How To Prevent Mold Growth And Removal In Your Home

Mold can be found both outdoors and indoors. There are a number of ways that mold can enter your White Plains home; for example, mold spores travel through open doorways, windows, vents, HVAC systems, and carried inside on shoes, clothes, and pets.  Once mold has found its way inside, it will rest on surfaces and wait until moisture becomes available so it can begin to grow. Mold can start growing in as little as 48 hours after being introduced to moisture. Mold grows best on wood, ceiling tiles, cardboard, paper products, drywall, wallpaper, insulation, and carpet (basically everything in your home). Since mold can so easily become a problem in your home, here are some ways you can help to prevent mold growth indoors:

Mold Removal In White Plains NY

Control Indoor Humidity Levels 

You want to keep humidity levels in your home as low as you can. If you are struggling to maintain humidity levels, you can use a dehumidifier or an air conditioner to help remove moisture from the air. It is important to remember that humidity levels are constantly changing along with the temperature, so you may need to monitor the levels in your home multiple times throughout the day. 

Keep Up on Home Maintenance

You need to inspect your roof, windows, foundation, and plumbing regularly. Leaks commonly occur in these areas, and if you are not keeping up on maintenance, you may miss signs of damage and deterioration until they become major problems. Damaged shingles, cracked foundation, poor sealing around windows, and leaky pipes all allow moisture to enter your home in areas it is not intended, which will lead to mold growth. Be sure to fix any missing, broken or damaged parts quickly. 

Ensure Adequate Ventilation

You need to be sure that your home has enough ventilation. Appliances that produce moisture, such as stoves, dryers, heaters, and showers, require ventilation to the outside of your home. Bathrooms need to have ventilation to keep steam and moisture from building up inside. Exhaust fans can vent outside and help direct moisture out of your home. The kitchen also needs adequate ventilation. Range hoods should have fans, and even having open windows while cooking can help. It is also important to be sure that your clothes dryer vents outside of your home. 

Thorough Drying and Cleaning Following Water Damage

One of the most common causes of mold growth is water damage. When pipes leak, or appliances flood, mold will be able to grow very quickly, especially if extraction, drying, and cleaning is not completed promptly. If you experience any type of water damage in your home, make sure that you call a professional water restoration company to ensure that all the water is thoroughly and adequately removed, dried, and cleaned to prevent mold growth.

Use Mold-Inhibitors

There are products out there designed to inhibit mold growth and help kill potential mold growth. You can add mold inhibitors to paints before painting your walls, and you can use clean bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms with mold-killing products, 

Being aware and proactive can help reduce the risk of mold growing in your home. However, even following all of these steps will not guarantee that your home will be mold free. IF you end up needing mold removal, call the team at Maxons right away.