Summer Mold Prevention Tips
Summer can create the perfect conditions for indoor mold growth in Toronto and the GTA. As with any issue in our homes, prevention is nine tenths of the cure - taking a few small steps to prevent mold from growing today will really pay off tomorrow. Because mold can begin to grow within 48 hours, today’s elbow grease really CAN prevent tomorrow’s mold removal in a tangible way. Today on the blog we’re covering four of mold prevention tips that can help your home stay mold-free this summer.
MoldTech’s Top 4 Summer Mold Prevention Tips
Humidity Control
In southern Ontario, we go from icy winters to hot and humid summers - and that high level of humidity is the cause of many mold removal visits. As we’ve said before, water is the single most important factor when it comes to mold infestations. If you quickly dry things out after a leak or flood, the chance of mold forming is lowered. Humidity can be trickier, since vaporized water is harder to detect than liquid water. We recommend getting small, inexpensive humidity sensors and placing them around to home to monitor humidity levels. The optimal range for indoor humidity is around 50% - if it gets higher than this, there’s a greater likelihood of condensation and mold formation.
Temperature Control
Next to humidity, controlling the temperature in your home can make a big difference when it comes to mold prevention. The higher the temperature inside, the more favourable the conditions for mold growth are. A higher temperature will also result in higher humidity - the warmer the air is, the more moisture it can hold.
Air Circulation
Our next tip is to keep air moving around your house. Stagnant air isn’t great - beside allowing fusty smells to linger, it also traps humidity, and trapped humidity can start forming condensation. Keeping your furnace fan running, even when the A/C isn’t on, can keep fresh air flowing throughout your home, drying up water and whisking humid air away.
Keep it Clean
Mold needs organic materials to grow and survive. While finding mold on drywall paper, cardboard boxes, and wooden materials is common, mold can also grow on areas covered in cooking oil, soap scum, and dust. Keeping the surfaces of your home clean and dry can go a long way in preventing mold growth in the summer months.
If Mold Develops Despite Your Best Effors - Call MoldTech!
Even if you religiously follow these tips, mold may still grow in your home for a variety of reasons that can be because of geography, architecture, or landscaping. Floods, tiny leaks, and other water accidents in out of the way places may necessitate the need for mold removal in Toronto, Mississauga, and the GTA, and we’re here to help! For more information about MoldTech and our mold removal and remediation process, give us a call at 1-866-684-7684 or visit our website and read through our Services and Testing pages for a look at how we test and remediate mold.
