Keeping Household Mold Under Control Matters

Mold can be more than an annoyance to homeowners. Not only does it look unseemly and cause unpleasant odors, it can also agitate allergies, and certain types of mildew can cause or complicate health problems. That’s why mold prevention in the household is important.

Mildew requires a food source, the appropriate temperature and moisture to grow. Mold likes the same temperatures that we like, and fungus uses organic material for food. This makes humidity and moisture control important to avoiding mildew problems.

There are a few easy things you can do to reduce moisture problems in your home. When you’re cooking or bathing, run the exhaust fans in the kitchen and the bathroom. Exhaust fans help to pull moist air out of the area. Clean up any liquid spills as quickly as possible, and keep the area where the spill occurs well ventilated. Get structural problems repaired quickly so that moisture from outside isn’t constantly seeping through. Having annual or bi-annual inspections of your heating & cooling equipment will help you identify problems that may be causing moisture problems. You can also use dehumidifiers in particularly troublesome areas.

When you’re ready to buy new HVAC equipment, make sure your new equipment gets sized properly and doesn’t over-cool your home before removing the humidity. Over cooling contributes to condensation problems. A contractor can also check to make sure that your ventilation system is adequate.

In summary, the key things you should do to keep household mold under control are:

• Always use exhaust fans in the kitchen when cooking and in the bathroom when bathing.
• Clean and dry liquid spills as soon as they occur.
• Get repairs done quickly.
• Have annual or bi-annual HVAC inspections done.
• Use dehumidifiers in particularly troublesome areas.
• Have new HVAC equipment professionally sized.
• Ensure that your home is adequately ventilated.

If you have questions about moisture control or indoor air quality, contact us at Sobieski. We’ll be happy to help.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Wilmington, Delaware and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).