Moisture : Key Ingredient for Mold to Grow
One of the most important necessities mold needs to grow, is water.
It does not take a whole lot of water, just a small amount of condensation or moisture will do the trick.
The conclusion then, is that if moisture is prevented or eliminated, the chances of mold growth decrease greatly.
In Vicki Lankarge’s book “What Every Home Owner Needs to Know About Mold & What to Do About It”, she gives 12 tips that can prevent the collection of moisture from a few different sources.
12 Moisture Prevention Tips
- Vent bathrooms, dryers, and other moisture generating sources to the outside.
- Use air conditioners and dehumidifiers.
- Increase ventilation throughout the home.
- Use exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing, and cleaning.
- Fix plumbing leaks immediately.
- Keep your home’s exterior painted.
- Keep flower beds away from exterior walls so the soil doesn’t touch your home’s siding
- Don’t wet walls with lawn sprinklers for a long period of time. This can allow the fungus to from rhizomorphs, so even when the sprinklers are off, the decay continues.
- Make sure the grade of your lawn slopes away from your home and there is adequate drainage. You don’t want water form sprinklers or heavy rain to pool around your home.
- Don’t pile wood or other debris in crawl spaces or against the side of your house.
- Further inspect your home if you see evidence of bugs such as roaches or termites. Remember where you have bugs, you have water.
- Further inspect your home if you see evidence of the fungus. Remember: The fungi can be tricky. The place where you see the fungus may not be the point of origin.
Moisture -> Mold’s Best Friend
If you fall these 12 simple tips, the chances of mold growth in your home will be severely minimized.
Prevention is always the best answer. If a problem is prevented, you will never have to deal with the consequences.
Further Recommended Reading :
Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team
Source: Lankarge, Vicki. “What Every Home Owner Needs to Know About Mold & What to Do About It.” 37-38.
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