Mold is a common problem that affects many homes, especially those with poor ventilation and high humidity. Insufficient ventilation, water leaks and an environment that is too humid precisely favor the formation of these harmful molds for health. Fortunately, there are effective ways to prevent and treat this problem. Follow our advice!
Mold on the walls – Source: spm
You should know that mold spores appear and thrive in warm, humid environments. Therefore, regular good ventilation helps to maintain an acceptable level of humidity in the house and at the same time prevents the formation of mold. That’s why it’s very important to ventilate your interior, replacing hot, humid air with cool, dry air. In this way, you avoid the development of mold on walls, ceilings and other surfaces.
It also helps prevent condensation, which is one of the main contributors to mold growth. It forms when warm, moist air cools on certain surfaces, such as windows or pipes. Therefore, ventilation helps to maintain a constant temperature inside the home, avoiding the formation of condensation and, in the same way, annoying and unsightly dark spots on walls and ceilings. You’ll understand: maintaining good ventilation is therefore an important step in preventing mold in your home.
Also read: Get rid of bathroom mold with an ingredient you have at home
Humidity is one of the problems that constantly threatens your home. It affects both the exterior and interior of the walls. But rest assured, there are a variety of ways to prevent or combat moisture buildup.
Here are a few:
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Dry your wet clothes outside
Even in winter, try your best not to dry wet clothes inside the house. Your rooms run the risk of concentrating humidity and causing the appearance of mold, as well as bad smells. Therefore, it is always preferable that the clothes are dried in the open air.
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Choose the right materials to paint your walls
You should prefer vapor retardant paints, or even antifungal and anti-humidity paints, whose composition makes them water repellent. By relying on these special components, this will prevent the formation of damp spots on your walls.
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Change your mats periodically
We forget this all too often, but carpet is a real moisture absorber. Even if you clean them regularly, your rugs tend to collect a lot of dust and dirt. In addition to the colony of mites that develop there, and that cause allergies, they also absorb humidity from the environment. If you want to avoid contagion and stay healthy, it will be better to change them from time to time.
What causes humidity in a house?
As explained above, a high level of humidity is mainly due to condensation that occurs when the interior space is at a higher temperature than the exterior. Consequently, due to lack of ventilation, the air overloaded with water vapor, in contact with the cold, condenses on the surfaces, producing humidity.
However, condensation is not the only cause of excess moisture. Other factors come into play: poor plumbing installations, water leaks, rising capillaries, sealing problems, lack of hygiene in the home, insufficient ventilation… It is important to treat the problem, because a high level of humidity usually causes allergies and in particular asthma in children.
Open house window – Source: spm
Here are some tips to effectively ventilate your home and prevent mold.
– Open the windows regularly : The frequency of this opening depends on several factors, such as the size of the room, the amount of humidity present, and the weather conditions outside. Ideally, open the windows at least once a day for a few minutes, early in the morning and quite late at night, to circulate fresh air and maintain an adequate level of humidity. And even in winter. When the weather is nice outside, if the weather is sunny and dry, open the windows longer. This will help prevent mold.
– A dehumidifier : If your house is particularly humid, you may want to consider using a dehumidifier. It is a very common solution to purify the ambient air and dissipate excess humidity, thus preventing the formation of mold.
– An extractor hood : This appliance is also recommended in the most humid rooms of the house, such as the bathroom and kitchen. It will allow hot and humid air to be evacuated, to replace it with fresh air. This exhaust fan is very effective, cheap and is available on various online sales platforms.
– Do not cover the vents : These grilles are specially designed to circulate the air in the house. They will not accomplish their mission properly if they are covered.
In general, to prevent mold, it is essential to ensure good ventilation inside the house, use anti-mold paint on the walls, always keep bedding and clothing dry, and constantly clean the most humid areas, such as the bathroom.
Also read: How to remove mold stains from clothes with natural ingredients?
Does the VMC remove moisture?
Controlled Mechanical Ventilation (VMC) will always be the best option to provide continuous ventilation, where the dehumidifier only removes moisture. It is also the best solution to preserve the health of the members of the house: this ventilation not only neutralizes the humidity in the air, but also fights against pollution and toxins that we breathe. Therefore, it is a great way to purify the ambient air inside the house.
Also read: How to get rid of mold in the washing machine?
