Top 10 Mold Prevention Tips

Nothing agitates a homeowner more than hearing they have got mold. Mold can significantly impact your finances and health, which is why you need to get ahead of the situation.

Consider the following mold prevention tips to insulate yourself from health hazards and unplanned extraordinary costs:

1. Manage indoor temperatures

It’s surprising that molds are prevalent during hot, humid summers when homeowners habitually play around with air conditioners. Setting the thermostat way too high would result in ineffective dehumidification. Setting the thermostat too low would lead to creation of cold surfaces that allow water vapor to cool off.

2. Get rid of clutter

Cut down on your household clutter. Clutter only serves to block air circulation in your house and inhibits your HVAC system from efficiently distributing air. Condensation is also instigated by furniture and draperies which obstruct supply grilles. Condensation creates moisture that leads to micro-climates inside your house, which invite and enable mold growth. The solution to this is to get rid of things you don’t use or like. Position any furniture away from grilles and vents to maintain flawless air circulation.

3. Insulate your crawl space

Water from the ground permeating your crawlspaces can introduce vast quantities of moisture into your crawl space insulation, causing excessive mold growth. Remedy this by insulating your crawlspace floor with plastic vapor barriers and constantly inspecting your crawl space insulation to ensure it’s always dry. You can do this yourself, but hiring the right insulation professional in the Bay Area is a better idea.

4. Buy the right AC size

Make a point of buying an air conditioner size that befits your house. Too small an AC means it would have to work continually, spiking energy costs and not performing its core function of controlling temperatures. An oversized air conditioner may result in the unit constantly starting and stopping, which again spikes energy costs.

5. Check out the possibility of stagnant water

If your air conditioner is not the root cause of your mold, look out for stagnant water or recurring dampness that could be enhancing indoor humidity. Inspect for dampness and paddles around refrigerators, sump pumps, windows, basement doors, and so on. Check crawl spaces for foundation leaks or groundwater dampness. Check your attic for water and your roof for leaks.

6. Inspect your air conditioner

If your humidity reading indicates 60% and more, inspect your AC to ascertain that it’s in order. Determine if it’s set to the correct temperature, running on and off occasionally, the coils are clean and if it blows out cold air on reaching the set point.

7. Buy a dehumidifier

The role of a dehumidifier is to get rid of excess moisture in your indoor air. A portable dehumidifier, which comes along with auto shutoff that prevents it from overflowing the moment the storage tank is full, is ideal. Others dehumidifiers feature hose hookup that automatically disseminates water to the drain.

8. Monitor your house air humidity

Install an indoor humidity monitor that alerts you whenever humidity levels fall below 35% of 50% relative humidity. A relative humidity reading of 60% means you have to source for additional moisture. If relative humidity goes above 70%, specific mold species might start to thrive.

9. When your AC is on, ensure to close your doors and windows

Opening doors and windows when your AC is on leads to escape of conditioning, unnecessary costs and allowing humid air to enter your conditioned house. This results in condensation, a perfect breeding ground for molds. In addition, always keep your house at 80 degrees while you’re at work or on vacation.

10. Engage the services of a professional

If you can’t establish the cause of influx in mold growth in your home, solicit the services of an indoor air quality expert. Check out for credentials from reputable companies.