How To Prevent Mold With Proper Home Ventilation

Have you ever heard anyone exclaim, "I love mold!" and then proudly give you a tour of their home, pointing out the spots where the beloved mold exists? No. No, you have not. That's because no one likes mold and people sure as heck don't want it in their home!

But it happens. Mold is everywhere! Literally. And there's just one element that really helps mold manifest itself into those ugly black spores that most people are familiar with. That one thing— is moisture.

One solution to thwarting a potential mold problem is ventilation. Here are some suggestions on where to ventilate and how to do it properly.

Steps To Take:

Investigate

Now dehumidifiers can help control the moisture, but eliminating any water leaks or standing water throughout the house is a must. It's a good idea to inspect your home to see if you've had any recent water damage that would lead to producing mold. (For what to look for regarding possible water damage in your home, read here.)

Control Moisture

Controlling the moisture in your home is a good start because as we know, moisture = mold. However, proper ventilation will help keep your home and those areas known to love moisture, such your bathroom and attic, dry.

Where To Ventilate:

1. Bathrooms

Speaking of your bathroom, being that most are typically small and enclosed, the moisture from hot showers and baths (especially if you keep the door closed) can be a breeding ground for mold. This is one room where fans and vents should be a given. Luckily they're easy to install too. Just make sure that the vent, if it goes through the attic, that it doesn't stop there—it continues through the roof. Otherwise, you're just guiding the air to another enclosed area.

2. Attic

The attic is another spot where you will need ventilation or you could end up with mold throughout your insulation, wood and duct space. Some tips for attic ventilation are:

1. Make sure your ductwork is sealed to prevent blowing warm moist air into the attic.
2. Seal off where your recessed lights are or purchase sealed recessed cans.
3. If portions of your insulation have eroded down, don't pile more on top of it, remove it and place new insulation in its place.
4. Instead of a turbine or fan venting system, perhaps go with a soffit and ridge system. Soffits allow air intake at the lowest point of the roof where a ridge vent is a ventilation strip placed along the ridgeline of the roof and allows heat to escape up and out of the attic. Plus there are no moving parts with a soffit and ridge ventilation system.

3. Kitchen

Similar to the bathrooms, kitchens also need ventilation systems and they need to go up and out of the home, rather than into the attic or the walls. You also want to make sure you choose the best hood for your stove. Whether you have a standard or high-performance stove, or if your stove contains a grill, the hood best suited for your stove will vary.

4. Basement

Due to the difficulty of keeping air moving and proper ventilation in basements, they are a common area for mold growth. An unvented basement will produce condensation, forming puddles, which in turn will become a breeding ground for mold. To combat this issue, concentrate on maintaining the moisture levels in your basement by using a dehumidifier.

Educate

On top of all the tips above, make sure you educate yourself about your area's climate and how it responds to moisture. And remember, mold and mold prevention is not one-size-fits-all; sometimes moisture problems require more complex solutions and sources of moisture may be hidden.

If you discover you have mold in your home, for goodness sake DON'T let it go untreated—it can cause serious irritant reactions, allergic symptoms, and respiratory problems. Also, be sure to call the professionals to properly remediate your home. If you believe you have a mold problem, call a company who is licensed and trained in mold remediation, such as Dalworth Restoration.