Homeowners go to great lengths to keep mold and mildew out of their homes. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to stop mold spores from developing and spreading throughout living spaces. In fact, mold often grows behind the walls due to a leaky pipe and may not show up on the interior walls until it has penetrated the surface. If you know what mold needs for development, you’ll have a better chance at keeping it out of your home.
6 Things for Mold Development
1. Mold Spores
Mold spores are present most everywhere. They develop and grow on most any surface and spread with the right conditions. Keeping your surfaces clean and providing good ventilation will keep them from showing up.
2. Moisture
Mold loves moisture and requires it for growth. Damp places like basements and bathrooms are prime targets for mold development. Make sure to keep these areas dry if you want to stop mold spores from taking hold and spreading over the walls, floors and other surfaces.
3. Food Source
Mold feeds on organic matter such as food, wood and rugs. Most any organic matter can harbor mold when all the conditions are favorable for development.
4. Oxygen
All living things require oxygen, and mold isn’t any different. It’s a fungus and needs oxygen, food and water for survival. If you deprive mold of its basic needs, it can’t grow, develop or spread throughout your home. Though you can’t eliminate oxygen from your living spaces, you can make sure that they remain dry, have plenty of light and don’t offer mold any other element for growth.
5. Dark Places
Mold doesn’t like well-lit interiors or sunlight. It prefers the dark recesses of your home, such as crawlspaces. It spreads behind walls, around the baseboards in bathrooms and down in the basement. Shining a little light on these places, or at least keeping the dark areas dry, will help to prevent mold growth.
6. Optimal Temperature
Mold thrives in warm climates and inside homes where the temperatures reach 72 degrees Fahrenheit or more. If an interior space has plenty of moisture, darkness and warmth, it provides the ideal spot for mold spores to grow. Taking away the other factors, such as moisture and food, will help to keep mold spores at bay no matter the interior temperature.
Keep Mold Out of Your Home
When the conditions are right, mold will show up and take over your home. Contact Flood and Mold NJ to learn more about our mold elimination services. If you have a mold outbreak, it could indicate leaks within your plumbing or other optimal conditions for development. Our technicians will inspect your home, locate the source of the problem and eliminate the mold while preventing its return.