Moisture In Your Bathroom
Bathrooms are by far the most common rooms in your house to experience mold problems. Fortunately, theyre the easiest rooms to discover mold outbreaks in, and thats because youre probably looking for mold during routine cleaning.
Bathrooms are high-humidity rooms by nature of their intended use. Normal living creates high humidity from hot showers and baths. Using the sink creates moisture, as does flushing the toilet. Even standing water in the sink or plumbing traps contribute to evaporation and keep the bathroom’s relative humidity high.
Bathrooms have many surfaces where mold can start. There are plenty of places like smooth tile faces and porous grout spaces that quickly harbor mold if moisture isnt controlled. Inside vanity cabinets is a common spot for mold to start. Another common place for mold is behind toilets where air circulation is blocked. All this is due to the presence of moisture that rises from these sources:
General plumbing problems like leaks and overflows
Water evaporation
Poor ventilation, like fans or opening windows
Frequent running water like tap drips or toilet run-ons
Damp shower areas including shower curtains and doors
Standing water in sinks and tubs
Leaky drain pipes
Condensation on cold surfaces such as toilet tanks and chrome fixtures
Broken toilet seals
Wet floor mats and towels
Low heat to allow evaporation of excessive moisture
Failed grout or caulk around shower and tub enclosures
Does A Dehumidifier Clean The Air
Dehumidifiers do not clean the air. These appliances help maintain the humidity levels within your space by removing excess moisture. However, a dehumidifier can indirectly clean the air by preventing mold, bacteria and other particulates from growing, all of which could lead to a variety of health issues.
Shut Windows And Doors When Ac Is On
When you open windows and doors, you let air conditioning escape, waste money, and invite humid air into your cooler home. This causes condensation, which mold loves. So keep doors and windows shut when the AC is humming.
Also, maintain your home at around 80 degrees when youre on vacation or at work. Too often, we bump the thermostat up to 85 degrees, or turn off the AC when were away. This raises temperature and humidity, which creates the ideal home for mold.
Case in point: Removing paint from brick is almost impossible.
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How Common Is Mold In Buildings
Mold is very common in homes and buildings.
One 2017 study found mold in every public building studied, with an average of about 14 instances of mold per building.
Another involving 31 European countries found mold in 1 in 6 homes. The author noted that the prevalence of mold may vary greatly depending on the regional climate.
Mold In Air Conditioners
Mold can grow in many areas in your home, particularly where it is dark and humid. So it should come as no surprise that air conditioners are one of the places where mold can be found. Unfortunately, AC units represent a particularly risky place for mold to grow, since they push air through the house.
This means that a moldy air conditioner will actually blow microscopic mold spores into the air you breathe, spreading the spores throughout the rest of your home. Since mold presents multiple health risks, its important to prevent mold from developing in your air conditioner, and to eradicate it if it does appear.
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Run The Air Conditioner Or Dehumidifier
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Running an air conditioner or dehumidifier during humid months will diminish mold growth. Humidity levels in your home should run between 30 and 50 percent throughout the day to inhibit mold. Humidity levels fluctuate during the day, but you can use an inexpensive hygrometer to check your indoor humidity levels.
Look For Standing Water
If the air conditioner isnt the issue, search for standing water or chronic dampness that’s increasing indoor humidity and providing a lovely environment for mold.
Check for puddles or dampness around hot water tanks, sump pumps, freezers, refrigerators, basement doors, and windows. Inspect crawl spaces for ground water dampness or foundation leaks.
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How To Get Nasty Mold Out Of Your House Once And For All
Mold. Its the stuff of nightmares. That eerie, greenish-black substance seems to take over homes overnight, creeping its way into every nook and cranny. If you have mold in your house, youre probably wondering how to get rid of itand more importantly, how to keep it from coming back. Here are some tips from the experts on how to get nasty mold out of your house once and for all.
How To Prevent Mold And Mildew On Windows
Mold on windows is often the result of condensation. It starts by growing at the bottom of the windows, where the glass meets the window frame, but it can also grow around window frames.
The main problem with mildew growing on windows is that people sometimes do not even notice they have it. Since mold is often darker, it is a lot easier to spot it than mildew. Even though mold typically doesnt feed on windows themselves, it can easily destroy wooden frames of your windows.
Since mildew is more often seen on windows than mold, it is very important to get the discoloration tested out to determine what you are dealing with. Together with a mold or mildew test, mold experts will inform you about the best way to treat the problem you are dealing with in order to prevent its further growth.
Both mildew and mold on windows are the result of condensation thus, to prevent mold, it is very important to stop the condensation itself from happening.
First things first, in both mildew and mold prevention processes, it is important to regularly ventilate your rooms. If the weather permits, keep your windows open to let fresh air dry the window frames. Pay special attention to kitchen and bathroom windows as steam can be one of the mildew and mold triggers.
The influence of dust on mildew and mold growth is often overlooked. It is essential to regularly clean your homes interior, especially window frames, to prevent mold and mildew from finding additional food sources of their growth.
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How To Clean Mildew
To clean moldy carpets, start by thoroughly vacuuming the affected carpet to remove as much of the mildew as you can. After you are done, either throw away the bag or clean the canister outside. Then proceed to clean the carpet as follows.
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The Path Of Resistance
Initially, Mikes landlord tried to fix the problem himself, bleaching the moldy walls. We call that spray n’ pray, said Scott Armour of the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, a global industry body for remediators. They, along with the EPA, advise against bleach for a variety of reasons, namely that fumes can be dangerous and its usually ineffective.
Bleach only works for non-porous surfaces. It cant touch the mold that has burrowed into surfaces like wood or drywall . But the most important reason bleach fails is that people dont stop the molds water supply.
First thing I do is check for leaks, in the bathroom or roof or a crack in the foundation, said Greg Bukowski, who runs the Chicago-based remediation company Moldman USA. Theres always a leak. If you dont fix that, dont bother with bleach or vinegar. Then kill and remove the mold with detergent and water, then prevent its return with mold-resistant paint like Kilz .
When bleach didnt work, Mike paid for an indoor airborne mold test, which raised more questions than it answered. We had no idea how to interpret the results. I just couldnt find any information out there that isnt written by remediation guys, he said. They told him he had the dreaded black mold, and needed professional remediation.
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Control Your Basements Humidity Level
Basements and crawl spaces are hot spots for mold. If your basement smells musty or people complain of allergy-symptoms when they visit, you may have a mold problem. Moisture often gets trapped in basements, and its an ideal place for mold to grow without being noticed. Checking your basement floor, walls, and plumbing regularly will help keep mold from spreading if there is an issue.
The best way to avoid excess moisture in your basement or crawl space is with a dehumidifier. We recommend you keep your indoor air at around a 50% moisture level. Adding a dehumidifier and programming it to the appropriate humidity setting will go a long way in avoiding mold growth.
Its also a good idea to check items you store in the basement. The confined, dark rooms in the back of your basement could be harboring moisture and mold. Make sure items are clean and dry before you store themthink tents, sleeping bags, extra clothes, and other items you throw in the back room and forget about.
How To Eliminate Mold On The Exterior Of Your House
Just like it is indoors, mold is a serious problem on the outside of your home. Over time, mold can damage your siding and decks, so it’s best to nip it in the bud before it gets established. Bleach works well to clean everything from siding to brick, stone, and concrete, but it will kill plants, so be sure to thoroughly cover them with plastic before beginning any project using it.
To rid your home’s exterior of mold, apply a 1-to-10 mixture of bleach and water on problem areas. Scrub stubborn stains with a stiff bristle brush, and be sure to leave the solution on for 20 minutes before rinsing.
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Vacuum The Carpets And Wipe The Floors
Although carpets and rugs look beautiful, unfortunately, we often overlook the potential danger of mold growth on them. Since we can blame it on dirt and moisture, in order to prevent mold, all you have to do is clean the carpets and floors thoroughly at least once during spring cleaning.
The old rules mandate that you roll up the rugs, then vacuum and clean the floors in every single room. Move your furniture so that you can reach every corner of your room to ensure there are no dirty or moldy places.
If you can, leave the carpets out of your home and invest in renewing your floors and making them look shiny again. If you have vinyl or linoleum floors, you can clean them with a floor polish designed for these surfaces. Most stone and tile floors can be easily treated with a special paste or liquid wax.
In case you have to keep your carpets, inspect them thoroughly and deep clean them before you bring them back in to ensure there is no mold on them. In addition, you need to dry them well because dirt is not the only food source for mold.
Mold Or Mildew An Issue In Your Lake House Lake Cottage Or Cabin
Spring is a time of new awakeningsâ¦plants are blooming, the sun is shining longer, baby animals are being born and in this season many people are opening up their lake houses, lake cottages, or cabins after a long winterâs nap. If the lake house, cottage or cabin is free from any damage or moisture from the winter, opening the property for the season is a satisfying experience. Yet if any of the above was sustained during the winter months, most likely there will be mold or mildew present in your lake house, lake cottage, or cabin when you open it.
Although many lake house/cabin owners are familiar with a mildew or musty smell each season or weekend as they come to the property, this smell is an indication of mold growth. To those in the family with a compromised immune system, the lake house or cabin can be a source of suffering. This is certainly not the intent you wish to have. So the question then becomesâ¦
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Moisture In Your Attic
Its common to find mold in attics, especially where there are poor ventilation and high humidity conditions. Few people spend time in their attics, particularly in todays homes that use roof trusses instead of rafters and storage space is impractical.
Most people never enter their attic unless theres an emergency. Thats usually due to a water leak, and by then, a mold infestation may be well advanced. Running water is easy to identify in an attic as its going to pour through hatch openings or from light fixtures. High humidity and moisture levels are more difficult to find. Consider these attic moisture sources:
Leaky or missing roof shingles
Leaking drain, waste and ventilation pipes
Condensation on plumbing pipes
Improperly installed flashings and ridge capping
Improperly installed exhaust vents for dryers, bath and kitchen vents
Condensation during cold months
Heat causing high humidity in warm months
Faulty or missing insulation
Snow and ice damming problems
Heaters or furnaces in attic
Air conditioning units in the attic
Stored materials that are wet or damp
Moisture On Your Homes Exterior
Inside your home is not the only place to be worried about mold. It happens outside as well and can present considerable mold damage. Exterior environments around your home are an extension of nature. There are all the elements of mold spores everywhere, along with favorable temperatures, oxygen, light levels, food and, of course, moisture.
Moisture is much harder to control outdoors than in. Your homes exterior is designed to repel natures forces. That includes water hammering at your home from rain, wind, snow, ice and sweltering humidity in the heat of summer.
Sunlight is the savior from outdoor mold. Bright sunlight wont allow mold to take a grip on your siding or fascia except for dark areas and also the north side. These are the places to watch out for mold. They’re also the locations to control moisture. Some of the main outdoor moisture culprits are:
Rainwater on exposed walls
Standing water on ground and roof surfaces
Leaky downspouts and blocked gutters
Broken or leaky hose bibs and hose connectors
Water wicking from vegetation planted too close to the building
Articles placed against the building that trap water and prevent evaporation
Poor ventilation or blocked eaves
Porous siding materials like stucco and brick
Improper grading that allows water to slope toward the foundation
Incorrectly placed lawn sprinklers that spray house walls
Large overhangs that shade walls and prevent sunlight exposure
Warm areas like duct and dryer vents
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Removing Mold From Different Rooms
Some rooms are more prone to mold than others. Bathrooms are notorious for mold growth because they harbor damp, humid environments that mold loves. Less frequented rooms such as basements and attics can also suffer from mold, which can go unchecked for a long time before being noticed. Heres how to prevent mold from taking hold in each room of your property.
Moisture In Your Heating Ventilation And Air
Regardless of whether you’re heating your home up or cooling it down, youre going to be moving air that contains moisture. There are many different forms of HVAC systems and their parts. Some use water as a primary heat source, and often youll find homes that incorporate some form of humidifier or dehumidifier. That depends on the climate.
Most HVAC systems have ductwork that moves warm air about and cold air in return. These ducts are perfect environments for mold to form because theyre dark and warm and they have plenty of air and contain an optimum humidity level. Removing mold from ductwork can be a terrible chore.
Ductwork is also the place where airborne debris gets trapped. Thats everything from household dust to pet hair and dander. Trapped material also locks in moisture and starts promoting a colony of mold. Here are the HVAC sources of moisture:
Clogged and blocked air filters
Condensation in ductwork from lack of insulation
Condensation runoff in high-efficiency furnaces
Condensation of metal joints and HVAC frames
Wet fiberglass insulation
Improper use or lack of drain pans
Saturated air coming from HVAC condensers
Improper blend of indoor and outdoor air
Damaged or missing foil wrap on ducts
Weak or no air flow from grilles and registers
Leaks at duct joints
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What Are The Moisture Sources In Homes
The causes of mold are quite clear. From a scientific perspective, mold is a living organism from the fungi family that thrives in moist areas where it has water and food supply. It also prefers to be relatively warm, stay out of bright light and have an ample air supply.
Preventing mold damage in your home depends on identifying the prime places where these optimum conditions occur and then taking steps to mitigate or eradicate them. Killing mold cultures can be done with many chemical or biological treatments, but the best line of defense is removing the climates where mold begins to grow.
So what are the moisture sources in homes? In every area of your house, theres an opportunity for mold to form. Mold spores will flourish wherever they get a chance. Reducing their odds of cultivating can come from anything like preventing or fixing a plumbing problem to making sure you have adequate ventilation.
Uncontrolled moisture is what gives optimum conditions for mold to start growing indoors. Thats usually where its out of sight and out of mind. Here are some of the most likely places where youll give mold its lucky break.
