How can we prevent mold from growing in my home?

While mold spores are all around us, mold growth can be prevented. Mold growing in your home requires moisture, warmth and food. Depriving mold of any of these three items will stop it from growing, but it will not kill the mold that is already there. Mold spores will remain dormant, and if the moisture, warmth and food all reappear, mold will begin to grow again.

The most important steps in controlling mold growth are to clean any existing mold and to eliminate excessive moisture. You can take numerous precautionary steps such as:

1. Vacuum and clean regularly to remove possible sources of mold growth. Pay special attention to bathrooms and other areas of your home that are likely to generate a lot of moisture.

2. In portions of your home that are susceptible to moisture, use area rugs or washable floor surfaces rather than wall-to-wall carpeting. If you use area rugs, launder them periodically.

3. Do not store materials such as paper, books, clothes or other possible sources of food for mold in humid parts of your home.

4. Repair water leaks in your roof, windows or any other part of the home as soon as possible.

5. Clean refrigerator drip pans regularly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If your refrigerator and freezer doors do not seal properly, moisture can build up and lead to mold growth. Remove any mold on the door gaskets and replace faulty gaskets.

6. Make sure that your gutters and downspouts are clear of debris that may block the flow of water from your roof. Make sure the area under your downspouts and other areas around your homes are properly graded so that rainwater from the roof flows away from your foundation. Splash blocks can help rainwater to flow in the proper direction. If necessary, extend your downspouts.

7. Do not put gardens or plants too close to your foundation so that watering them could cause water to flow toward your house. If you water your lawn with a sprinkler, make sure the water does not hit your house or the area next to the foundation.

8. In the kitchen and bathroom, open windows or use exhaust fans when engaging in activities that produce moisture. Exhaust fans should be vented to the outdoors and not to an attic or crawl space.

9. If you have a clothes dryer, make sure it is vented to the outdoors.

10. If you use a humidifier, make sure it does not produce an excessive amount of humidity. During the summer, 60 percent relative humidity or lower probably will prevent condensation and mold growth in most parts of the country. For winter, 40 percent relative humidity or lower will prevent condensation on windows.

11. If you live in a house with a basement, consider using a dehumidifier there. The cool basement floor and walls can be a source of moisture build-up.

12. If your home has an attic, make sure it is properly insulated and ventilated.

13. If you have a crawl space under your house, cover the soil in the crawl space with waterproof polyethylene plastic. If your crawl space is ventilated, close the vents in the summer and keep them open in the winter.

14. If you have water problems in your basement or crawl space, clean up affected areas as quickly as possible and take immediate steps to resolve the source of the problem.

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About the Author:
Mold Busters provides mold inspection, mold removal Toronto and mold remediation services to Toronto and surrounding areas. Mold busters services include mold inspections and assessments, air-quality testing, and mold remediation in Toronto and prevention. As mold (moul) experts, Mold Busters know how dangerous mold (mould) can be to human health and well-being.