Mold Prevention Tips

To control mold growth, your number one strategy should be to control moisture in your home.  Here are some tips:

• If there is a water leak or spill indoors, act quickly.  If you can dry a wet or damp material within 24-48 hours, mold is unlikely to grow. 
• Clean and repair roof gutters regularly to avoid roof leakage. 
• You don't want water sitting around or entering through the foundation of your home, so make sure the ground slopes away from the foundation. 
• If you have air conditioning, be sure the drain lines are unobstructed and flowing correctly.  If there is any dripping, collect the water in a drip pan.
• Indoor humidity should be between 30-50%.  Relative humidity can be measured with a moisture or humidity meter, which is a small instrument available at many hardware stores from $10 to $50.   
• If you see condensation or moisture collecting on windows, walls or pipes, dry the wet surface as soon as possible.  Condensation is a sign of high humidity and should be controlled.  To control condensation, you need to reduce the humidity.  Other tips include:
  • Increase ventilation or air movement in the area that you are observing condensation by using a fan or by opening doors and/or windows.
  • Cover cold surface like cold water pipes, with insulation.
  • Increase the air temperature. 
• Using an air conditioner or de-humidifier will reduce humidity.  Other ways that you can reduce humidity are:
  • To avoid bathroom mold, turn on the bathroom fan or open the window when showering
  • Use exhaust fans or open the windows when you are cooking, running the dishwasher or dishwashing.
  • Vent your appliances that produce moisture outsidide.  For example, clothes dryers, stoves, and kerosene heaters should have vents that go outside so that the water vapors they produce are not escaping into your house.