During summer months, temperatures and humidity rise; increasing your chances for mold growth. It is estimated that 10% of the U.S. Population is sensitive to mold and experience allergic reactions, asthma attacks and sinus infections (American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology).
The good news: mold can be prevented. The key is moisture control.
Preventing Mold
- Clean moisture spills immediately. Repair leaks. Clean up water damage immediately, as mold starts growing within 24-48 hours.
- Control humidity. Dehumidifiers keep humidity low by removing excess moisture from your home's air. While there are room dehumidifiers, whole home dehumidifiers protect your whole house vs just one room. Humidity below 50% prevents mold growth. Place your dehumidifier:
- in your basement
- in a crawl space
Detecting Mold
- Mold grows in dark, damp spaces. It's commonly found in basements, bathrooms, and crawl spaces. The color can be green, black, blue, orange or purple.
- Be aware mold can also grow in hidden areas, such as behind wall paper, above ceiling tiles and inside cabinets where plumbing fixures are found.
- If you detect mold, take action immediately to remove it and prevent future growth.
Removing and Cleaning Mold
- Clean and remove visible mold with an EPA-registered mold and mildew disinfectant (Moldex disinfectant, Anabec, and BacShield are examples). Bleach is found not to be as effective, as mold spores can re-grow after treatment with bleach.
- If you see mold on drywall, you must remove and replace the drywall.
- If you see what you consider wide-spread mold or suspect it is toxic, contact a mold remediation professional. Toxic mold produces dangerous toxins that can cause neurological symptoms and even death.
- Protect yourself while cleaning the mold with gloves, a face mask and possibly goggles.
GeneralAire® offers three dehumidifier models that can remove up to 130 pints of water per day. Click here to view available models. We carry two models ideal for small spaces such as crawl spaces that also incorporate MERV 11 filtration (DH70 & DH95).
