Whether we like it or not, cold weather is on its way here in the Indiana and Illinois areas. Visions of snow boots, warm fires, and yes, snow days off of school may begin to swirl in our minds. Then there are the joys of digging out the car and driving on ice that are so much fun. But one thought we invite you to chew on today is one that doesn’t get brought up often enough…the prevention of mold in your home during the cold winter months. Mold only needs moisture, warmth, and food to grow, and my friend, that sounds like your cozy home in the winter months to me! The first step to prevent mold in the winter months is to make sure that your walls are well insulated, as this will prevent condensation, but here are a 10 quick tips on preventing mold growth in your home this winter: Home Mold:
- As the winter weather creeps in, do a walk around of your home, both inside and out, to check and/or repair any leaks, spills, or other unnecessary instances of moisture.
- Keep your indoor humidity below 40 percent.
- Make sure that your clothes dryer is properly vented to the outdoors.
- Utilize your exhaust fans in areas such as bathrooms and kitchens, and be sure that the fans are vented to the outside instead of your attic or crawl space.
- Consider installing ceiling fans in rooms that rooms that aren’t properly ventilated.
- If you have a crawl space under your home, cover the soil inside it with a waterproof polyethylene plastic. If the crawl space has vents be certain to open them in the winter as not to trap humid air under your home.
- Check windows, walls, and pipes regularly for any condensation or moisture build up. Dry wet surfaces as soon as possible.
- Cover cold surfaces with insulation, such as water pipes.
- Clean gutters and downspouts, making sure that water is flowing away from your foundation, such as when snow melts off the rooftop.
- Remove possible sources of mold growth by routinely cleaning your home, vacuuming carpets, and washing throw rugs that might hold water from damp shoes.
If you have discovered mold growth in your home or if you simply have questions in regard to mold, contact our experts today at Guardian Mold Prevent. Just a quick call away, we can be reached by dialing 866.681.6653.