Arrested Development: Stop Mold Infestations in their Ugly Tracks!
When an orange becomes infested with mold, you typically have 2 main options:
- ‘Lose sleep’ over it, or
- Simply throw it away!
Now, option 2 sounds like the more sensible option if you ask me. A fairly quick and painless solution, wouldn’t you say? When it comes to contaminated drywall, spore laden carpets and mold infested bathrooms however, the remedy is not quite as simple.
Everything has a breaking point, and mold is no exception. If a potential mold infestation is not mitigated at its genesis, the only effective remedy that typically remains is full blown professional remediation and removal which indiscreetly screams:
- Absolutely preventable!
- Completely exorbitant!
- Extremely unnecessary!
The bottom line?
- Prevention!
As the old adage says, “Prevention really is better than cure”. Therefore, it might behoove you to be vigilant about the indoor moisture levels in your home, thereby leaving nothing to chance!
7 simple tips for the prevention of mold growth
- Water damage?
- Arrest it!
Roofs can leak, pipes can burst and toilets can overflow at any given time and in any given home. However, regardless of the ‘how’, it is imperative that you promptly arrest water intrusion at its source as soon as possible after it occurs. Primary and secondary water damage has no boundaries and knows no limits, so be it minor or be it major, time is of the essence.
Remember! Most species of mold start to proliferate within the first 24-48 hours post water ‘damage’.
- Found mold?
- Remove it!
In a previous blog article, ‘Signs of Hidden Water Intrusion’, we discuss how to determine if your home may be secretly harboring a catalyst for mold proliferation…..water! We also mention that even though you may not physically see mold, it is possible to detect its presence via its musty smell. Regardless, from the moment that you even suspect that you may have a potential mold issue, consult a mold mitigation and removal professional promptly for expert guidance.
- Carpet Cleaning & Maintenance
- Deeper than aesthetics!
Don’t judge a book by its cover they say! Everybody loves a good looking something or someone. However, as we discussed in a previous article titled ‘Carpet Cleaning: Coming Clean on Dirt!’, the benefits of having your carpets professionally cleaned are much deeper than aesthetics!
We also discussed the potential detriments of attempting to do it yourself, clean your own carpets that is! You see, a ‘botched’ carpet cleaning job is an uncontested catalyst for mold infestation, and you definitely do NOT want that! Also, having your carpets routinely cleaned and maintained professionally allows you to see if there are any pre-existing damp areas and tell-tale mold stains, which are often well concealed beneath furniture and do not become apparent until furniture is moved.
- Air Ducts Systems
- When was the last time you had your air ducts cleaned?
Air supply ducts systems are the ideal habitats mold and their spores. These passageways are typically dark and usually installed in non-ventilated areas. Catalysts for mold growth include moisture, darkness and warmth. Do the math! The bottom line? Air duct cleaning is a must!
- Ventilation
- Got Windows?
How often do you ventilate your home? You know, open the windows on a lovely day to let some fresh air and sunshine in? This sounds fairly simply but is surprisingly very often neglected. Regular household activities like cooking or taking a hot shower, have the tendency to raise the humidity levels and moisture content in your home. Moisture! Yes, that’s one of the catalysts for mold growth!
So as a combatant mechanism against a potential mold infestation, simply open your windows every now and then to reduce humidity and moisture levels in your home.
- Bathrooms!!!
- Love it, leave it or work with what you’ve got!
Needless to say, bathrooms typically have the highest moisture in your home, therefore are most susceptible to mold infestations. As a preventative measure ensure that if possible, your bathroom is well ventilated, wet towels are removed and shower curtains are allowed to dry quickly and properly. Relative to tiling, if at all possible, don’t opt for porous tiles in the bathroom and seal grout to make sure they don’t absorb moisture. Finally, if possible, don’t use your bathroom as an extension of your laundry room!
- Indoor Moisture Levels and Temperatures.
- Get a grip!
Get a dehumidifier if you have to, as a means of managing indoor moisture levels, and learn how to use the AC to avoid indoor condensation build-up!
Sources
Image 1: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Mouldy_Clementine.jpg