Five Things You Need To Know About Minimizing Mold In Your Home
If you're like most homeowners who live in an area where atmospheric humidity increases the chances of serious household mold infestations, you probably already know a few of the basics involved in mold prevention. You probably keep a sharp eye out for leaks in your plumbing fixtures and appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines as well as run a humidifier in your home during the rainy season. However, you may still find yourself plagued by mold in spite of these precautions. Fortunately, there are further measures you can take to help ensure that your home is as mold-free as possible. Here's what else you can do to minimize mold in your home interior:
Remove Outer Footwear Before Entering the Home
This seems like a small, insignificant action that won't do much to stem the tide of mold spores, but many particulates actually enter home interiors on the soles of the shoes of household occupants and their visitors. Mold spores, pet dander, and pollen all end up indoors this way, and implementing an outer footwear policy can go a long way toward keeping them out. Ask family members to keep a pair of indoor-only shoes in the foyer and provide a comfortable seating area where they can quickly change their footwear. You can purchase sterile, single-use booties in bulk and ask visitors to slip them on after removing their shoes.
Have Your Heating and Air Conditioning System Serviced Regularly
HVAC filters are one of the primary culprits when it comes to mold colonies in the home. Once spores get caught in the filters, they're often redistributed throughout the home. Mold infestations can also develop in the ductwork. Having your heating and cooling systems serviced on a regular basis helps keep them from becoming mold machines. Your technician will make certain that the filters are changed and that the ductwork is clean.
Have High-Performance Windows Installed
High-performance windows were developed for the purpose of providing energy efficiency by having such tight seals that they prevent drafts from entering the home — and these drafts often contain mold spores. As an added bonus, they also keep water condensation from forming on interior window glass, which helps keep household humidity levels low.
Keep Your Gutters Clean and Clear
If you're like many homeowners who have lovely deciduous trees in your yard, your gutters probably fill up pretty quickly with fallen leaves in the autumn. Although it may seem tempting to wait until all the leaves have finished falling before cleaning your gutters, this approach is not recommended. Not only does it leave the siding on your home vulnerable to water damage, but it also leaves your home interior vulnerable to mold infestations. The purpose of gutters is to divert rainwater from the exterior of your home and the area near the foundation. When they're clogged with leaves, the water simply spills over the sides instead of going through the downspout, causing moisture to seep into the foundation of your home as well as the basement and the crawl space.
Waterproof Your Crawl Space
Many homeowners seal up their crawl spaces for the purpose of keeping out opportunistic rodents and other wildlife, but they neglect to have them waterproofed. However, a crawl space that isn't protected from water provides a ripe breeding ground for mold infestations. Waterproofing a crawl space entails removing any standing water that exists, creating exterior drainage, and applying a waterproofing agent around the exterior of the foundation. Although homeowners with experience in the more complex aspects of household maintenance can generally manage to do this themselves, most prefer to hire a local contractor to do the job.
Contact a company like Central Penn Waterproofing for more information about crawl space waterproofing.
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