Learn More About Mold
Now you know the answer to the question What does mold need to grow? As you can see, keeping your home dry is the first step to preventing mold growth.
If you want to learn more about mold and how you can keep it from invading your home, be sure to check out our blog. We have numerous posts on mold, including one on the ten types of mold that could be lurking in your home.
We Moved Into Our House A Year Ago Its Only A 3 Year Old House We Just Noticed What We Think Is White Mold On Many Of Our Stored Items Throughout The Basement Is This Mold And Should We Call A Professional Or Try To Do It Ourselves I Keep Finding More And More Items With This Substance On Them We Recently Had The Basement Fogged For Fleas As Well If That Makes A Difference
This is due to elevated humidity in the basement. Typically this occurs due to a lack of heat during the winter months. The lower temperature leads to increased humidity, which in turn causes the mold growth.
The easiest solution is to simply increase the temperature of the basement. Also, install a relative humidity gauge in a central location. Your goal is to keep the RH under 50% during the winter months.
In addition to increasing the temperature, you might need to actively ventilate the basement. Running an existing bathroom exhaust fan can achieve this. If no bathroom fan exists, you can install a wall mounted exhaust fan.
Keep Healthy Humidity Levels
Mold and mildew thrive in a humid environment, so it is important to keep your humidity levels down. In areas that are prone to excessive moisture, make sure you ventilate. When using the kitchen, bathroom or basement, turn on the vent fans. If there are no vent fans in these rooms, have them repaired or installed by an electrician. Also, consider installing whole-home humidification or plug-in dehumidifiers.
Attics fans can also help manage moisture and provide ventilation in the home. Ask your HVAC professional if attic fans are right for your home.
You can also take measures to control the humidity levels in your home with your HVAC system, which may or may not have a humidification system built in. Regardless, running the air conditioner will help dry and circulate the air. A closed up home in the summer without air conditioning and little air movement will create the humid, warm and dark conditions necessary for mold growth.
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What Causes Mold On Shoes
Mold is a rough fungus, capable of spreading and growing on almost anything, including shoes and clothes. Wherever theres excessive moisture, such as leaks, damp corners or wet insoles, mold can accumulate.
Shoes are especially susceptible to mold growth. The dark, warm, moist environment of footwear creates the perfect lair for fungus to thrive. The insoles, for example, are prone to dampness from perspiration, whereas the outer materials remain exposed to outside elements. If you dont dry your shoes properly, this eventually leads to moldy smells.
Another risk factor is if youve been in contact with spores and bring them home with you. Mold particles in the air can spread and attach to your clothes and shoes. You could also step on a moldy surface and carry it home that way.
If there is any moisture left on your shoes, the spores will continue to grow.
Air Conditioning And Heating Vents
You probably prefer your bedroom to be at the optimal temperature for you to get a good nights rest. While using the AC and heating unit are fine , its possible for mold to grow in the vents.
To prevent mold from contaminating your bedroom, you should:
- Use a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the air
- Dry up any condensation you find on the walls and windows
- Invest in a mold-resistant mattress or, at the very least, a waterproof mattress cover
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We Have A Problem With A Room In Our Basement It Is Uninsulated And Has A Moldy Smell The Odor Is Worse In The Winter Months My Son Likes To Sleep In The Room
Youll want to focus on two items increasing the temperature and the air flow. Addressing these issues will lower the humidity and the mold growth/musty odor.
Purchase a relative humidity gauge and install it in the basement. Your goal is to keep the RH below 50%. Increase the heat as necessary to lower the RH until youve reached 50%.
The easiest way to increase the ventilation is to run a bathroom exhaust fan. If theres an existing fan in the basement, run it at least 12 hours per day in the winter months.
Its also important to verify whether the basement is suffering from vapor emissions through the concrete slab. This occurs when water vapor moves up through the slab and into the room above. If the basement is carpeted, the moisture can become trapped and lead to mold growth. See our page on basement mold for more info.
How Does Mold Grow So Quickly Indoors
Mold is quite easily satisfied when it comes to conditions for growth. You can say theyre one of the least picky organisms. Yes, mold requires water, but thats not its only sustenance. Oh, if only it were.
Mold will feed on anything at all with cellulose in it, and unfortunately, theres cellulose in almost everything, your carpets, your clothing and other fabric, wood, you just name it. This is one reason why most basements are rife with mold. Basements are moist, and also full of old junk like ruined clothes and ancient carpets. Its no wonder the mold have a field day.
Mold can even start to grow inside your walls, or your foundation. This is a worse situation since you would not realize there is a mold problem until it is well spread. This is when to consider mold removal professionals.
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Treating Black Mold Poisoning
If you suspect youre suffering from symptoms associated with black mold exposure or poisoning, there are some things you can do to improve your health.
In conclusion, the best way to avoid the negative effects of black mold poisoning is to minimize your exposure to black mold.
You can do this by preventing its growth in the first place. If its too late to prevent it and you suspect theres black mold already in your home, dont wait to book black mold removal, completed quickly and efficiently by the industry experts.
Black mold, typically green or black, in your home can be extremely hazardous to your health. Learn about black mold poisoning and start preventing black mold growth today.
My Dad Went To Heaven This Past January And We Are In The Process Of Cleaning Things Out Of His Home He Had About 7 Large Cardboard Boxes In His Basement Which Contained Carole Town Christmas Village Pieces Each Of The Pieces Are Packed In Styrofoam In Their Original Boxes The Outer Cardboard Boxes Have Mold Growing On Them Mostly On The Outside But Some Have It On The Inside Of The Cardboard It Looks Like White Mold From The Pictures I Have Seen On Your Website Some Of The Boxes That The Village Pieces Are Packed In Also Have The White Mold On Them If We Remove The Village Pieces And Just Keep Them In Their Styrofoam And Pack Them In New Clean Boxes Are We Safe To Transport Them To Our Home And Not Spread The Mold To Our Home We Would Like To Sell These Pieces And Were Going To Bring Them Home Also I Do Not Want To Sell Someone Moldy Pieces And Spread Mold To Them
Yes, I recommend remove the contents from the moldy boxes before moving anything to your home. I would perform the operation outside. Arrange a cleaning station to take the contents from the moldy boxes, wipe the items, then place them into clean boxes/bins.
If the contents are non-porous they can be easily cleaned with a damp wipe. If the pieces are semi-porous, such as wood, they can be cleaned, but it may damaged the finish. Porous items are difficult to clean.
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What Does Mold Need In Order To Grow
The truth is not much is needed for mold spores to grow out of control. Ideal conditions include lots of moisture and food. Indoor mold growth is fueled by moisture. This explains why mold is such a common problem in highly humid and damp areas like bathrooms and basements.
In addition to moisture, mold also needs nutrients, which it finds in a variety of materials like paper, wood, drywall or any organic material. More information available in our article about causes of mold growth.
How Mold Grows And More: Your Mold Questions Answered
From fuzzy growth on foods left out a bit too long to unsightly black spots on the siding of your house, we all have issues with mold.
What is mold though? How does it grow and why? What happens to the surfaces mold grows on? When does this nuisance turn into a hazard?
Read on to discover the answers to some of your biggest questions on mold.
What is mold?
The word mold refers to fungi which grow in the form of multicellular strands known as hyphae. Mold grows on any dead organic matter in nature but is only visible to the human eye when it forms a large colony, called a mycelium.
Unlike colonies of ants or termites, a mycelium is not made up of multiple individual organisms. It instead consists of an interconnected network of hyphae, all part of the same organism.
How does mold grow?
Mold reproduces via the production of small spores. These spores can be compared to the seeds of a plant, though they are much smaller than seeds or even pollen grains.
Their small size makes them easy to disperse via wind and water. They can also travel long distances by clinging on to clothing or fur.
Mold spores can survive environments that dont support normal mold growth. They will only start to grow once they land in an environment with suitable water, food, temperature, and oxygen.
Unlike plants use of photosynthesis to harness energy, molds rely on organic matter to provide energy. Mold grows on the materials it can digest.
What promotes mold growth?
What can mold grow on?
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How Do You Keep Mold Out Of Buildings And Homes
Inspect buildings for evidence of water damage and visible mold as part of routine building maintenance, Correct conditions causing mold growth to prevent mold growth.
Inside your home you can control mold growth by:
- Controlling humidity levels
- Promptly fixing leaky roofs, windows, and pipes
- Thoroughly cleaning and drying after flooding
- Ventilating shower, laundry, and cooking areas.
Hello I Am Converting My Families Vhs Tapes To Digital And A Few Have What Appear To Be White Mold Would You Know The Type That Grows On Tapes This Is A Long Process That Will Take A Few Weeks How Is It Best To Store The Tapes And Vcr Is There Anything I Can Place Around The Tapes To Help Reduce The Spread To My Place
I wouldnt worry about identifying the specific type of mold growth. The remediation and prevention is the same, regardless of species. Your need to lower the humidity in the area these tapes are stored. Aim for a relative humidity of < 50% with< 60% as your maximum. If you live in a climate with cool winters, this can be achieved by increasing the ventilation to the storage area and increasing the heat/temperature. The higher the temp, the lower the RH. Purchase a relative humidity gauge to monitor your efforts. If you live in a very humid location such as Florida, youll need active dehumidification.
Humidity problems are typically worse in closets or cabinets, due to the poor air flow. Try moving the tapes to an area that is more actively conditioned/heated.
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What Would A Musty Smell Indicate
Musty smells are general indicators of mold and mildew. Its a very distinct odor that youll quickly notice if you open a closet with moldy shoes and clothing inside.
However, musty smells can also indicate mold-eating mites. So, if you cant get rid of the odor by cleaning, we recommend consulting a professional.
Preventative Measures: Early Detection
One of the great benefits of using moisture meters in home inspections and safety surveys is their ability to detect mold colonies and dangerous building damage through moisture before the problem grows in severity. Being able to pinpoint mold and moisture quickly, and before serious damage occurs, can help homeowners avoid the need of costly repairs and renovations later on as the mold spreads.
Hidden moisture pockets can breed serious structural damage and an array of bacteria and insect activity. These agents can spread disease and create complicated health problems if left unattended or undetected by simply using traditional naked eye cleaning and inspections. When using Moisture meters, pockets of moisture can identify hazardous concentrations of bacteria and mold quickly and accurately, saving property values and irreversible damage to property structure, such as rust, rot and decaying materials.
Professional-grade moisture meters give exact and detailed information about the scale and severity of moisture pockets, which allow potential mold growth. Being armed with this knowledge allows for much narrower and more effective countermeasures to be taken. The effectiveness and accuracy of moisture meters give them an integral place in the toolbox of any restoration expert, contractor or DIY carpenter.
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I Live In A Condo With Concrete Ceilings And A Flat Roof I Get Mold Along The Exterior Edge Of My Ceiling Whats The Best Way To Prevent This
The simplest option is to increase the temperature and outside ventilation of this condo. Typically this is accomplished by running the bathroom exhaust fan 24/7. Our humidity page has an in-depth explanation of the approach. If you dont have a working bathroom fan, youll have to find another way to introduce fresh air into the condo. Keeping a window cracked is an option, but can be uncomfortable during very cold weather.
Symptoms Of Mold Exposure
Exposure to mold can cause a variety of health issues, or none at all, depending on the person exposed. Some people are more sensitive to mold, and exposure to it can result in symptoms like nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing, wheezing, skin irritation and eye irritation. These symptoms are more severe in people with mold allergies.
For people with compromised immune systems or respiratory conditions, such as lung disease, mold exposure can cause serious infections that require medical treatment.
Also Check: How To Find Out If You Have Mold Poisoning
How To Prevent Black Mold Growth
Conducting routine home inspections and maintenance are the best ways to deal with a black mold problem. Keep an eye out for evidence of water damage and visible mold on a regular basis. The conditions that cause mold should be corrected in a timely manner to prevent mold from growing further.
The extent of structural damage black mold can cause to your home, depends on how quickly you act to fix it.
Some of the ways you can keep mold out of your home is by:
To completely get rid of black mold from your home, you must address the root cause of the problem, so that there is no recurrence of mold. For example, just cleaning up the mold without addressing the moisture problem will not solve the issue because the mold will very likely return.
How Can I Tell If I Have A Mold Problem
Any part of your home that gets wet is likely to be moldy. Check for:
- Leaks in your roof or plumbing. If water is trapped inside your walls or under your carpet, molds may grow there, although they can’t always be seen. See if your walls or rugs have light stains or a strong musty smell.
- Mold in your basement, especially if your basement floods because of rain. Moisture can also seep through your home’s concrete foundation and make the bottom of carpets or the inside of a finished wall moldy.
- Water damage around your windows or doors to the outside of the house. In winter, moist air can change to water on these cooler surfaces and cause molds to grow there.
- Mold on walls, ceilings, floors, carpets, books or piles of newspapers. Smell these areas too sometimes a musty smell is your only clue that you have a mold problem.
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