Do You Live In a Wet Climate?
If you live in a wet climate, you have to be more careful of mold than you would if you live somewhere that’s very dry. Like most living things, mold needs moisture to grow and thrive. That sounds like common sense, but a lot of people don’t realize it. They think that, because they have a home with a good plumbing system and an air conditioner, that they don’t have to worry about any kind of mold growth. When you live in a wet area of the country, though, your home can harbor a lot of moisture that you don’t really think about, especially if you have carpet.
Does Your Carpet Soak Up Water?
How many times have you walked across that carpet with wet shoes because it was raining outside? Or the grass was wet? Or the leaves that you raked were wet? Most people don’t take their shoes off at the door, and if they have pets or small children there have certainly been instances where wet shoes (or paws) have been tracked along the carpet. These things generally don’t do any harm and they dry on their own, but in very wet climates they may stay damp for a long time, giving the carpet or the underlayment (padding and/or wooden floors) a chance to cultivate mold growth.
When that mold grows under the carpet you don’t see it but you may get a musty smell in your home that you have a hard time pinpointing. You may also find that your allergies are bothering you or that your family gets sick more often than they did in the past. You don’t have to move to the desert, but some testing for mold may be necessary. You can also have the carpets treated with shampoos and cleaners that inhibit mold growth, but be aware that most of these will wet the carpet even more, so drying them adequately is vital.
What Can You DO About It?
If you live in a very wet climate and you’re always having problems with mold you might want to think about trading in your carpet for hardwood floors or – preferably – tile. Some people worry that tile can get slick when it’s wet, but it won’t encourage mold growth like carpet and it will dry better, faster, and more easily. There are various kinds of floor tile that are well-designed to keep people from sliding, and they aren’t all that expensive
Should You Get Better Flooring?
What kind of flooring you ultimately want in your home has to be up to you, but where wet and rainy climates are concerned you sometimes have to make some concessions to keep your family safe and healthy. It can also make for easier cleaning for many homes, but floors aren’t the only areas that can be a problem in damper climates. You’ll also want to look carefully around your home and consider things like soft furniture versus leather, the ventilation in your bath and shower area, and the number of pillows and soft toys you have around.
There’s no need to get rid of all these things and live in a sterile environment. The key is simply to be aware of the possibilities for mold growth so that you can take action to prevent it before it becomes a problem.
The MoldBlogger Team
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