Molds and mildews are injurious to health – the topic has been discussed many times at many places. I am not going to repeat the same topic here again. Here I would offer some tips on how to prevent molds, mildews and fungus to infect your home.

Once they nest in, your health will be at stake. And you will need a full fledged mold removal to kill molds. Isn’t it better to keep the enemies out? Below are some suggestions on how to prevent molds and what kills mold.

Molds and mildews cannot grow without humidity. Now, what are the sources of water in your home?

• Bathroom
• Kitchen sink
• Dryers
• Leaks

Make sure all the sources of water including the aforementioned list are vented outside. If possible, try to build your kitchen and bathroom towards west of the building. This would dry off these places naturally. If you are residing in a humid area, keep watching these places frequently.

Make sure water is not dipping and spreading around the walls. Repair all the leaks as soon as possible and take steps to dry off the wet places.

Make sure entire house is well ventilated; air conditioner, heater and dryers should work well. No constructional work, furniture or any other item should block the ventilation route of your house as well as the equipments that generate humidity.

Mold spores cannot get the chance to settle down if the place is well ventilated. Since mold spores are lightweight and small, they are easily taken away with air current. Hence, a well ventilated home is less susceptible to mold attacks.

Basements and crawlspaces catch damp naturally and it becomes very difficult to keep those places dry. Install dehumidifiers to keep these places adequately dry. Even when mold spores are present inside, they won’t be able to colonize and grow if the environment is dry.

Tip: Again, make sure the ventilation of the dehumidifier is working properly, otherwise molds can nest inside the ducts and spread rapidly around the home. Look after the ventilation system of your air conditioner as well.

Exhaust fans take indoor air out and maintain the circulation of air. Kitchens and bathrooms have a natural tendency to become damp. Use exhaust fans there so that airborne mold spores, if any, are taken off the room.

Tip: molds are ubiquitous; chances are mold spores are very much present all over your house in less or more concentration. Hence, using exhaust fan would always be helpful. And if no trace of mold is there, exhaust fan would still be helpful to keep the environment clean.

You must have seen drops of water to condense around cold surfaces; when the insulation of the refrigerator does not work, water condenses around the walls and door of the fridge. Even when you take a container out from fridge and keep in on the table, drops of water are found to accumulate around. When this happens around basement walls and pipes, the surrounded area becomes damp.

So insulate cold surfaces which include basement walls, air ducts and water pipes. This would reduce the chances of condensation.

If they still invade, use certified mold cleaning products or EPA verified fungicide to kill molds.

Some people suggest using bleach, however, bleach often fails to kill mold from dirty and porous surface. Organic mold remover is good for health and environment.