Ways to Reduce Mold in Your Home for Healthier Living

Roughly 70% of homes have some mold, with most appearing in bathrooms, kitchens, and basements.*  Not only is mold unpleasant to look at, but it can pose serious health concerns if left unattended.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), mold can significantly affect the health and wellness of the occupants if present within a home. Mold produces allergens that can trigger allergic reactions, including hay fever-type symptoms known as rhinitis, such as sneezing, red eyes, skin rash, and runny nose. In the U.S., allergic rhinitis related to mold and dampness costs an estimated $3.7 billion.**

Mold can attack people with asthma and irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of those with and without mold allergies. Continuous exposure to damp buildings with mold can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, neuropsychological symptoms, lower respiratory illness, mucous membrane irritation syndrome, and airflow obstruction, even in healthy people. The research on mold and its health effects is ongoing.

THREE FACTORS OF MOLD GROWTH

With a three-leg stool, if you remove one leg, the stool will not function. Similarly, mold needs three things to survive and grow: food, water, and a stable, warm environment. If you remove one of those three, mold cannot survive.

1. Food
We all need food to survive, and mold is no different. Mold eats the cellulose found in dust, paper, cardboard, ceiling tiles, gypsum board, pressboard, chipboard, paneling, plywood, and biofilm. Dust is mold’s favorite food after paper and cardboard because it is soft and needs less water. Paneling and plywood are denser and require more water, so mold develops slower.

Cleaning your HVAC ductwork and using a minimum MERV 5-8 furnace filter will help with dust and mold spores, but consult a professional HVAC contractor for the type of filter. Using a HEPA vacuum will help contain dust within the vacuum without it going airborne, and remember to keep cardboard boxes and paper off damp concrete floors in basements.

2. Water
Homes that have experienced water damage have a 50-100% higher chance of developing mold than homes without water damage. An inspection is the quickest way to spot mold from water damage. Problems occur from leaky foundations and plumbing, roofs, snow and ice, exterior grading issues, gutters and downspouts, windows and caulking, elevated humidity levels, heavy rains, condensation pans, and more. Finding the source of the water, moisture, or dampness is critical.

3. Safe & Warm Environment
Temperatures in basements, crawl spaces, inside walls, behind cabinets, and under carpet can be challenging to monitor. A relative humidity between 35 and 55% is ideal to prevent mold from developing. Air circulation on damp surfaces can begin the drying process. Opening basement windows on a warm, humid day can create condensation on pipes and sweating on concrete walls and floors when those surface temperatures are cool. Moisture will move from more to less, wet to dry, and warm to cold. That is why increasing moisture in a home on a cold day (like taking a shower or cooking) causes the cold glass surface on the windows to fog up.

VISUAL INSPECTION

As mentioned earlier, a visual inspection is the best way to recognize mold. You’ll want to use your eyes and a flashlight. You are looking for water marks and dark, slimy surfaces.

Look for mold:

• Under counter sink cabinets
• Around showers and toilets
• Windowsills
• Top of outside walls at the ceiling
• Where walls meet the floor
• Behind appliances
• Any ceiling-to-attic or wall-to-outside penetrations
• Around plumbing pipes
• Basements and mechanical rooms

CLEAN UP!

The safest way to remove surface mold is to use a bucket of soap and water. Using chemicals or bleach in a spray bottle can release mold toxins and toxic chemicals into the air. Once the surface is clean, thoroughly dry the area with fans. Be sure to wear a mask, eye protection, and gloves, especially if sensitive to mold.   

HOW TO REDUCE MOLD

The key to reducing mold in a home is to prevent moisture. Here are six tips to prevent mold in your home.
 

1. Quickly and thoroughly dry any wet areas. If you find water under a sink cabinet from a leaky faucet, turn the water off, wipe it up, and use a fan to completely dry the space before fixing the leak.
2. Check all plumbing for leaks, including sinks and toilets. Be sure to check all cabinets where water piping may run through.
3.  Watch for any standing water, wet spots, or condensation. If water runs across the floor to the drain from air conditioning condensation, pipe it to the drain. Some plumbing pipes may create condensation and need to be insulated.
4. Reduce humidity by increasing ventilation. Air movement is your friend, and ceiling fans help. Opening windows with cross ventilation on a dry day or using a dehumidifier and air conditioning will help remove moisture from the air.
5. Maintain your HVAC system and change air filters regularly. A humidifier in your ductwork adds moisture to the air and possibly mold to the supply line. If you have one, regularly replace the humidifier filter, use the proper settings, and turn off the water in seasons with adequate humidity.
6. Make sure you have proper drainage around the home. Extending the downspouts to divert rainwater from the foundation and covering window wells will help keep the basement dry.

If water or moisture issues are observed, such as cracks in the foundation, drywall or paint bubbling, or discoloration or swelling of wood, contact a licensed and insured contractor. Finding and repairing the source of the problem can help avoid future mold issues.  

Sources:

• *Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/

• ** https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4903120

• https://www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home