Best way to avoid mold in homes?

Jump to Last Post 1-10 of 10 discussions (12 posts)
  1. Bill Manning profile image68
    Bill Manningposted 12 years ago

    I think I have myself a new apartment all set to move into in a week or so. Down here in Florida mold is a big problem.

    So as a precaution I want to treat the place and be pro-active about keeping mildew out of the place.

    What's the best gadgets or tips to get rid of mold and avoid it in homes? Thanks. smile

  2. aware profile image68
    awareposted 12 years ago

    water leaks  . address them.

  3. manlypoetryman profile image77
    manlypoetrymanposted 12 years ago

    Live somewhere with out all the huge humidity...is probably the best way, Bill. There is always * "U-haul" big_smile...but probably like myself...you wouldn't want to move out of your state!
    Places like Florida and where I live, Houston...basically add up to "We are screwed"...when it comes to mold.

    What I have found for times when the 'ol bronchitis rears its evil head for me...is:

    1. Seal up everything in the house tight.
    2. Buy a good dehumidifier.
    3. Curse real loud at any mildew growth around windows.
    4. Listerine antiseptic is a good mildew killer that won't hurt things around it when cleaning any type of mildew.

    I believe it is said that mold and mildew are two different things when it comes to growth, allergies, health risks, etc. I don't remember the differences between 'em. There have been whole homes re-done in my nieghborhood due to mold growth. Now, our home owner insurance policies, in my area, do not cover mold growth. So people is just stuck with what they got! Good Luck!


    (* reminds me of a Sam Kinison joke from back in the day where he had suggested U-haul as a solution to World Hunger...i.e. "Move out'ta the damn desert!" was his way to help with the problem...!):

  4. IzzyM profile image85
    IzzyMposted 12 years ago

    I think it's caused by poor or absent wall insulation, coupled with a damp environment and poor air flow.
    There is an paint you can buy you put on your walls that will delay the return of mold/mildew (I don't know the difference - the stuff that is black)but it doesn't stop it completely.

    Another thing that will help is to insulate your walls with a thin layer of polystyrene sheeting which you can then wall-paper over.

    An outside wall air vent will help too.

    1. manlypoetryman profile image77
      manlypoetrymanposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      The name for the paint is: Kilz...if anyone wants to know. Used it several times, myself. Helps control/delay growth...like IzzyM said.

  5. Bill Manning profile image68
    Bill Manningposted 12 years ago

    Thanks for all the tips. smile

    I love Florida so I am content with living with the mildew, I just want to control it. I know using the A/C a lot helps as it dries out the air.

    I looked real close at the walls and ceilings and don't see any spots suggesting water leaks. Since it's a rented apartment I can't do anything physical to the paint or walls.

    Basically I just want to know what I can spray on the carpet, around windows and in the bathroom to keep mildew out.

    Maybe there is something you can put in your A/C unit to help also? Finally maybe even buy a machine, like a dehumidifier as someone said.

    I also wonder if there is a device that tells you how much mildew spores are in the room? Anyway thanks for all the tips so far.

    I will know later tonight if I have the apartment. smile

  6. IzzyM profile image85
    IzzyMposted 12 years ago
  7. Aficionada profile image79
    Aficionadaposted 12 years ago

    Definitely get a dehumidifier and also keep the air circulating (A/C fan, even if on a high-ish temperature).  I had a very good experience with something similar recently.  [PS - If you have access to the climate control unit, be sure to get the right kind of air filter for it and/or change the filter as often as recommended.]

    I'm interested in hearing more about Kilz and any other products that can help.

    From what I've read, when we need to get mold out of something porous like wallboard, we're supposed to use a solution of Borax (rather than a chlorine bleach) to wash down the wall.  That, theoretically, kills the mold's "roots," whereas chlorine just kills the top of it that is on the surface of the wallboard.  But in my own experience, I haven't had as much success with that as I would like.

  8. sunforged profile image71
    sunforgedposted 12 years ago

    I use Thieves Oil on mildew from a bathroom that doesnt have a window.

    It smells good also and just diffusing it in the bathroom has made a noticeable difference in how quick it comes back.  It works better than bleach

    Borax is part of the solution we mix up as a household cleaner

  9. rebekahELLE profile image86
    rebekahELLEposted 12 years ago

    Bill, here is a very thorough site about mold from the Florida Solar Energy group at UCF, http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/consumer/bui … growth.htm

    Use your air conditioning and invest in good pleated filters.
    You can measure the humidity in your home with a RH sensor found at Home Depot or Radio Shack.

    With the weather we're having now, some keep the air off until it's so hot or humid that we can't stand it, but we've already allowed a lot of moisture to build up, at least keep it on at night when it's most humid. 

    I hope you hear good news about your apt. smile

    1. Bill Manning profile image68
      Bill Manningposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      OOhhh, thanks much for the info rebekahELLE! I'm going to get one of those RH sensors. Thanks to everyone else also. smile

      As for if I will get it, I'm not sure yet. They just emailed me saying I would need another full month's rent deposit due to my self-employed status.

      But due to how I need to pay one more month on my current lease, that would be 3 months rent, pet fees and all the other little fees!!!

      So I said no. Now, they said give them till tomorrow as they are working on it. So I guess I will know tomorrow. smile

  10. Cameron Dean profile image59
    Cameron Deanposted 12 years ago

    Let the sun shine in and increase ventilation by running a fan or opening windows during the sunniest part of the day. Clean mold with vinegar.

 
working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)