The winter season often comes with a host of challenges for most homeowners. Your home is likely to turn into a breeding ground for mildew and mold. This is because of the damp, dark, and dreary weather normally triggered by winter. Mold is dangerous because it can lead to all manner of health risks including headaches, sinus infections, eye irritations, and respiratory issues.
The situation can even be worse if you live with small children or elderly people. Other than health effects, mold can destroy furniture and affects the structural integrity of your home. What exactly is mold? It is an airborne spore that normally flourishes in warm and damp conditions. It can infest almost any space from wooden furniture to tiles and painted concrete.
Winter is a ripe time for mold infestation because most people tend to leave their windows closed. The result of it is a build-up of humid air due to poor ventilation.
Below are steps to prevent mold infestation in your home:
- Identify the source of the problem and take appropriate measures
While you cannot make your home completely mold-free, you can make it resistant to mold. Carry out a proper inspection of your home to determine the problematic areas. Does your basement flood? Is there a water stain on the ceiling because of a leakage? Or do you notice regular condensation on upstairs windows?
Preventing mold from growing can be as simple as removing a carpet from a damp basement, repairing damaged gutters, or installing mold-resistant products. It can also be as complex as major digging and waterproofing. Whatever the cases, the main issue is to pinpoint the problem and address it accordingly.
- Dry wet areas immediately
Mold cannot grow where there’s no moisture. As such, you should always get rid of wet areas without delay. Accumulation from a leaky pipe, seepage into the basement after a heavy downpour, or even a spill on the carpet should be dried up within 24 hours. In case of a flood, get rid of all the water-damaged carpet furniture and bedding if it is not possible to completely dry them.
Everyday activities should also be paid close attention to. For example, avoid leaving wet items scattered all around the house. You should also dry the walls and floor every time you come out of the bathroom. Wet clothes should be hung to dry outside or in areas where there’s proper air circulation.
- Install your home with mold-resistant products
Whether you are renovating an old home or building a new one, try to use mold-resistant products such as a mold-resistant Sheetrock, mold-resistant, drywall, and mold inhibitors for paints. Conventional drywall is made of a gypsum plaster core sandwiched between plies of paper.
But mold-resistant drywall is paperless. The gypsum core is made of fiberglass which makes the surface highly water-resistant. Moisture-resistant drywall is ideal for areas that are prone to wetness like laundry rooms, kitchens, basements, and bathrooms.
- Monitor humidity indoors
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that you keep humidity between 30 and 60 percent indoors. You can buy a moisture meter from a local store to measure humidity. This will help you to detect high humidity in specific areas that are problematic in your home.
Common signs of too much humidity in an area include condensation on pipes, windows, and walls. If you see condensation, have the place dried up and take appropriate action to address the cause of excessive moisture. For instance, you can switch off a humidifier if you notice water appearing on the inside of a closed window.
- Improve airflow around your home
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, when temperatures decrease, the air is unable to hold adequate moisture. This means that when there is no proper airflow in your home, excessive moisture will appear on your windows, walls, and floors. In order to increase air circulation, remove furniture that is close to walls, open doors between rooms, and open closet doors. Allow fresh air in every room to minimize moisture and keep prevent mold from breeding. Air duct cleaning plays a crucial role in improving airflow within your HVAC system.
- Direct water away from your home
If the area around your home is not properly sloped away from the foundation, then it will be easy for water to collect in your basement or crawlspaces. In a nutshell, mold infestation is something every homeowner should be concerned about. It can result in serious health risks such as eye irritations, sinus infections, or respiratory problems. But there are many ways you can prevent mold growth in your home including restoration cleaning near me.