How can I prevent the growth of mold in my home?
Whether you like it or not, somewhere in your home the fungus has taken hold, the question is how you can prevent it from spreading and from becoming a health hazard.
Mold plays an important part in the breakdown of organic matter, such as leaves, wood and plant material. Without molds, the debris would accumulate and eventually overwhelm the environment. The fungus itself is not much a problem, but the spores contain a toxin, called mycotoxin, which can reach a high enough concentration indoors to trigger allergic reactions with symptoms such as nose and sinus congestion, skin and eye irritation, sore throat and breathing difficulties.
Molds present a problem in Europe where damp winters allow the fungus to slowly multiply
on damp concrete or brick walls, in bathrooms, behind furniture, and even underneath
wallpaper. In Australia, we usually don’t have such cold and long periods of high
humidity, but we have something mould likes even more: hot and humid days. In Perth,
when the wind blows from the northwest in summer, the air is tropical, meaning warm
to hot and with high humidity. These are the ideal growing conditions for mould,
and they spring up – well -
Mold likes to grow in dark spots, away from preying human eyes. Nevertheless, the easiest way to find their hiding places is to use your eyes and your nose. Yes your nose, because excessive growth has an earthy and musky odour. Mould appears as discolouration or stain and in an advanced stage as velvety growth.
How do I prevent mold? Begin by walking through your home and check potential wet spots first:
Building material near water pipes and drains may be damp because of leakages or condensation.
Appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioning units and humidifiers/dehumidifiers produce condensation at their coolant coils and have drip pans for the excess water. Excessive dust provides the nutrients for the mold.
Check wet rooms such as the bathroom, toilet and laundry for mold growth. Do the same in the kitchen.
On cold days, condensation droplets form on window frames.
An unheated cellar and unventilated attic or crawl space is likely to have a moisture problem.
Firewood generally has enough moisture content to allow mold growth or contains mould already.
Poorly insulated walls, ceilings and floors may harbour mold.
Please Note: this article was originally written for readers in Perth, Western Australia, but it is equally relevant for any other place.
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One of the few advantages of the ‘Easterlies,’ is the low humidity of the air. Any mold literally shrivels and turns to dust. Their spores can, however, survive for a long time and when the wind carries in the warm and humid ocean air from the northwest, the spores develop into mature mold very quickly.
If you have a mold allergy, control the fungal growth by reducing the humidity in your home. This is possible by ventilating rooms or with the use of air conditioners or dehumidifiers.