Do you suspect that there is mold in your home?
If so, then there’s no time to waste. Prolonged exposure to mold and other air pollutants can have serious adverse health implications for you and your family. The first step to protecting your home against mold is to purchase a home mold test kit. Once you’ve completed the mold inspection and verified the presence of mold in your home, contact a professional HVAC professional immediately for their assistance on eliminating and reducing the levels of mold in your air conditioning system.
So, what caused the mold in your home in the first place?
Mold can grow virtually anywhere – on wood, plastic, metal, and on your food (just to name a few places). In order to prevent mold and other contaminants from resurfacing, it’s important to find the cause of the mold growth.
Here is a list of the most common reasons for mold to grow in your home:
1) Improper attic ventilation. Often times, people believe the best way to insulate their attic is to seal all of the vents and/or insulate the roof decking in order to save money on the heating bill. However, doing this traps in moisture and heat and makes an ideal breading environment for mold.
2) Leaky roof. This is generally the most common reason for mold in your home. If you notice a roof leak in your home, it’s imperative that you find and stop the source of the leak and get it completely dry as soon as possible. Drying the area as soon as you notice a leak is the best way to prevent mold from growing.
3) Poor bathroom ventilation. Let’s face it – water and moisture is unavoidable in your home’s bathrooms. Without proper ventilation, the trapped heat and moisture can cause mold to grow on your surfaces and walls. While this type of mold growth in your home can typically be remedied easily, if left untreated it can still cause harm to your family members and house guests.
4) Leaky window sills and doors. If your windows and/or doors are not properly sealed, you’re leaving your home at a much greater risk to acquire mold. How? Well, storm water can creep inside these cracks and seep into the insulation in your walls. Once wet, the moisture can begin to rot the wood and spur mold growth, which can cost thousands of dollars to repair.
5) Plumbing leaks. These leaks can be harder to catch at times. Plumbing leaks can happen in your bathrooms, kitchen, and/or laundry room and often occur slowly. Sometimes, the presence of mold is the first indication of a problem. Make sure you check your plumbing pipes often to avoid any mold growth in these areas.
6) Kitchen leaks. More common sources of kitchen leaks include the dishwasher and the sink. However, ice maker water supply lines can burst and the leak often goes unnoticed until it’s too late. If your ice maker water supply line leaks, the resulting water damage can be a great source for mold to grow.
7) Leaks from your washing machine. Check your washing machine’s water supply line. If this is leaking in your laundry room you can bet that mold will begin to grow relatively fast. It’s very likely that the heat from your dryer will turn your laundry room into the ideal environment for mold spores for flourish.
8) Improper landscape drainage. If your landscape drainage is set up improperly, it can be a great source for water to enter your home. If your landscaping is not draining away from your home, water can flow into your home and your home’s foundation. The damp area will likely be the cause of mold in your home.
9) Flooding. A burst pipe, heavy rainfall, or pool leak can all be causes of flooding in your home. If this happens, you’ll want to make sure to stop the source of the leak and dry the area immediately. Any surfaces that are left damp or wet can be a potential source of mold growth in your home.
