How Can I Protect My Home From Mold?

12/1/2022 (Permalink)

Mold is a fungus that grows in damp, dark places.

How Can I Protect My Home From Mold?

Mold is a fungus that grows in damp, dark places. It can grow almost anywhere if there's moisture present, including inside the home. It typically starts as a small spot on an indoor surface—your bedding or clothes, for example—and then spreads as the spores develop and spread.

Mold can be found on almost any type of material or surface because it thrives in damp environments with little light and air circulation. Some common places you might find mold include:

• Bathrooms (bathtubs and showers)
• Basements
• Rugs/carpets
• Ceilings

Places Likely to Develop Mold

Mold is more likely to grow in areas that are warm and humid. However, mold can also grow on surfaces that are dry, as long as there is moisture in the air for it to condense on.

Some of these places include:

• Bathrooms: Shower curtains can collect mold if they're not cleaned regularly. A leaky toilet or sink can cause water damage and create a damp environment where mold thrives; it's not uncommon for this kind of damage to go unnoticed until you notice a musty smell coming from your bathroom.
• Damp basements: Basements should never be left unoccupied for extended periods of time without being adequately aired out (either by opening windows or running an exhaust fan). This is because basements tend to stay humid due to their location below ground level and proximity to moisture-holding soil and concrete walls—both of which can trap humidity even during summer months when air temperatures are higher outside than inside your house!  You'll also want to keep any windows facing northward closed during winter months so they don’t get covered in snowdrifts—this will help prevent cold drafts from carrying off all those nasty allergens you’ve got stuck inside them all season long!

React Quickly

When mold is left untreated, it can cause damage to your home and be a fire hazard. In addition, the longer you allow mold to grow in your home, the more expensive it becomes to remove it.

Waterproof Your Walls

If you have an older home, it could be that the walls are not completely waterproof. You can purchase a sealant at your local hardware store or home improvement store and apply it to your baseboards and window frames to help prevent water damage. You should also make sure that any doors in the house are sealed properly as well (you may need to replace them if they're not). If you have a crawlspace under your house or garage, consider sealing this area too.

Finally, you can use a sealant on any visible areas of drywall since mold will often begin growing behind them before spreading throughout the rest of the wall cavity.

If you want to go above and beyond when considering how to protect yourself from mold from leaking pipes or roof damage due to hurricanes/tornadoes/etc., consider hiring an expert who specializes in waterproofing techniques for homes like yours!

Preventing Mold Growth

As you can see, mold is a common problem in homes. Fortunately, there are several measures you can take to prevent mold from growing in your home or on its surfaces.

• Keep humidity levels low (around 30%) by using exhaust fans when cooking or taking showers, opening windows during humid months, and using dehumidifiers when necessary.
• Use ventilation systems to keep air circulating throughout the house. If you don't have a ventilation system, make sure your windows are open at least one inch per square foot of room size per day; this will help equalize temperature levels throughout the house more efficiently than just opening doors with no extra circulation (which may actually increase humidity).
• Repair leaky plumbing pipes as soon as they're discovered—leaky sinks, toilets, and faucets will all contribute to higher humidity levels if left unattended!

If you're not sure whether or not it's time to take action against mold, consider these signs: There are patches of black or green mold growing on walls or ceilings; You have found mold growing in places where there shouldn't be any moisture (like behind cabinets); The house smells musty or damp at times when it shouldn't (like after a rainstorm).

If you can answer yes to any of these questions, contact SERVPRO of Sri Cities West/Franklin County today. We will remediate the mold in your Franklin County home and get you back to normal quickly.