How Do You Keep Mold Out of Buildings and Your Home?

5/28/2020 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of North Knoxville for all your mold needs and concerns!

In order for you to understand home to keep mold out of buildings, you need to know where mold is more likely to grow and how it may enter your home or business.  Mold will grow in places with a lot of moisture, such as around leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes, or where there has been flooding. Mold grows well on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery.

How Mold Enters the Home

Per the CDC, Mold can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents, and heating and air conditioning systems. Mold in the air outside can also attach itself to clothing, shoes, and pets can and be carried indoors. When mold spores drop on places where there is excessive moisture, such as where leakage may have occurred in roofs, pipes, walls, plant pots, or where there has been flooding, they will grow. Many building materials provide suitable nutrients that encourage mold to grow.

How to Keep Mold Out of Buildings and Your Home

Now that you know where mold and grow and how it may enter your home or business, SERVPRO of North Knoxville wants to provide you with some tips on how to keep molding out of your business and home.

Inside your home, you can control mold growth by:

• Controlling humidity levels;
• Promptly fixing leaky roofs, windows, and pipes;
• Thoroughly cleaning and drying after flooding;
• Ventilating shower, laundry, and cooking areas.

Recommendations from the CDC are the following:

• Keep humidity levels as low as you can—between 30% and 50%–all day long. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the level low. Bear in mind that humidity levels change over the course of a day with changes in the moisture in the air and the air temperature, so you will need to check the humidity levels more than once a day.
• Use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier during humid months.

• Be sure your home has enough ventilation. Use exhaust fans which vent outside your home in the kitchen and bathroom. Make sure your clothes dryer vents outside your home.
• Fix any leaks in your home’s roof, walls, or plumbing so mold does not have moisture to grow.
• Consider not using carpet in rooms or areas like bathrooms or basements that may have a lot of moisture.

If you believe you may have mold growth in your home or business call SERVPRO of North Knoxville (865) 947- 9992.  We are open 24/7!