Toxic black mold causes a wide variety of issues and something we all want to avoid if at all possible.
It has the ability to affect our health, the structure of our house and can ruin our furniture. Plus, it can spread very quickly without the homeowner’s knowledge because it typically grows in areas that aren’t in our everyday line of sight.
While most plants need sunlight to survive, mold actually thrives in darker areas away from light. This is why your basement and attic are prime real estate from your least favorite fungal invader.
However, if you don’t know what causes mold growth you won’t know what to look for if it’s growing in your home.
Toxic Black Mold: Common Causes
Leaky Roofs
Mold is drawn to moisture and any holes in your roof are going to eventually lead to mold growth. Rain, snow, and sleet all provide enough moisture for mold to survive on as long as there’s a food source available as well.
Toxic black mold will feed on a menagerie of items including things like certain types of insulation, cardboard boxes and even the structural beams of your house.
Repair any holes made by various critters or any other reason as soon as possible. Once the leaks are repaired, do frequent spot checks of the nearby areas to identify any areas of possible mold.
Poor Ventilation
Attics naturally lend themselves to poor ventilation. The frequent temperature changes as the room heats up during the day and cools at night often leads to condensation and moisture buildup.
Check your air ducts as well. Dirt and debris can easily clog the pathways for air to travel through and, mold will feed on that dirt and debris if given the chance. Change your air filters regularly and even consider getting air filters with higher ratings to cut down on your chances of mold. You can check out what the different ratings for filters mean here and learn which ones are best suited for your home.
Worn Weather Stripping
Weather stripping around doors is made to keep water outside, but just like everything else, it will wear down over time. Take a closer look at the weather stripping around your doors and windows to check for any tears or rips that could be letting moisture inside and replace or repair as needed.
This is a relatively inexpensive way to help with mold prevention and can be found at your local hardware store.
Bathroom Fans
The fans in your bathroom are there to circulate the humidity created from showers and baths away from your home and to the outside, but many bathroom vents lead directly to your attic.
This encourages mold growth as it’s simply taking the humidity away from your bathroom and into a an even less ventilated part of your house.
If possible, crack a window or run a fan while taking a shower to help reduce the condensation created from all that steam. Your main goal is to have any excess moisture evacuated to the outdoors, because as we’ve learned so far, that extra water is exactly what mold colonies are looking for to make themselves at home.
Leaky Pipes
Any sort of water event such as a flooded basement or burst pipe is an invitation to mold, but unlike a flooded a basement, a leaky pipe isn’t always so obvious. Our pipes run throughout the walls of our house and a leak can spring inside those walls. Drywall happens to be an item mold loves to snack on and if you aren’t aware of a leak, it can set up shop and spread quickly.
If you are aware of a leak, repair the leak and then make sure you’ve dried the area completely. Set up fans, open windows and wipe up any water that’s pooled on surfaces. After that, use your nose to detect any sort of unusual odors. Mold has a distinctly musty smells and if you notice the smell, it’s a sure sign you have mold growth somewhere in the area.
Laundry Room Moisture
The laundry room might not be your first guess as a room for mold growth but it’s very common. The heat your dryer gives off can easily increase the humidity in the room when combined with the moisture from the washing machine.
Regular checks of the room will help with mold prevention. Make sure you move the washer and dryer away from the wall and check behind them as well as around any pipes leading to your washer.
If you schedule regular spot checks of the areas and instances I’ve listed above, you’ll most likely be able to stay one step ahead of any potential mold colonies looking for new places to live.
Mold Solutions – Professional Remediation Services
We aren’t always lucky enough to head mold off at the pass and that’s where Mold Solutions comes in to help. Mold remediation can be a daunting task and one that’s not always suitable to take on without professional help. Our team of specialists know the ins and outs of mold and we want to help you. If you’ve discovered mold in your home, contact us. We’ll assess the problem and devise a plan to tackle and conquer any mold that’s reared its ugly head. Don’t let mold ruin your day. Call us!
Photo by reza shayestehpour on Unsplash
