Mold is only a problem if you let it become one. Learning about mold — and other (unfortunately) common concerns in the home — is essential to keeping you and your family safe. A little regular maintenance and regular inspections will keep you healthy, comfortable, and less stressed. Let’s prevent mold together and jump into some quick facts.
1. Keep your home dry.
Moisture leads to the rapid development of mold. Here’s a way to think about it: Where does fruit grow? Often, it’ll be in hot, tropical climates. Why? Humidity and heat together grow the plants and the trees, and it also lets the fruit ripen, but it is usually picked before fully ripened. You buy that fruit at the grocery store. Let’s say it’s a banana. Keep your home at a frigid 67 degrees? That banana will take a week before it’s lost its greenness and is ready to eat, but a banana left on the porch in the summer is good to go in just a couple days. A temperate home and low humidity stop (or slow) this process.
2. Watch your appliances.
Maintaining your HVAC system is critical. Just as with #1, having your furnace and A/C routinely checked can prevent future leaks and make sure the air flow in your home is fully functional.
3. Mold will not go away on its own.
If there is a mold problem in your home, or you even suspect one, you do have to deal with it. You have to eliminate the source of moisture, and you will have to call a professional. Humidity reduction is the most important component of restoration — you can remove visible mold, but you need to get to the source of the problem: moisture — and that is exactly what the professionals are here to handle.
4. You cannot entirely get rid of all mold and spores.
This is why we’re focusing on getting rid of the origins of the moisture. This is only the way to control future growth, beyond the removal of the current (if any) visible mold.
5. Your health is at stake.
At a minimum, mold exposure can lead to worsened allergies, asthma, and other breathing problems. At worst, mold can harbor chronic health issues. You have to take control of the situation in order to reduce these risks.
If you ever have any doubts or suspicions, call a professional immediately.
