| The following suggestions will help
maintain a balanced, natural, healthy environment in your home which
is best to help you to keep mold from growing indoors: |
Keep the humidity level in the house
low, below 40% if possible.
Throughout this web site the mantra is repeated; “Control
the moisture and you control the mold”. Conversely, prevention
of mold growth indoors cannot be achieved without proper moisture
control. |
Use an air conditioner or a de-humidifier
during humid months
.In warmer months, air conditioning can de-humidify indoor air.
But if the system is too large or too small for the space it serves,
the cooling system can create high humidity by cooling without removing
water vapor. A properly sized and maintained system will dehumidify
and cool a building properly. In cooler months, water vapor can
condense on cold surfaces in a building just as water condenses
on the outside of a glass of ice water. Insulation of exterior walls
can help prevent condensation and mold growth during the winter.
|
Always use exhaust fans.
Be sure the home has adequate ventilation, including exhaust fans
in the kitchen and bathrooms. ALWAYS RUN THE EXHAUST FAN WHEN COOKING.
Install bathroom fans that vent humidity to the outside. ALWAYS
RUN THE FAN WHEN SHOWERING and allow the fan to run for 10-15 minutes
after your shower. |
Clean bathrooms with enzyme based products.
When cleaning your bathrooms, it is best to use a product that is
enzyme formulated to specifically clean and maintain a natural,
healthy environment. |
Do not carpet bathrooms and basements.
Carpeted bathrooms are mold breeding grounds. Use throw rugs and
wash them as regularly as you wash towels. Do not use towels more
than once or hang them to dry in a humid bathroom. |
Never wet-clean carpets.
Always dry-clean carpeting. Mold under carpets typically requires
that the carpets be removed. Once mold starts to grow in carpet,
insulation or wallboard the only way to deal with the problem is
by removal and replacement. |
Vent your clothes dryer to the outside.
Clothes dryer vents are hot and humid air that creates the perfect
mold growing environment. |
Clean any moldy surfaces as soon as
they are noticed.
Watch for signs of moisture, such as condensation on windows, cracking
of walls, loosening of drywall tape, warped wood or musty odors,
then clean as necessary. |
Have your entire HVAC system cleaned
annually with Bio Stop+®.
Air duct systems can easily become contaminated with mold. Duct
systems may be constructed of bare sheet metal, sheet metal with
fibrous glass insulation on the exterior, or sheet metal with an
internal fibrous glass liner, or they may be made entirely of fibrous
glass. Bare sheet metal systems and sheet metal with exterior fibrous
glass insulation can be cleaned and disinfected. If water damaged,
ductwork made of sheet metal with an internal fibrous glass liner
or made entirely of fibrous glass will often need to be removed
and discarded. Ductwork in difficult-to-reach locations may have
to be abandoned. If you have other questions, contact an air duct
cleaning professional or licensed contractor. |
