Mold thrives in places where they can find organic food and water. These are the perfect ingredients for the proliferation of mold in any space, and they can easily spread to other rooms, causing a myriad of respiratory problems, including sneezing, sore throat, allergic reactions, rashes, asthma, and much more.
It is thus of paramount importance that whenever you suspect mold in your house, you immediately call for mold removal services, and KBS Maintenance is here to offer you the very best.
Common Causes of Mold in Homes
Before we delve deep into the mold remediation process, it is important that you also learn about some of the common causes of mold at home. When you know what causes them, it will be easy for you to be vigilant so that you stop some of the propagation before they turn into a serious infestation. Read below to learn about some of the popular culprits responsible for mold growing in homes:
- Leaking pipes in the home
This is a very common cause of mold in homes, especially under sinks and cupboards, and behind drywall. The leaks from the pipe, however small they are, contribute to creating damp conditions that mold is likely to thrive under. Besides, most of these leaks usually happen in dark places or not-so-open places that are not easy to detect. In most cases, it is the presence of mold or mildew that will alert your attention to the leak. - Leaks in the roof
Apart from leaking pipes in the home, the other popular cause of mold at home is leaking roofs. Leaks in the roof are likely to make the attic region damp, and since this an area that is never well aerated, it encourages the fast propagation of mold.The best way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to regularly inspect the attic for leaks. Don’t wait to see physical signs of mold on your ceiling for you to do the inspection. - Condensation Build-up
The temperature fluctuation during the cold months of winter may cause condensation buildup on cold surfaces in some homes. Some of the affected areas that are likely to grow mold spores include floor tiles, brick walls, and metal piping.When the buildup is not detected and removed in good time, it may end up creating the right conditions for mold to propagate. To avoid this problem, always ensure that your pipes are winterized and that every room is ventilated properly to stop any condensation buildup. - Flooding
Generally, mold is usually observed after an episode of flooding. This is because flooding will leave a lot of moisture around and not all homeowners know how to get rid of that moisture before they can start using their homes again.To avoid mold propagation after flooding for your health and safety, allow adequate time for the affected rooms to dry out completely before you can start using them again.This may take a couple of days or weeks depending on the extent of the flooding, but remember that mold requires just 24 hours of wetness to get the right conditions to start growing.
- Poor ventilation at home
Homes with poor ventilation have very high risks of experiencing mold problems. As already noted, mold requires damp conditions. With poor ventilation, it means that the houses don’t have proper airflow in all the rooms.With stagnant air and a little moisture, the conditions will be just right for the mold to start growing. This is why proper aeration is encouraged as one of the ways for preventing mold growth at home. - Damp Basements
The basement is one of the rooms normally affected by mold in many homes. The number one reason for this is because basements are usually poorly ventilated. Also, leaks in the basement are never discovered immediately, and by the time they are discovered, some damage has already been done. - Damp foundations
Other than damp basements, you are likely to experience mold problems at home if you have a damp foundation. Damp foundations can be a big problem because it has the potential of affecting multiple rooms and sometimes it can be a serious structural flaw that might be very expensive to repair.Garden moisture and rainwater may slowly find their way down into the foundation of your home. With time and with more accumulation of this moisture, the foundation will become damp, and moisture may escape towards the surface of the floor where it will make the conditions right for mold to propagate. - Faulty air-conditioning system
A faulty air conditioning system may also be responsible for the growth of mold in your homes. Most rooms in the home usually feature air conditioning, and in case of a leak within the system, multiple rooms may be affected. Suppose only one room was affected, the system will transport pores from that room to the rest of the rooms where if the conditions are right, full mold growth may be realized. To stop this from happening, inspect your units regularly for leaks, or any buildups of moisture.
