How to Prevent Mold

Mold contamination can be a real chore to scrub away, especially if it is allowed to get out of hand.  Just as an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, keeping mold from emerging in the first place will save you much time and painstaking effort removing it after the fact.  It makes sense, then, to determine the reasons why mold makes an appearance in your home, and take action to resolve these factors before the mold pays a visit.

Though mold does not need flowing water to grow, it thrives on the presence of moisture, which is ever present in certain humidity levels.  A humidity level of 65 to 99 percent is ideal for mold growth.  Consequently, you should do what you can to keep humidity below 50 percent, where the growth of mold and mildew is inhibited, and other harmful particles, like bacteria, are also suppressed.  It is recommended that you properly ventilate places like the bathroom, the laundry area and the kitchen, by using an exhaust fan, a ventilator, or simply by opening a window.  You may want to consider purchasing a dehumidifier to help control excess humidity. 

It will be impossible to avoid moisture in the bathroom, but there are measures you can take to reduce the chances of mold contamination.  After taking a shower, water droplets will remain on the shower walls; these should be wiped off into the drain.  Wet laundry should be hung outside the house, especially if indoor humidity levels are high.  If hanging clothes outside is not feasible, perhaps you should purchase a clothes dryer. 

Crawl spaces are especially susceptible to mold formation, due to the large quantities of water vapour and soil gasses that can seep into them.  To mold-proof these areas, it is suggested that you cover the bottom surface of the crawl space with a porous substance or heavy gravel, at least an inch in thickness.  Alternately, you can cover the bottom surface of the crawl space with plastic sheets, that should be large enough to allow at least six inches of the sheets to extend up along the walls.  All outside edges or overlapping seams should be sealed.  To draw vapour and gasses outside from under the plastic, you can use a standard electric fan.

Don’t put off periodic inspections of the house structure, especially if it has just endured a bout of inclement weather and you suspect damage from leaks.  Defective or missing downspouts and roof gutters are the root cause for many wet basements and crawl spaces.  In other instances, the lack of an overhang or roof gutter causes water to travel right down the wall, promoting widespread mold growth.  Inside the house, plumbing leaks, running water in kitchen and bathroom cabinets when the taps are on, and air conditioner condensate dripping into the building are all problem areas that have to be addressed. 

Return to Mold Removal Guide Main Page

Text copyright 2010 MoldRemovalGuru.com and may not be reproduced without consent. This is not the official web page of any of the products or places listed on this site, this is a review page created by an individual. Consult your doctor before beginning any treatment.