Going Green: Mold and Moisture In Your Home
It’s that lovely time of the year when the forests and fields are filled with pretty maple leaves and fantastic fungi! Mushrooms and toadstools are everywhere. I enjoy seeing them, but it’s a different kind of winter growth that we’re going to talk about today…mold!
Why is this a “green” issue? Because you get mold when you have moisture where it doesn’t belong, and that is most often the case when you have a poorly ventilated home. Today’s building codes address these issues. A healthy house is also a part of building and remodeling green, and is a part of the requirements to achieve a LEED, BuiltGreen, or Energy Star rating.
The secret to controlling mold is to control moisture. Most of us are used to cleaning away small amounts of mold in bathrooms and kitchen sinks. These are places where there is always moisture in our homes. A little bleach solution or detergent can kill it and it can be wiped away. What I’m talking about today is larger areas of mold that would indicate water leaks from cracked or broken pipes or poor roof drainage that can carry water into your walls and ceiling.
The other major cause of excess mold is leaving areas unheated. In the Northwest, to avoid mold, rooms should be kept at 55 degrees minimum. Keeping some rooms unheated in winter to save on heating costs will cause mold to grow. Better insulation, as well as caulking and weather stripping, are better ways to save money on heating bills.
I have seen a few large mold areas in homes I’ve sold, usually during the inspection. They were usually caused by unseen plumbing leaks or sometimes, just carelessness. Showering with no ventilation, not having a good seal on a shower door, failing to use overhead exhaust fans and just sloppiness can keep a bathroom wet. Mold will grow quickly. Sometimes heating and cooling systems can also create a problem. Using good filters as well as HEPA filters and having your system cleaned and services annually will generally take care of that problem.
Once you’ve located a mold area, clean it carefully and completely with a detergent containing bleach and water. Then be sure it is absolutely dry. If the mold is on carpet or furniture, have it cleaned professionally making sure the cleaning company is trained in mold abatement. If the area is large (the EPA says over a 10 square foot area) call in professionals. But the most important thing is to find and repair the leak that has caused the problem. Be sure bathroom fixtures are properly caulked, ventilation is adequate and that a good exhaust fan is always used.
I have ordered a number of the EPA’s great booklet, “A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home”. I have these available at my office for you to pick up. If you’d like one mailed to you, please call my office at 463-4060. You can also find the information on their web site at: www.epa.gov/iaq.
Why is this a “green” issue? Because you get mold when you have moisture where it doesn’t belong, and that is most often the case when you have a poorly ventilated home. Today’s building codes address these issues. A healthy house is also a part of building and remodeling green, and is a part of the requirements to achieve a LEED, BuiltGreen, or Energy Star rating.
The secret to controlling mold is to control moisture. Most of us are used to cleaning away small amounts of mold in bathrooms and kitchen sinks. These are places where there is always moisture in our homes. A little bleach solution or detergent can kill it and it can be wiped away. What I’m talking about today is larger areas of mold that would indicate water leaks from cracked or broken pipes or poor roof drainage that can carry water into your walls and ceiling.
The other major cause of excess mold is leaving areas unheated. In the Northwest, to avoid mold, rooms should be kept at 55 degrees minimum. Keeping some rooms unheated in winter to save on heating costs will cause mold to grow. Better insulation, as well as caulking and weather stripping, are better ways to save money on heating bills.
I have seen a few large mold areas in homes I’ve sold, usually during the inspection. They were usually caused by unseen plumbing leaks or sometimes, just carelessness. Showering with no ventilation, not having a good seal on a shower door, failing to use overhead exhaust fans and just sloppiness can keep a bathroom wet. Mold will grow quickly. Sometimes heating and cooling systems can also create a problem. Using good filters as well as HEPA filters and having your system cleaned and services annually will generally take care of that problem.
Once you’ve located a mold area, clean it carefully and completely with a detergent containing bleach and water. Then be sure it is absolutely dry. If the mold is on carpet or furniture, have it cleaned professionally making sure the cleaning company is trained in mold abatement. If the area is large (the EPA says over a 10 square foot area) call in professionals. But the most important thing is to find and repair the leak that has caused the problem. Be sure bathroom fixtures are properly caulked, ventilation is adequate and that a good exhaust fan is always used.
I have ordered a number of the EPA’s great booklet, “A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home”. I have these available at my office for you to pick up. If you’d like one mailed to you, please call my office at 463-4060. You can also find the information on their web site at: www.epa.gov/iaq.
posted by Emma Amiad at
2:02 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home