Preventing Mold in Your Home

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Preventing Mold in Your Home

When we think of mold, especially in conjunction with our homes, most of us realize that it is something that can cause problems to our homes and even worse, health problems to our families. I don’t think most people realize just how many kinds of molds there are. Scientists claim there are more than 100,000 kinds of molds. They are extremely miniscule. These little unseen fungi float around causing damage to any kind of surface they can. Most of the time it is damage unseen until it is so extensive even whole rooms must be ripped out. Other mold fungi just float around and cause no real problem – except maybe allergies and asthma.

Slime mold and fungus mold have their own favorite place to cultivate. Basements, kitchens, and even where your washer and dryer are, are great dark moist places for mold to thrive. If your basement is one that floods after a rain storm that is particularly difficult to keep dry. It is time for emergency mold removal if your family is suffering cold and allergy symptoms. The best thing to do is search the web and find out what natural products are available for the removal of mold. Many “green” products are out there and work effectively. When you have cleaned up the mold your next job is to seal up any leaks or problem areas and make sure the mold does not come back.

Carpets are a problem because they retain moisture. HEPA filter vacuums do a good job and help to contain spores as they don’t become airborne. In your basement we use a larger dehumidifier. Even when you think the area is dry by the end of the day you would be shocked to see how much water was collected by the dehumidifier. The humidity count in your basement should be about fifty percent to prevent mold from developing.

Watch for water stains and rusty nails in your attic because mold loves attics due to the moisture and darkness. I just pulled down some Christmas decorations and saw mold covering a lot of the boxes I used to store them in.

You can use bleach and water to clean mold but always remember to use a mask and not to inhale the cleaner. As mentioned before, there are environmentally friendly cleaners that contain safe ingredients and work effectively to kill mold.

By: Bradley Skierkowski