Top 5 Ways to Prevent Mold Growth in Your Home

Information in this article and video is provided in part by Premier Restoration Hawai’i.

Molds are a common issue in homes that have the potential to cause structural damage and a variety of health problems to residents. Premier Restoration Hawai’i recommends eliminating the sources mold needs to survive in order to prevent further mold growth.

“There are three things that mold needs in order to sustain life. If you can eliminate one of these three things from the equation, you can effectively prevent mold from growing,” Premier Restoration Hawai’i says. 

Below are the three sources mold needs to sustain life:

• Moisture
• • • Moisture can either be in liquid or vapor form; it can originate from sources like plumbing failures, rain, flooding or high relative humidity.
• Food Source
• • • Mold grows and feeds on cellulose or plant based materials. The greater the concentration of cellulose, the greater the food source. Examples of cellulose sources include the kraft paper backing of a dry wall, wood or biofilm. 
• Absence of light
• • Mold growth can occur in the presence of light but thrives in locations where there is an absence of light. Locations such as attics, crawl spaces, inside wall cavities or under kitchen sinks are vulnerable to mold growth.

“Once you understand the founding principles of what mold needs to survive it becomes very easy to understand how to prevent it.”

Premier Restoration Hawai’i recommends the following tips to prevent mold growth:

• Plenty of ventilation
• • • Consistent airflow and ventilation are important in preventing any condensation or moisture from accumulating inside a home.
• Respond quickly to water issues
• • • Immediate clean up and remediation of small  water issues can prevent standing water from becoming a mold issue – using towels and placing fans to quickly dry wet areas, for example.
• Maintain building envelope
• • • Periodic inspection of a building’s envelope such as its siding and roofing are essential to knowing the conditions of these items and whether maintenance or replacement is required.
• Use synthetic materials
• • • Using synthetic materials like plastic containers to store belongings rather than cardboard boxes can eliminate a potential food source for mold to grow. 
• Keep area clean
• • A cleaning program in particularly high humidity environments can prevent the accumulation of biofilm, a food source for mold.

The mold remediation process can cause a lot of structural damage and can cause potential health risks. To prevent additional costs in the process, a professional response and proper personal protective equipment (PPE) are necessary for certain mold issues. 

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