Mold Prevention Prevent Mold Preventing Mold Control Preventing Mold Prevent Mold Mold Prevention

HOW YOU CAN HELP PREVENT MOLD FROM GROWING

There is no escaping the fact that mold spores are all around us, however, there are steps that you can take to help limit mold growth in your home or office. As you read through the following suggestions, remember one thing above everything else;

CONTROL THE MOISTURE AND YOU CONTROL THE MOLD!

All of the suggestions that follow will help prevent mold, but the one thing that mold needs more than anything to grow is wet, damp or humid conditions. If you can control moisture, you can control mold.

PREVENTING MOLD - The Basic Elements:
Mold requires 3 basic elements to grow; moisture, warm air, and a food source. Depriving mold of any of these three items will limit, and in some cases prevent it from growing, but it will not kill the mold that is already present. Mold spores will remain dormant, and if the moisture, warmth and food all reappear, mold will begin to grow again.

Remember: Mold does not have to be alive to cause health problems in people or animals. Dormant and even non-viable (dead) mold can be just as harmful as viable (alive) mold.

1: The most important steps in controlling mold growth are to clean any existing mold and to eliminate moisture intrusion that caused it.

2: The number 1 cause of indoor mold problems is outdoor irrigation and drainage. Wall materials such as stucco and wood absorb water. Make sure sprinklers do not hit exterior walls. Make sure plants do not touch exterior walls and rain water is routed away from your building. Gutters and downspouts are the best way to manage rain water.

Concrete slabs act just like a sponge. They absorb water out of the soil and hold it for extended periods. In turn, materials that make contact with wet slabs, such as carpet, padding, tack strip, moldings and other construction framework, absorb moisture out of slabs creating ideal conditions for mold growth. Over watering plants, grass and flower beds, is the primary contributor to initiating this destructive scenario. When watering, make sure that the soil against your building dries completely within 3 hours of watering.

 
3: Cob webs and dust act like spore traps. Airborne gets caught and can begin to grow. Vacuum and clean regularly to remove possible sources of mold growth, especially behind refrigerator and other appliances that are not always included in routine vacuuming. Pay special attention to bathrooms and other areas of your home that are likely to generate a lot of moisture.

4: Carpeting in bathrooms is a big No-No. In portions of your home that are susceptible to moisture, use area rugs or washable floor surfaces rather than wall-to-wall carpeting. If you use area rugs, launder them periodically.

5: Do not store materials such as paper, books, clothes, or other possible sources of food for mold in humid parts of your home.

6: Repair water leaks in your roof, windows, or any other part of the home immediately.

7: Clean refrigerator drip pans regularly according to the manufacturer's instructions. If your refrigerator and freezer doors do not seal properly, moisture can build up and mold can grow there. Remove any mold on the door gaskets and replace faulty gaskets.

8: If you live in a house, make sure that your gutters and downspouts are clear of debris that may block the flow of water from your roof. Make sure the area under your downspouts is properly graded so that rainwater from the roof flows away from your foundation. Splash blocks can help rainwater to flow in the proper direction. If necessary, extend your downspouts.

9: Make sure other areas around your foundation are graded so that rainwater does not flow toward the house. Do not put gardens or plants too close to your foundation so that watering them could cause water to flow toward your house. If you water your lawn with a sprinkler, make sure the water does not hit your house or the area next to the foundation.

10: In the kitchen and bathroom, open windows or use exhaust fans when engaging in activities that produce moisture. Exhaust fans should be vented to the outdoors and not to an attic or crawl space. If your shower areas do not have exhaust fan, install them and wire them to the light switch so they cannot be ignored.

11: If you have a clothes dryer, make sure it is properly vented to the outdoors.

12: If you use a humidifier, make sure it does not produce an excessive amount of humidity. During the summer, 60 percent relative humidity or lower probably will prevent condensation and mold growth in most parts of the country, but that is too moist for the middle of winter, when 40 percent relative humidity or lower will prevent condensation on windows.

13: If you live in a house with a basement, consider using a dehumidifier there. The cool basement floor and walls can be a source of moisture build-up.

14: If your home has an attic, make sure it is properly insulated and ventilated.

15: If you have a crawl space under your house, cover the soil in the crawl space with waterproof polyethylene plastic. If your crawl space is ventilated, close the vents in the summer and keep them open in the winter.

16: If you have water problems in your basement or crawl space, clean up affected areas as quickly as possible and take immediate steps to resolve the source of the problem.

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