!
If you have a mold problem, you need to prepare your pockets because dealing with it will cost a fortune. If left unattended, the mold you overlook can produce irritants, allergens, and toxins (in rare cases), which is detrimental to human health.
You want to do everything you love, even analyzing the current contenders of the Kentucky Derby on Twinspires.com, without worrying about mold growth in your home, right?
Well, below are some of the ways you can ensure a mold-free home:
- Keep windows open when necessary
Factually, winter is the prime time for mold growth, since most homeowners tend to keep doors and windows shut for a good reason – to keep off detrimental elements.
However, doing so leads to a buildup of humid air due to poor ventilation. After days or weeks, condensation increases, and mold finds the conditions to grow.
To prevent this from happening, open your windows when necessary. Remember, kitchens and bathrooms are the main culprits of mold growth in your house. Therefore, when having a shower, or preparing a meal, open the windows so that moisture cannot build up within the space.
In case you don’t find opening windows as a viable option since you don’t want the hot air to flow out, get a professional to retrofit air vents on your windows.
- Dry wet areas instantly
You find a wet spot on your kitchen floor, but you ignore it as ‘too little to cause a problem.”
Doing this could have adverse effects on your home and the health of everyone in your household.
Mold cannot thrive without moisture. Therefore, in your bid to develop a mold-free home, make sure you tack wet spots without delay.
Whether it’s a small spill on the carpet or a major leakage that has flooded your home, ensure it is dried within 24-48 hours.
In case some items can’t be completely dried, especially if you have experienced a flood, ensure you take them out of the house.
Remember, even everyday occurrences can lead to mold growth. Therefore, as a rule of the thumb, don’t leave wet things lying around in your home. Don’t leave wet clothes in your washing machine, and ensure you dry the floor and walls after showering.
- Have proper ventilation in place
The reason why you are facing a severe mold infestation in your home is due to your routine domestic activities. This includes washing clothes, showering, and washing clothes!
To ensure these activities don’t invite mold, identify high-moist areas, and provide them with proper ventilation.
Vent all the appliances that produce moisture such as stoves and driers to the outside. Invest in dehumidifiers and AC units, and check them regularly to ensure they don’t produce moisture themselves.
- Use mold-resistant products for your home
One of the best ways to develop a mold-free home is by renovating it using mold-resistant products.
These products include mold inhibitors for paint, mold-resistant drywall, and mold-resistant sheetrock.
You can install a mold-resistant drywall in every space in your home. Nonetheless, it is recommended that you have it in areas prone to wetness such as laundry rooms, basements, kitchens, and bathrooms.
Mold-resistant drywall is paperless and has a gypsum covered with fiberglass, which makes it amazingly water-resistant. These features inhibit mold growth.
- Direct water away from your home
Another essential way of ensuring your home is mold-free is by keeping water away from your house. In case the ground surrounding your home is not properly sloped away from the foundation, rainwater may pool and seep into the basement or crawlspace. This allows mold to thrive and spread in different places within the premise.
To prevent this, dig trenches that direct water from the house, install gutters to harvest rainwater, or better still, sufficiently slope the ground around your home.
Even if the above strategies can help you have a mold-free home, keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Take some time and learn about the climate patterns in your locality. Then determine the mold-prevention method that will work best, and if you are unsure, seek professional advice.
