9 Tips to Prevent Mold In Your San Gabriel Valley Home

1/29/2018 (Permalink)

While mold is necessary for the decomposition of organic matter in nature and in the making of brie and penicillin, it can be very dangerous when found in your home or business.

Mold spores can spread easily and cannot be completely eradicated. It can grow in places such as your carpet, clothing, food, paper, and even in places you cannot see such as the backside of the drywall and above ceiling tiles. The presence of mold in your home can also produce allergens and irritants that could compromise your health.

The best approach to mold is preventing it before it becomes a problem. The key to mold prevention is moisture control.

Here are 9 ways to prevent moisture indoors:

1. Identify Problem Areas and Correct Them

Do an audit of your home and decide where the problem areas are. Preventing mold from growing or spreading might be as simple as ripping up carpet in a damp basement, installing mold-resistant products, or repairing damaged gutters.

2. Dry Wet Areas Immediately

Mold cannot grow without moisture so take care of wet areas right away. If you’ve experienced a water loss, remove items that cannot be dried such as bedding, carpets, and furniture. Also, be mindful of everyday occurrences such as wet clothes in the washing machine and wet shower walls.

3. Prevent Moisture with Proper Ventilation

Vent appliances that produce moisture and use AC units and dehumidifiers. Make sure an activity as simple as cooking dinner, taking a shower, or doing a load of laundry doesn’t invite mold by providing proper ventilation in your bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, and any other high moisture areas.

4. Equip Your Home with Mold Resistant Products

If you are building a new home or renovating an old one, be sure to use mold-resistant products like mold-resistant drywall or mold-resistant Sheetrock, and mold inhibitors for paints. Traditional drywall is more susceptible to mold and removal and replacement can be expensive.

5. Monitor Humidity Indoors

The moisture levels in your home should be anywhere in between 35% and 50%. If you reach 60% relative humidity it is best to look for the source of the added moisture and at 70% certain species of mold can be growing.

6. Direct Water Away From Your Home

Slope the ground around your home or business away from the foundation to prevent water from collecting and seeping into the crawlspace or basement.

7. Clean or Repair Roof Gutters

Have your roof gutters cleaned regularly and inspected for damage. Repair them as necessary and keep an eye out for water stains after storms that may indicate a leak.

8. Improve Air Flow In Your Home

Without good airflow in your home, excess moisture may appear on your walls, windows, and floors. To increase circulation, open doors between rooms, move furniture away from walls, and open doors to closets that may be colder that the rooms they are in.

9. Call a Professional

If you aren’t sure how to correct a problem you find, call SERVPRO of Glendora/San Dimas. We provide free inspections to our customers and can help with all of your mold remediation needs.  

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