Mold growth can be a nuisance in your home. Mold growth can occur relatively rapidly, and before you notice, your home can become completely covered. It can damage your walls, floors, ceilings, and appliances, resulting in the items being replaced or repaired. Mold growth can also seriously impact your health and that of your family. Mold spores are toxic when inhaled and can cause flu and allergy symptoms along with respiratory and cognitive issues. Overall, mold can cause some serious damage to your home and health, which is why you’ll want to take preventative measures in order to ensure that mold growth never starts. Humidity and trapped moisture is usually the leading cause of mold growth, and controlling humid environments is key to preventing mold. There are a few methods that can help reduce humidity in your home, which should help reduce mold growth. Improving ventilation, tracking humidity levels, and improving insulation and sealants can help reduce moisture in high-humidity areas. If you still struggle with mold after attempting to lower humidity levels, contact Inch by Inch Inspections. We offer mold removal in Toronto, along with indoor air quality testing to ensure that your home remains safe against mold and moisture.
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Control Air Humidity
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Controlling humidity in the air of your home will go a long way in preventing mold in high-humidity areas. Sometimes, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly where moisture is coming from, but if you make efforts to control air humidity throughout your home, you’ll greatly reduce the risk of mold.
One thing you can do is invest in dehumidifiers. As the name suggests, dehumidifiers help remove excess moisture from the air. You can place these all around your home or can strategically place them in areas that are more susceptible to moisture. Typically, basements and bathrooms are at a higher risk for mold. If you want to know exactly which areas you should be targeting, you can also use a humidity monitor. These devices can detect how moist the air is, and the reading can give you an indication of where to target. If the levels in certain areas of your home are at 60% or above, then they definitely require dehumidifiers. If other areas are well below this, you do not need to focus your efforts there.
Another option is to improve ventilation in your home, as this will allow more dry air to circulate in moist environments while helping to expel moist air. To improve ventilation in moist areas, you can install exhaust fans, which are a popular choice for most bathrooms and kitchens. You should run these fans while the areas are being used. This will help reduce excess steam and condensation from cooking in the kitchen or showering in the bathroom.
Utilizing your air conditioning can also help reduce humidity in your home. Air conditioners can cool your home while reducing humidity by promoting air circulation. Just ensure that your air conditioner coils and is clean to achieve the best results. While this may not be the best option during the winter, air conditioners provide a great deal of humidity relief during the warmer parts of the year.
Regular Cleaning and Maintenance
Regularly cleaning and maintaining your home, especially high-humidity areas, can help reduce the risk of mold growth. When surfaces of your home are left moist and dirty, you are at a much higher risk of developing mold.
Cleaning your surfaces regularly can help deter mold, even in moist areas. Kitchen surfaces, window sills, bathroom counters and showers should all be cleaned and wiped down regularly if it can be beneficial to use cleaning solutions with anti-mould properties or household cleaners such as baking soda and vinegar. You should set a cleaning schedule for yourself and prioritize high-humidity areas in your home. Wiping them so they are clean and dry will keep mold at bay.
You should also be maintaining your home by regularly checking for leaks. Plumbing leaks are the leading cause of mold in homes. If gone unnoticed and untreated, leaks can cause a great deal of mold in a short period of time, along with structural damage. Checking common leak sites regularly is key. Ensure that you inspect under your sinks, around windows, your attic and your ceilings below washrooms. Some common signs of leaks include:
- Bubbling drywall or ceiling
- Discolouration on the ceiling or near appliances
- Musty odours
- Poor water pressure
- Visible water leaking
- The sound of running water
If you notice any of these problems, call in an expert at Inch by Inch Inspections for a mold inspection. We’ll ensure that we find the root cause of any mold growth in your home.
Improve Insulation and Sealing
Upgrading the insulation in your home can go a long way in reducing excess moisture and preventing mold growth. As previously mentioned, plumbing leaks are one of the greatest causes of mold growth, and effectively sealing pipes can help prevent any leaks from occurring. Foam sleeves or fibreglass wraps can be used to seal pipes to prevent excess humidity from leaks.
Improving the existing insulation of your home can also reduce the risk of excess moisture in your home. Traditional cellulose insulation is susceptible to water damage and can actually harbour moisture, making it a common site for mold growth. Switching to a more durable option can help prevent this. A closed-cell spray foam insulation would be the best option as it is highly durable and water-resistant, reducing humidity and preventing mold.
Sealing your windows and doors will also go a long way in reducing humidity and mold in your home. It is very easy for moist air, rain or snow to get into your home through cracks or gaps in your windows and/or doors. Inspect your windows and doors for any air that may be coming in or any visible water on window sills or the floor beneath your doors. If you notice air or water leaks, you should seal them as soon as possible. You can purchase any generic caulking or weatherstripping material from the hardware store. If you apply these over the gaps in your windows and doors, you should be able to reduce the humidity in your home, preventing mold growth.
Control Humidity to Prevent Mold Growth in Toronto
In conclusion, mold growth can escalate very quickly, leading to significant damage to your home and posing serious health risks. Mold can affect your walls, floors, ceilings, and appliances, often requiring costly repairs or replacements. More importantly, mold spores can cause a range of health issues, from flu-like symptoms to respiratory and cognitive problems. Preventing mold involves controlling indoor humidity, improving ventilation, and enhancing insulation and sealing to reduce moisture. However, if you continue to struggle with mold despite these efforts, professional help may be necessary. Inch by Inch Inspections offers specialized mold removal in Toronto, providing thorough treatment to address existing mold issues and prevent future growth. Additionally, our indoor air quality testing services are designed to identify hidden moisture problems and assess overall air quality to ensure your home remains safe. Don’t let mold compromise your home’s integrity or your family’s health. Contact Inch by Inch Inspections today for a free quote and take decisive action toward a healthier, mold-free living environment.
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