Mold can be a tricky beast to tame, considering it’s nearly impossible to mold-proof a home. Its spores spread easily and quickly in most environments and on most textiles, making it a hard problem to detect at times and an even pricer problem to resolve. Keep yourself out of harm’s way with these tips on preventing and removing mold at home.
Preventative Measures
The easiest way to deal with mold is through preventative measures. The golden rule? Keep moisture in check.
Identify Problem Areas.
Taking a hard look around and identifying problem areas is one of the most constructive things you can do for your home. Do you have any leaks? Is there a constant drip in one of your bathrooms? What about condensation on a window? Once you recognize problem areas in your home, you’ll better know how to prevent moisture where it matters.
Keep Moisture in Check.
Be sure your home doesn’t become too humid by properly ventilating your home. If you’re cooking on the stove, taking a shower, doing laundry, or running the dishwasher, make sure you run an exhaust fan or appliance fan. If you don’t have access to either one in the area, just cracking a window for a few minutes can do the trick.
Invest in Mold-resistant Products.
If you’re building a new home or renovating an old one, invest in things like mold-resistant drywall and mold-resistant sheetrock to save time and money removing mold in the future.
Immediately Dry Wet Areas.
This includes everything from kitchen spills to leaks from pipes or seepage from a recent storm. Even small spills need attention, and drying an area soon after an incident can keep mold from spreading.
Improve Airflow.
The EPA notes that lower temperatures hold less mold, making it ideal to keep that thermostat a bit cooler if you live in a humid area. Increase circulation by opening doors between rooms, running ceiling fans, and letting some fresh air in every so often.
Removing Mold
If mold is visible on a surface in your home, there’s no need to run tests. With spores that you can see, it’s time to take care of the issue at hand.
Clean hard surfaces.
If there’s a bit of mold on your bathroom tiles or around the tub, use a strong cleaner like diluted bleach solution or a commercial product to scrub away the gunk. Be sure to dry the area thoroughly when done.
Dispose of porous items.
When mold continues to reappear on a porous item, it’s time to trash it. Mold easily infiltrates the material and is seldom gone for good.
Call a professional.
When any of the following scenarios present themselves, it’s time to call a professional for mold remediation.
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When black or green mold forms
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When a large area is affected, or several smaller areas at once
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When allergies, asthma, or other pulmonary/auto-immune issues start
It can be challenging to keep mold in check, but preventative measures can make all the difference when keeping your home healthy. Remove and remediate mold before it becomes a life-altering issue for you and your family, and take a look at our home maintenance guides to see how you can keep your home in tip-top shape all year long.
