How to Prevent Mold Growth in Your Home | Classic Air

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If you worry about mold in your home, you are not alone. This common household problem can lead to a host of health problems from allergies, irritated eyes, and coughs, to more severe conditions like asthma and other respiratory problems. The good news is there are easy ways you can reduce the amount of mold in your home and prevent it from turning into a major health issue.

What is mold?

Mold is a naturally occurring fungi that lives both indoors and out. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are between 10,000 and 300,000 species of fungi. Under normal circumstances, the mold spores in the air do not cause a health risk unless you are particularly sensitive to mold. However, when mold grows inside the home, the spores are spread throughout the home. As the number of mold spores increases, so does the risk of health issues.

What are mold spores?

Mold spores are similar to seeds. They are many times smaller than a grain of pollen, and they typically spread through the air. Mold spores have the ability to remain dormant when conditions are poor for growing and suddenly spring to life when they encounter warm, damp areas.

Mold spores have the ability to remain dormant when conditions are poor for growing and suddenly spring to life when they encounter warm, damp areas.

How do mold spores get into the house?

Like pollen and other airborne particles, mold spores enter your home through windows and doors and may be carried inside on your clothes or even hitch a ride with your pets. Once inside, the mold spores wait until they find a moist place to grow. As the mold grows, it produces more spores that are released into the air and circulate through your house. Although you cannot avoid mold spores completely, breaking the breeding cycle will prevent it from spreading throughout your home.

Where do you usually find mold in the house?

Mold needs a warm, moist environment to thrive. That means it will seek out areas in your home that remain damp. You may find mold in the bathroom, in the laundry room or around doors and windows that do not seal properly. In humid weather, you may find mold in your carpet, especially if the carpet is near a bathroom or near an entrance where foot traffic may carry moisture into the area. You may also find mold under loose tiles or wall coverings.

How do you prevent mold in the house?

Keeping the home clean and dry and controlling the humidity level typically takes care of mold problems. Air cleaners with HEPA filters also help remove mold spores from the air. You cannot remove all mold from your home, but installing a dehumidifier or an air cleaner, or both, goes a long way toward keeping your home mold-free. Classic Air can install both dehumidifiers and air cleaners and advise you on how to prevent mold in your home.

Winter is coming... Schedule a maintenance appointment before the cold hits.

If you have concerns about mold in your home, call your HVAC contractor at Classic Air to take care of the problem before it turns into a major issue.