Mold can be difficult to uncover because it often grows in hidden areas like behind walls, under carpets, or inside air ducts. It may only become noticeable once there’s a musty odor, visible discoloration or cracking paint, by which time it has already spread. Sometimes ( as was our case years ago) it leaves no visible physical sign as it is growing and it is health issues that start to show up ( allergies, rashes and so many other sometimes vague but sometimes serious symptoms) prompting people to test for mycotoxins and uncover they are being exposed to mold, and then having to find where the mold source is.
Mold does not discriminate it can grow in a multimillion dollar mansion just as easily as we can grow in a small public housing development.
To add to the complexity of mold, some people are extremely sensitive to mold, while others not so much. For those who are, however, mold can wreak havoc on a person’s health for years.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) similarly estimates that between one-third to one-half of all structures in the U.S. have damp conditions that encourage mold growth and according to the CDC 47% of U.S. homes suffer from mold. Many families don’t discover mold or report it so I suspect the actual number is much higher.
All of this to say that: prevention is KEY.
If you want to avoid mold growth it is important to understand Mold growth.
Small leaks, high humidity, or poor ventilation can create perfect conditions for mold to thrive without obvious warning signs.
Humidity: Mold can begin to grow indoors when humidity levels stay above 60%.
To avoid mold growth, the ideal range is for indoor humidity to stay between 30–50%. knowing your homes humidity level is thus super important. Many families are surprised to learn that they are humidity levels can be extremely high for some months of the year and extremely low other months (I know I was blown away by the flunctuation in humidity in my home when I started monitoring) so monitoring it and understanding your homes situation is really important.
Water: it doesn’t take a lot of water for mold to start growing. In fact, mold can start growing if humidity is high within 24 hours. Unfortunately, water leaks, can sometimes go unnoticed for days, weeks, even months. This is why it is smart to be proactive to avoid hidden leaks.
Here are 5 things that can help avoid a mold problem
Humidity meter ( hygrometer): mold can grow when humidity reaches 60% or more. A humidity meter can tell you if high humidity is a problem in your home. You should have a few in your home (they are inexpensive and portable) and monitor them throughout the year.
Dehumidifier: whether it’s a portable unit or one you install in your AC system, if you have high humidity inside your home, it is wise to invest in a dehumidifier to help lower your humidity levels and keep them between 30% - 50%
Silicone under sink mats are Another inexpensive tool that can avoid a surprise mold issue. These are placed under sinks and are meant to catch any leaks that might surprise us under sinks behind cabinet doors. Trust me : you can have a tiny leak going on behind cabinet doors for days or weeks and not be aware of it (again I speak from personal experience! Had I installed one in my guest bathroom a few years ago I would have saved myself $5000 in remediation and construction costs when I found some water that had led to mold…. and had I not realized it when I did that $5k could have been much higher had the mold had time to grow and spread) Ideally place one of these mats under every single sink in your home.
Thermal imaging : A thermal imaging device can help prevent mold problems by detecting hidden moisture behind walls, ceilings, or floors that you wouldn’t see with the naked eye. Since mold thrives in damp conditions, spotting these “cold spots” early allows you to fix leaks or improve insulation before mold has a chance to grow.
House wide leak alert system: These systems use sensors placed near vulnerable areas like sinks, appliances, basements, or water heaters to immediately alert you to excess moisture. By catching leaks early and allowing for quick cleanup and repair, the system prevents lingering dampness that could otherwise lead to mold growth. Some of these have auto shut off features which shut off the water source and can be a huge help if you are away from home when leak is detected.
Condensate Float Switch: The last place you want mold to grow is your HVAC system…. once its in there, mold spores can spread around you entire home and that is the ultimate nightmare situation… not to mention the fact that cleaning an HVAc is very difficult and costly. This small safety switch attaches to your air handler's drain pan. It automatically turns off your AC unit if the main drain line clogs, which stops the pan from overflowing and flooding your floor or ceiling. I never owned this but when we eventually buy again I will definitely get one.
Do you need all of this? IF you are vigilant probably not but these are tools that I know would have saved me thousands of dollors in remediation and repair.
Will all of these assure you will never have mold? Sadly no…. you can still have mold in your crawlspace (make sure you have proper drainage around your home helps a lot!!) and other areas but these tools DEFiNeTLY aid in avoiding or at least catching it in time!
A note on leaks:
Some leaks are very obvious and we see them and for these leaks it’s imperative that you fix leaks promptly, thoroughly drying all affected areas. If this requires making a hole in the drywall, removing wet, drywall and replacing it, trust me that expense will be less than if you don’t do this and mold is given more time to grow..