01/13/2021
MOLD. What are the most favorable conditions for mold to grow and thrive?
Here is a list of the top few, and remember that mold is a pervasive problem , but it can be reduced and even stopped before it becomes a critical issue.
* Moisture
Mold spores need moist or damp areas to grow and reproduce. Watch for flooding, leaky pipes or windows, etc. Also excess moisture in the bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms are prime areas for mold growth.
* Food
Mold spores need food – in the literal sense as well as other materials (i.e. cotton, leather, wood, paper products and others). The most dangerous materials mold loves to grow on, are porous materials (beds, couches etc). Its often impossible to remove mold growth from these items.
* Optimum Temperatures
Mold spores thrive in temperatures from 32 up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures from about 70 – 90 degrees are the most conducive for mold growth. Chances of mold growth are heightened greatly between those temperatures. You may be wondering why mold can grow in your freezer. Mold doesn’t die when temperatures drop below 32 degrees, they lay dormant until temperatures raise, or they are set out to warm up.
*** Favorable Conditions for Mold ***
Below are the prime favorable conditions for mold growth.
A relative Humidity of roughly 50% or higher.
A good preventative measure would be to purchase a hygrometer to measure humidity levels in your home.
Damp or Dusty Conditions
Avoid developing piles of rags, clothing or other mold food sources.
Stagnant air
This explains why overly “tight” homes designed for energy efficiency can have mold problems. Homes need to breathe, and ensuring that you have adequate ventilation is vital to fighting mold; and this may help as well with low amounts of radon gas in a home.
Should you suspect that you have mold in your house, crawl space or basement, feel free to give us a call regarding a sample retrieval and sent overnight to a professional laboratory for testing and final analysis. This can take as little as 24 hours from the time that we take the sample(s). If mold is detected inside your house we will then talk about corrective measures depending on the location and severity of the mold.
Mold can cause a number of physical problems and health experts have also determined that the presence of mold can cause depression in some individuals as well. It is always simple to find mold in a house, and this is why we are trained in mold observation. Photo #1 shows a basement wall that is easily detectable, right? Wrong. There is no certain way to determine if this is mold or maybe some type of mildew. Our lab testing can only say for sure when I find these areas. Photo #2 is another example of a mold suspect under a bathroom cabinet, and can be easily missed by the homeowner. Only a test will determine exactly what this is, and what further steps should, or could, be taken.
There is a lot to be said for peace of mind, so if you suspect mold or you need a mold inspection completed, just give us a call or text today.
Pro Touch Home Inspection Services
North Georgia and Metro Atlanta 🏡
404-360-2697
706-299-0381