How to Prevent and Remove Mold Growth in Your Home

Mold is a familiar problem to those living in climates with high humidity. When bathrooms, kitchens, utility rooms and basements don’t get adequate ventilation, visible mold and a mildew smell are often the result. Because mold can present a health risk to people living in those environments, learning how to prevent mold growth in your Wilmington area home is one of the keys to a healthy household.

Where Does Mold Grow?

Mold needs a high humidity environment, as does fungus, mildew and bacteria. Steam from cooking, showering or laundry can be trapped in a room without ventilation and raise humidity. Condensation on your windows can be a sign of high environmental humidity.

How Can You Clean Up or Prevent Mold Growth?

Mold spores naturally exist in your indoor air, but there are ways to prevent them from growing into mold colonies. Following are a few tips to remedy the issue:

• Manage your humidity. Invest in a hygrometer – an inexpensive device for measuring humidity levels – and discover where the problem spots are in your home. Then decide if you need a whole-house or standalone dehumidifier.
• Use a high-efficiency air filter. Mold spores can be caught and removed from your indoor air by upgrading the air filter in your HVAC system. Make sure it’s not in a humid location, or mold can grow directly on the filter and clog it.
• Install UV lights in the ductwork. As air circulates through your home, UV lights will sterilize any mold spores or other organic contaminants.
• Toss porous materials such as drywall, ceiling tiles or carpet that have been riddled with mold, and scrub non-porous surfaces with detergent and water to clear off mold colonies there.
• If you have a large mold problem in your home, call in an expert to take care of it.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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