Understand Where, How, and Why Mold Grows

The best defense starts with knowledge. Without understanding mold, addressing it is much more difficult.

To grow, mold requires some specific conditions. These are:

• Available food sources, such as wood, grease, drywall, and food. 
• Temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Low or inadequate air movement. 
• High-moisture areas, including high humidity, standing water, and dripping pipes. 

Like other fungi, mold also prefers dark locations for growth. Favorable dark spaces can include crawlspaces, within cabinets, and behind drywall.

As long as these conditions exist, mold spores will replicate and grow into colonies. Plus, mold can consume most organic materials. Until the food and moisture are removed, mold will continue to spread.

Avoid Mold-Favorable Conditions

Once you understand the mold-favorable issues facing your home, you can get to work. Mold can survive on drywall and carpet, so even a home with no food can still grow mold. Likewise, eliminating all areas of darkness is simply impossible. However, there are two major ways to make your home unwelcoming to mold.

First, take care of the most problematic issues. Existing mold colonies and high-moisture areas should be addressed first. Moisture control is essential to reduce the potential for mold growth. Even after cleaning, mold will return to an area with high moisture.

Use dehumidifiers and household desiccants to reduce humidity to within 30%-50%. Fix any leaks, especially in hard-to-see areas. Cover surfaces prone to condensation with moisture barriers or other such materials.

Second, make sure your home has adequate ventilation. Without proper airflow, mold spores and humidity can linger and lead to mold growth. Additionally, moisture is much slower to evaporate without circulating air.

To ensure proper ventilation:

• Keep vents and doors open to allow air to move. 
• Use fans throughout the house, especially in high humidity areas (such as bathrooms). 
• Open windows periodically for improved air exchange.

Ventilation-related mold growth has seen an uptick due to energy-efficient construction. A crux of green homes is to create a sealed building envelope. This keeps energy and emission losses low. However, it also reduces natural airflow, as typical building gaps have been eliminated.

A home with ample ventilation and lower humidity will thus be more difficult for mold growth to start.

Use Mold-Resistant Materials

If you’re building your home or adding on to it, use mold-resistant materials. Retrofitting a house to resist mold is a decisive step in avoiding future mold issues.

Common materials that are available in mold-resistant offerings include:

• Wood and lumber. 
• Drywall, such as greenboard. 
• Insulation and other barriers. 
• Paints, sealants, and caulks. 

These materials have been treated with fungicides and other antimicrobial chemicals. Some materials, like fiberglass insulation, are naturally repellent to mold growth. Additionally, mold-resistant materials contain other helpful properties. Mold-resistant drywall also features water damage protection, and caulks contain anti-mildew coatings.

Look for GREENGUARD Certified materials. Such materials are rated to have low chemical emissions. Thus, the risk of exposure to these chemicals is much reduced.

Mold can be dangerous. There are several types of mold commonly found within a home, and several can cause health issues ranging from infections to asthma.

Even molds that don’t produce dangerous compounds can cause allergies. Indeed, the longer the mold exists, the more likely one is to become allergic to it. For people with existing health concerns, molds can be even more dangerous. Still, the act of cleaning up brings its own hazards.

For instance, disturbing mold can release spores into the air. This can cause irritations or other effects. When cleaning up mold, wear proper PPE, including filtered masks, gloves, and goggles. Turn off your HVAC system, so you don’t spread spores into other areas of the house.

If you have to clean a mold issue, remember these tips:

• Discard anything with moderate (or more) mold growth. 
• Fix leaks, standing water, or other moisture issues first. 
• Clean non-porous surfaces with bleach or other biocidal agents