Is There a Way to Stop Mold?

What do you usually think when you think of mold?

“Yuk”!

Then you begin thinking of ways to stop or get rid of it

But there are types of mold that are good, and some that are extremely important to us:

• We use mold to create some types of cheeses like Brie, Gorgonzola or Blue cheese.
• It is used in brewing beer.
• We use is to make penicillin.

Unless you are allergic to these things, the mold in them is perfectly safe.

Unfortunately, all molds are not created equal, and there are many that are harmful, especially when they grow undetected in your home or at your place of work.

The problem with mold

Mold finds it’s way into your home as tiny spores drifting through the air. (Think of how a dandelion spreads.) As they land on surfaces such as carpets, wood, insulation, wallpaper and other organic surfaces they can begin to grow.

If our homes have moisture or high humidity along with a warm environment, we provide mold with the perfect conditions for growth and reproduction of more spores – re-starting the cycle.

In the Seattle area, with our humid fall and winter seasons, mold is a constant threat, especially in our bathrooms and showers.

One family I know has a small bathroom off their master bedroom that has just one little window and no ventilation fan. Their ceilings and walls, no matter how often they clean them, are constantly covered with mold. Once it starts is spreads quickly.

This family, like many others wonders, can we stop the mold?

Although we can never totally get rid of mold spores, there are ways that we can control it’s growth.

Because mold thrives on moisture, when we control that, we make it much more difficult for mold to grow indoors.

• Monitor your home’s humidity: Moisture meters can be purchased at many hardware stores.
  
• Have proper ventilation: Make sure your laundry, your showers and your stoves are vented to the outside.
• It’s also a good idea to run your kitchen ventilation fan while running the dishwasher.
• Keep good air flow in your home: 
• Keep doors between rooms open as much as possible for good air movement.
• It’s even helpful to open closet doors.
• Open your windows occasionally, even in the winter to let fresh air in.
• Don’t keep your furniture pushed up against the walls.
• If you love houseplants, add a little Taheebo tea as you water them, it will help keep mold from starting in the warm, moist soil.
• Check you roof and attic: If you have a leaky roof, mold will start growing in your attic.
• Don’t store firewood indoors.
• Repair any plumbing leaks.
• Make sure your crawl space is well insulated and ventilated.
• Vacuuming regularly helps remove mold spores.

If you think you have a mold problem, don’t panic, but don’t wait either.