How to Prevent Mold in Your Home

How do I stop mold before it starts? 

This is a question that is on the mind of many people and the answer is fairly simple.  Find the moisture, dry it out, and fix the leak.  The faster these things are accomplished the better.  Some molds only need 48 hours to begin growing so timing is critical.

Mold essentially needs two things to grow: moisture and a food source.  The moisture comes in many forms and can include plumbing leaks, roof leaks, toilet overflows, and a million other ways that we won’t list here.  However, just know that anywhere there is moisture, there is a potential for mold growth.  That brings us to the second part of the equation, food.  Mold is not particular when it comes to what it considers food.  Mold will eat just about anything.  That is its job after all.  If we didn’t have mold to break down organic matter we would all be covered with 100’s of feet of leaves and other stuff.  But I digress.  Mold has its place but your house isn’t one of them.

So if you take either part of the equation away, you take away it’s ability to keep growing.  Many people believe that if you take away it’s moisture source that you actually kill the mold.  However, this is not the way it really works.  Removing the moisture actually puts mold into a dormant state and will stop the growth, but it does not kill the mold.  The mold is still present and will remain there until conditions become favorable for new growth.  Once a new water source is found, it will pick up right where it left off and continue growing.   After all, mold spores essentially have infinitive viability and will be around long after you and I have turned to dust.