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5 Ways To Prevent Mold In Your Home

prevent mold in home
Written by Shiyamala

Mold is a common household problem that not only emits a foul odor, it’s also unattractive and unhealthy for you and your family because mold actually poses health risks such as allergic reactions, asthma, and even skin irritation. Thus, keeping a mold-free home is a must for every household, especially for those who have kids.

What’s even worse is that mold removal can be expensive depending on the extent of the damage and the type of mold present so it’s important to prevent and stop the growth of mold early on before it ravages your home.

As the old adage goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” and in this case, it couldn’t be any truer than that.

So the question to ask now is how can you prevent mold in your home? Here are five ways you can do that.

1. Do a thorough audit of your home and address problem areas before it gets worse.

Perform a complete mold inspection of your house. Check areas where there has been a history of flooding because these areas are going to be a breeding ground for mold.

Basements and crawl spaces are the usual places that get flooded from rainwater from time to time, so these are the first areas you should consider checking.

Hence, not just because you’re not using them, you’re not responsible for maintaining them. Remember that mold loves moisture and it can grow even without the presence of light so these dark and wet surfaces are the most ideal places for mold.

Dampness or moisture and dark conditions are the birthplaces of mold; basement and crawl spaces are the most suitable place for growth. Foundation cracks, leaking pipes, and unsealed doors and windows are the familiar sources of water. To prevent mold and its growth – contact professionals to determine the excess moisture’s source.

Have you seen water stains on your ceiling or window sills lately?

That is also a sign that they already need some repair.

Although these repairs can get pretty exhausting and may be inconvenient for you at the moment, know that holding it off for long would certainly cost you more time and money and would definitely be more of a hassle if the condition gets worse.

2. Check and repair roof gutters and water drainages

Don’t underestimate the role that roof gutters and water drainages play in your home as these help you redirect water away from your house. Do a regular check-up of your gutters and pipes. Make sure that they are clean, unclogged and free of leaks. Otherwise, repair or replace them if necessary.

3. Make your home water-resistant by installing mold-resistant products that will help keep your surroundings dry.

The secret to warding off mold is to keep your home dry by keeping watch of all forms of moisture present. While it is almost impossible to build a mold-proof house, you can still make your home extra resistant by installing additional insulation sleeves to make sure that your walls and pipes are not prone to condensation.

If condensed water is still forming around your pipes and on your walls, consider checking for water leaks and water damage. See to it that you repair these immediately. If you are wondering how to get rid of damp in your house immediately, we strongly advise the help of a trained professional to diagnose damp.

4. Control humidity and moisture level in your home.

High levels of humidity are what constitutes a perfect environment for mold as this creates the excess moisture necessary for mold to develop. According to studies the ideal humidity level in your home should be around 30% – 50%. You can control this by installing a hygrometer or simply getting a dehumidifier.

There are other usual household activities that you thought might be inconsequential but actually has a significant effect on your home. For instance, hanging your clothes inside to dry.

Clothes are better left to dry outside under the sun because not only the sun prevents bacteria from growing on damp clothes, airing the clothes properly keeps your home dry from moisture too. Apart from this, you would want to dry your shower area every after bathing.

Enclosed spaces like this one need more extra care because they are frequently wet and have little windows or exhaust to dry them. Similarly, don’t leave damp clothes lying around whether in the bathroom or in your washing machine. It doesn’t hurt to double-check on these things.

5. Maintain proper ventilation.

Maintaining proper ventilation in your home can be as simple as opening your windows from time to time to let sunlight and fresh air in. Good air circulation pushes out the stale air and helps lower humidity levels inside your home.

Ceiling fans can also help you circulate the air inside so having some would also be beneficial especially during bad weather when you can’t open your windows.

Again, don’t forget about the critical areas in your home–your kitchen, bathroom, basement, and crawl spaces if you have any. It’s important that these areas have proper ventilation so make sure to install exhaust vents or exhaust fans to keep the air circulating and prevent moisture.

Keeping your home mold-free can be as simple as following general home cleaning rules. But if you are already dealing with mold in your home, don’t hesitate to seek assistance.

It might be best to leave mold removal to professionals. If you are in Virginia, you can opt to have a professional mold inspection Virginia Beach done for you so you can be sure that your home is in great condition.

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