The best way to avoid having damage from mold growth in your home is to stop mold from growing at all. And when it comes to keeping your home mold-free, the best defense is a strong offense. Eliminate moisture from your home and be on the lookout for signs of possible growth, such as musty smells or watermarks on walls and ceilings. Caught early, mold can usually be removed by a thorough cleaning with bleach and water. To prevent mold growth from re-occurring, however, it is essential that the source of the moisture be eliminated and the affected area be properly dried, cleaned, and if necessary, replaced.
Here are our Top 15 tips to help prevent mold growth in your home:
- Keep the humidity level in your home low, preferably no more than 30-50%.
- Use and maintain bathroom ventilation systems.
- Use both air conditioners and de-humidifiers.
- Install and maintain all-season attic and crawlspace ventilation systems.
- Insulate windows, walls, pipes, roof, exterior, floors, and other cold surfaces to reduce condensation.
- Routinely check indoor sources of moisture such as leaky pipes, appliance hoses, faucets, and toilets.
- If you see condensation or water collecting anywhere, dry it quickly and find the water source so you can get rid of it.
- Use steel-reinforced hoses instead of plastic ones. Inspect hoses, pipes, and fittings and consider replacing hoses with major appliances like washers and dishwashers every five years.
- Fix plumbing problems right away. Wet areas that get and stay dry 24-48 hours after a leak or spill happens usually do not mold.
- Keep bathrooms dry and clean them with mold-killing products like bleach.
- Add a moisture barrier over dirt floors in crawlspaces.
- Repair holes and cracks in walls and foundation of basement and crawlspaces.
- Clean and maintain your rain gutters and drainpipes.
- Watch your utility bills; an unusually high water bill could signal an interior leaking problem.
- Turn off your main water valve when you travel.
If You Have Mold, We Can Help
Recognizing the sources of mold growth and the costs of letting them go is the first step to taking control of the situation. But if you have a mold problem in your Worcester home, we can help. ServiceMaster Dynamic Cleaning technicians are trained to assess the problem and determine a solution that works. We work with your insurance company and are happy to work out a cost-effective plan with you if there is no coverage. Our goal is to make your home safe from mold and keep costs reasonable. Please call us at (800) 865-5157 or contact us now and let our mold remediation experience solve your home's mold problem.
