How to Prevent Mold
Yesterday, I received a call from my niece who was concerned that she may have mold in her condo in California. Since I am in New York and was obviously not in a position to go over there, although a few days in the sunshine wouldn’t be such a bad thing, I asked her a few questions and then proceeded to give her the requisite advice. I thought I would share some of this information regarding mold prevention.
First, one should consider the three most common areas of a house that mold begins growing: the basement, the attic and the bathrooms. Each area can be addressed with a different solution.
Hire a Professional Waterproofing Company
The basement gets moldy because it is near to the moisture in the ground. Not only does it get ambient moisture, but often times water seeps in through the foundation. The solution is to, first of all, have it waterproofed; a procedure implemented by either a professional waterproofing company that offers a long-term warranty or by a licensed civil engineer who can design a viable plan. Second, make sure there are no cracks in the foundation, and if so, fill them in with epoxy or a comparable foundation repairing substance. Check to see that all gutters are cleaned, properly pitched, and that the downspout diverts the water at least 5 ft. away from the foundation to a lower grade so that water cannot discharge toward the house. Finally, trim all vegetation at least 6 inches away from contact with the house and make sure no ivy is growing on it. Once the basement is water-tight, install a properly sized dehumidifier and keep the humidity level below 50% at all times. Monitor the humidity level with a hygrometer.
Why Attics get Mold ?
The attic gets mold because the moisture from the house migrates upward and gets trapped there. In the winter, the cold air outside the roof meets the warmer air inside the attic and condensation forms which causes mold to grow. Another common cause is a fan vent that terminates in the attic. All vents from fans must expel air to the outside. Attics should be properly ventilated unless the space is conditioned with foam insulation in the ceiling and walls. The best methods of ventilation are a full ridge vent mated with continuous soffit vents. All vents should be clear of obstruction and the intake from the soffit vents should equal the exhaust through the ridge vent. Gable vents should be closed off. If there are no soffits on the house, alternate systems such as the “Smart-Vent” can be installed, or a mechanical venting system can be installed.
Bathrooms should have properly sized fans that, as expressed earlier, are vented to the outside. They should be always used during showering and left to run for 15-30 minutes afterward to rid all steam and humidity from the bathroom. Bathrooms, especially in the tub and shower areas should be regularly cleaned so mold will have a chance to grow.
The rest of the house should be kept as clean as possible, and it is worth investing in a HEPA vacuum cleaner to use on the surfaces. And under no circumstances should a humidifier be used in a house. That is asking for mold trouble. The key to remember is that mold requires moisture to grow. The more moisture is controlled through dehumidification and cleanliness, the less chance there is to encounter a problem that merits mold testing.
