If you live in a naturally humid area, mold is something you may have to deal with when selling your house in order to get top dollar for your home sale. Mold occurs naturally and is a natural and needed thing when found in nature. In small amounts, mold may not be a big issue, but if it gets out of control, then it can be challenging to deal with, if not dealt with correctly – which is why understanding how to keep mold out of your house is important, rather than trying to eradicate it later.
How does mold grow
Mold is found almost everywhere. We just usually don’t see it because it’s in such small amounts. Certain conditions make mold grow far more than it would naturally. One of the key elements that make mold grow is humidity. Water leaks can be one of the key reasons why mold in a house has grown so much. A lack of ventilation is also an issue as if the water vapor can’t escape somehow, the mold has an endless supply of water, which will cause it to feed and continue to grow.
If the mold can spread into a carpet, this can cause further problems. As carpet can hold onto water more easily than a wall, there’s even more food for the mold to feed on, and while a wall can be cleaned somewhat easily, mold that has made its way into the carpet is much more challenging to get rid of.
How do you stop mold from growing
If water is standing for 1-2 days, this is enough time for mold to begin to grow excessively. The first step is to get rid of the water somehow. If it’s a leak, then it needs to be contained and dried as quickly as possible. If humidity is the issue, then air conditioners can help a lot. This will take some of the water out of the air and stop the mold from being able to grow as fast. If this isn’t enough, consider investing in a dehumidifier. These can pull water directly out of the air and can be switched on and off, depending on the weather.
Another area where mold can start to grow easily is the bathroom or shower. Taking long hot baths and showers will give the mold lots of water to feed on. The best way to stop this is to simply stop taking showers that are as long or as hot, which produce a lot of steam. In addition, consider having a strong extractor fan system installed to help get rid of the steam in the room more effectively.
How do you get rid of mold
If you’re trying to sell a house with mold, then you need to find a way of dealing with it. The first step is to make sure that excess water is managed, as mentioned above. You then need to dispose of any carpet or drywall that has been covered by the mold. Simply cleaning it isn’t enough and if the spores are in the house, they can easily reappear. Also, you can try with remedies such as civilizedhealth.com mold remover. In many cases, it may be necessary to get a qualified mold abatement company on board to professionally remediate the house before you sell.
