How to Prevent Mold from Taking Over in the First Place?

Mold plays a vital role in the environment by destroying organic materials and enriching soil. But mold isn’t good for humans. In fact, when we are exposed to mold, it can cause us several health issues. That is why as a homeowner, you must prevent mold from taking over the house in the first place.

Why Should You Be Worried about Mold Formation in Your House?

Mold grows in damp places or in humid conditions. You can find mold in carpet, food, kitchen and bathroom sink, clothing, and even behind the drywall. But mold is very costly to eradicate from the house. Besides, in some cases, you cannot even eradicate them completely.

But why should you care about mold?

Mold is very hazardous and can cause serious health issues. For example, when there is mold in your house, especially inside the HVAC unit, it will lower the indoor air quality. Your home will be filled with a bad odor. Moreover, mold can trigger asthma symptoms and other respiratory illnesses. Furthermore, it is found that people can feel allergic when they are exposed to mold.

From this, it is clear that mold can cause severe damage to your health and degrade the environment of your house. So, it is always better to prevent mold from taking over in the first place.

5 Ways to Prevent Mold in Your House

1.  Keeping the Air Dry

By keeping the indoor air dry, you can stop mold formation in your space. For this, you can use an HVAC unit and a dehumidifier.

When you turn on your air conditioning unit, it keeps your space cool by removing excess moisture from your space. Thus, the indoor air becomes dry, and you can prevent mold formation. Apart from using an air conditioning unit, you can also install a dehumidification system and ensure regular air duct cleaning.

A dehumidifier will maintain a specific humidity level all the time, and thus, you can prevent mold growth in your house.

However, while using the HVAC system, ensure proper house insulation. Otherwise, this method of preventing mold growth won’t be effective.

2.  Ensure Maximum Ventilation

Usually, houses with poor ventilation systems are affected by mildew. Because when there is not enough air circulation in the house, indoor air will have more water content, resulting in rapid mold growth. On the flip side, when there is adequate air circulation in the house, outside dry air can enter your house and replace the wet air. Thus, you decrease the possibility of mold growth in your house.

Again, if there is not enough natural breeze, you can use a fan to circulate the air in your room.

Pro-Tip

During summer and high humid conditions, your closet can be the place where mildew will grow exponentially. To prevent mold growth in your closet, it is recommended to keep the closet door open. Besides, it is advised to hang all your clothes loosely so that the air can easily circulate in your closet.

3.  Repair the Water Leaks ASAP

As stated above, mildew grows in damp places or humid conditions. So, when there is a leak in the water pipe, it becomes the perfect condition for mildew to grow exponentially. That is why always check the drain lines and water pipes for leaks. As soon as you find any leak in them, repair them. Also, if your house has faced flooding recently, you must clean the house thoroughly. Otherwise, mold can worsen the house condition. For cleaning the house after flooding, you can call professional cleaning experts.

4.  Optimize the Outside of Your Home

If you want to prevent mold growth in your house, you will have to optimize the outside of your home as well. For example, you must check the roof for leaks. If you’re facing a dripping water issue in your house, it indicates that there is a leak in the roof. Here, you must call an expert and fix the problem ASAP. Again, if you find out there are one or two tiles missing on the roof, you must reinstall new tiles too. Thus, the condition of your roof will remain in good condition, and you can prevent mold growth in your house as well.

Apart from checking the roof, you should check the building’s foundation too. For several reasons, the foundation or walls in your home can have leaks, and if it is not fixed at the right time, they can lead to water leakage and damage the structure of the house. Besides, when there is water leakage, mold will grow exponentially.

5.  Keep the Bathroom and Kitchen Dry and Clean

The kitchen, bathroom, and shower areas are mold-prone areas. If these places are kept dirty, you will notice a mold outbreak. So, you must wash the bathroom and kitchen regularly. Also, if you find any leaks in these areas, you must fix them as soon as possible. Moreover, while cleaning the bathroom and kitchen, don’t forget to clean the bath towels, bath mats, and other clothing that absorb water.

Conclusion

Mold can make your house unlivable and spread diseases. Besides, when there is excess mold in your home, it will produce a foul odor. Moreover, if you have someone in your home with asthma or other respiratory illnesses, they can be severely affected by the mold. So, your goal should be to prevent mold rather than eliminate it.

Guest Contributor: Walter E. Bennett