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Toxic Mold: Moisture Control & Moisture Prevention Tips
Moisture control is the key to mold control!
Moisture Control
Water in your home can come from many sources. Water can enter your home by leaking or by seeping through basement
floors. Showers or even cooking can add moisture to the air in your home. The amount of moisture that the air in your home
can hold depends on the temperature of the air. As the temperature goes down, the air is able to hold less moisture. This is
why, in cold weather, moisture condenses on cold surfaces (for example, drops of water form on the inside of a window).
This moisture can encourage biological pollutants to grow.
There are many ways to control moisture in your home:
- Fix leaks and seepage. If water is entering the house from the outside, your options range from simple landscaping to
extensive excavation and waterproofing. (The ground should slope away from the house.) Water in the basement can
result from the lack of gutters or a water flow toward the house. Water leaks in pipes or around tubs and sinks can
provide a place for biological pollutants to grow.
- Put a plastic cover over dirt in crawlspaces to prevent moisture from coming in from the ground. Be sure crawlspaces
are well-ventilated.
- Use exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens to remove moisture to the outside (not into the attic). Vent your clothes
dryer to the outside.
- Turn off certain appliances (such as humidifiers or kerosene heaters) if you notice moisture on windows and other surfaces.
- Use dehumidifiers and air conditioners, especially in hot, humid climates, to reduce moisture in the air, but be sure
that the appliances themselves don't become sources of biological pollutants.
- Raise the temperature of cold surfaces where moisture condenses. Use insulation or storm windows. (A storm
window installed on the inside works better than one installed on the outside.) Open doors between rooms (especially
doors to closets which may be colder than the rooms) to increase circulation. Circulation carries heat to the cold
surfaces. Increase air circulation by using fans and by moving furniture from wall corners to promote air and heat
circulation. Be sure that your house has a source of fresh air and can expel excessive moisture from the home.
- Pay special attention to carpet on concrete floors. Carpet can absorb moisture and serve as a place for biological
pollutants to grow. Use area rugs which can be taken up and washed often. In certain climates, if carpet is to be
installed over a concrete floor, it may be necessary to use a vapor barrier (plastic sheeting) over the concrete and
cover that with sub-flooring (insulation covered with plywood) to prevent a moisture problem.
- Moisture problems and their solutions differ from one climate to another. The Northeast is cold and wet; the
Southwest is hot and dry; the South is hot and wet; and the Western Mountain states are cold and dry. All of these
regions can have moisture problems. For example, evaporative coolers used in the Southwest can encourage the
growth of biological pollutants. In other hot regions, the use of air conditioners which cool the air too quickly may
prevent the air conditioners from running long enough to remove excess moisture from the air. The types of
construction and weatherization for the different climates can lead to different problems and solutions.
Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned? - excerpt on duct cleaning and mold follows, please review the
entire document for additional information on duct cleaning and mold.
You should consider having the air ducts in your home cleaned if:
- There is substantial visible mold growth inside hard surface (e.g., sheet metal) ducts or on other components of your heating
and cooling system. There are several important points to understand concerning mold detection in heating and cooling systems:
- Many sections of your heating and cooling system may not be accessible for a visible inspection, so ask the service
provider to show you any mold they say exists.
- You should be aware that although a substance may look like mold, a positive determination of whether it is mold or
not can be made only by an expert and may require laboratory analysis for final confirmation. For about $50, some
microbiology laboratories can tell you whether a sample sent to them on a clear strip of sticky household tape is
mold or simply a substance that resembles it.
- If you have insulated air ducts and the insulation gets wet or moldy it cannot be effectively cleaned and should be
removed and replaced.
- If the conditions causing the mold growth in the first place are not corrected, mold growth will recur.
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Above article Copyright © Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Reprinted with permission.
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