5 Ways To Prevent Mould From Growing In Your Home
Learn how to prevent mould in your home
Mould is a major threat to your home, health and overall quality of life. In homes, it speaks of a larger propbelm of moisture issues leading to serious building defects. That's why it is important to learn ways to prevent mould in your home.
1. Prevent moisture build-up
Mould needs moisture and humidity to survive. As such, the first thing you should do is to prevent the build up of moisture.
You can do this by first finding all places where mould builds up – do you have pipes that leak? Do you have a basement prone to flooding? Is there condensation around windows? Are your gutters clogged?
Fixing leaky pipes, unclogging gutters and making an effort to dry the wet areas around your home will do much to stop mould from growing.
2. Improve airflow
Mould thrives in areas with poor airflow – subfloors, rooms without windows, bathrooms without proper ventilation and the like.
Without proper airflow, mould can grow on flooring, walls, windows and on the ceiling.
To improve airflow, keep windows and doors open as much as possible. You can also use fans to circulate air throughout the home.
By allowing fresh air to enter and move about your home, you are actively making your home cooler and making it harder for mould to grow
3. Monitor humidity
Queensland is known for its humidity, especially in the summertime. Whilst its great for summer adventures, it can be unpleasant for us in our day-to-day actvities.
For houses, humidity can be a real problem as it increases the risk of mould occuring. You can reduce humitdity in your home by using air conditioning or buying a dehumidifier. This is will also help to decrease any associated moisture.
Make sure to keep your AC and dehumidifiers clean, or else they themselves will begin to produce moisture.
4. Stop mould growing on indoor plants
Plants need to be kept watered, so they naturally attract moisture. Thus, plants will regularly attract mould.
You should reduce the risk of mould on your plants by allowing the soil to dry before watering it again. Consider adding a sprinkle of Taheebo tea, cinnamon, apple cider vinegar or baking soda to your soil, which act as natural anti-fungal agents.
5. Be careful of termites and other pests
Where mould occurs, pests generally follow – this is because many breeds of bugs thrive under the same type of conditions mould does. Such as cockroaches, nits, spiders, mosquitos, ants and flies.
In particular, termites love damp, moist areas. This is because damp timber is easier for them to consume. Thus, they are much more likely to invade a property that has moisture problems and damp areas than dry homes. Termites are particualrly invasive after flooding and serious rain fall.
Is mould inspected during building and pest inspections?
Under Australian Standards, building and pest inspectors cannot check for mould at a property. Building and pest inspectors will check the property for areas of high moisture and conducive conditions to termites.
There are many different types of mould with some being invisible to the human eye. For this reason, a licensed and experienced mould specialist is recommended to assess a property for mould.
If the mould within the home is obviously visible, the building and pest inspector will make note of this in the report.
Have peace of mind with Dedant
At Dedant, we provide quality building and pest inspections, annual timber pest inspections, pest control, handover inspections, termite treatment and management, meth testing and asbestos testing.
We have been servicing Brisbane, Redland Bay, Moreton Bay, Gold Coast, the Scenic Rim, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich and Logan since 2009.
Contact us on 07 3807 0122 or via our website.
