Steps to Limit Mold Growth in Winters Months
Mold is usually a problem that most homeowners and other professionals associated with the summer months when humidity is high and the weather is generally warm. However, the general rise of mold in the summer season in no way means that you shouldn’t follow tips to limit mold growth in winters.
With the winter season just around the corner, it is time that homeowners took mold growth seriously and did something to address the problem in its infancy rather than letting it grow further beyond control.
In this article, we take a look at some of the steps that homeowners can follow to limit mold growth during the winter months. We also add some additional information to help you understand how mold works and develop your understanding of the subject.
Increase Air Circulation to Reduce Humidity
One cheap and fairly effective technique to stop mold growth during the winter season is to ensure air circulation in confined spaces and reduce humidity. Mold usually flourishes in weather that is conducive for its growth, and humid weather can play the perfect catalyst here. The mold inside your home can grow further if the conditions inside your home are generally humid and there isn’t much done to ensure a proper solution to the matter.
You can increase the air circulation inside bathrooms and install an exhaust system to ensure that mold does not accumulate in the confined spaces. This step has worked like a charm for many people and will do so for you as well if followed actively.
If you have allergies and cannot handle the cold well, then opening windows and letting the chilly air come in might not be the best course of action for you. The best step to follow over here is to purchase a humidifier and let the device work its magic by removing moisture from within your home and clearing the air for the future. Humidifiers work like magic here and will ensure that mold does not settle in any way within your confined spaces.
Keep an Eye out for Leaks
While mold is formed by humidity, it is also largely aggravated by plumbing leaks across confined spaces. You should preferably look for leaks in common areas such as doorways, bathrooms, windows, and other spaces inside your home.
While you should have a high alert mechanism on for leaks coming from the outdoors, you should also leak-proof your home to ensure that no internal pipes are leaking. You can tell of leaks through the water flow in your faucets and through water bills.
Repair Leaks Immediately
As we have discussed above as well, mold growth is aggravated primarily through unattended leaks that can become even problematic over time. You should make sure that you keep an eye out on leaks and clear them away almost urgently.
Mold and mildew can grow at a rapid pace, which is why a good step to take for the future is to repair all leaky areas immediately. Try to call a professional and fix a leak as soon as you see it. The more water trickles from a leak, the higher the chances of mold and mildew growth.
Limit Areas Where Mold can grow
The fungi from mold and mildew can find their space inside items such as boxes of clothing, footwear boxes, cardboard boxes, books and piles of old paper. You should be careful while storing all of the items above to ensure that you don’t have any unnecessary growth of mold around your house.
You should look to store all of the items away from windows or external walls, which may be host to mold growth, humidity or condensation. Instead, you should store all these items in areas that have good airflow. You should also keep a close eye on bathrooms and other closed areas to limit mold growth before it becomes a problem.
Take Care of Flooring during Wet Winters
Rooms that have high moisture problems should be insulated through area rugs and other cleanable floor surfaces rather than close carpeting. Washable surfaces and flooring options can be ideal in the long run as they give you the kind of flooring you need to clean away moisture as soon as possible so that mold doesn’t grow. Carpets, on the other hand, can absolve the moisture leading to mold growth.
Use Exhaust Fans
You should look to use exhaust fans within your bathroom and kitchen to stop mold from accumulating in these spots. Having steamy baths and boiling water can add to the moisture content in your house.
With high moisture rates during the winter, you should look to have exhaust fans in these spots at all times. The exhaust fans will help reduce the formation of condensation in your house and will give you the relief you need during the winters.
Mold cleanup can be an extensive process if you don’t have the right team available. 911 Restoration of West Palm Beach is just a call away for you! You can get in touch with us to perform a thorough inspection of your house and clear it up for future use.