Fall is the time to think about sealing the home for the winter. But in doing so, it's healthy to think about what you might be trapping inside your home to keep you company all winter long. According to the Centers for Disease Control, mold growth can exist almost anywhere and can enter the home almost anywhere and once inside the home, the spores can grow on practically anything. Once there, it can release clouds of potentially harmful spores that once airborne can take the shortest path to your lungs.
Mold needs moisture to grow and moisture in many homes tends to accumulate in the lower level --- the basement and/or crawl space. There are some things a homeowner can do to minimize the potential for mold in their homes.
- Control Humidity ---Keep humidity level below 50% in the basements and/or crawl space. Improve outside grading and drainage by keeping gutters clean and soil around home sloping away. Cover dirt crawl spaces with a non porous covering to reduce moisture.
- Store Smart --- Keep all storage items several inches off the concrete floor and away from wall which is important for organic materials like cardboard which can absorb moisture. Use metal or plastic shelving vs wood.
- Ventilate --- Poor ventilation in moisture prone areas can lead to mold growth. This is especially true in crawl spaces where ventilation in some cases is non existent. Mold cannot grow where the air is continually being recirculated and vented to the outside. And in homes sealed tight for the winter, maintaining healthy air exchanges is especially important to minimize air borne contaminants that can become trapped inside.
- Filter the Air --- Homes with forced air should be using a top quality air filter. Pleated filters with MERV rating of 8 - 11 are good but there are anti-microbial filters that are available that actually trap airborne contaminants and provide a tighter seal in the return. There are also ultraviolet lamps that can be installed in the duct work that can reduce and eliminate the airborne contaminants that contribute to respiratory ailments. UV can also destroy mold spores as well as airborne viruses, bacteria, and odors.
Being conscious of proper ventilation and control of indoor humidity will contribute to helping the homeowner successfully mitigate the potential for mold activity within their home.
wave basement dehumidifer solutions - did I miss something or is this the same as putting a fan exhasting outward in your basement window? genious!!
Posted by: ray Graz | July 29, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Actually Ray, you are missing quite a bit. This is a whole home air exchange system that improves air quality. It pulls stale, contaminated air from the lowest level in the home where it accumulates and expels it to the outside. Moist, damp air in the lower level can lead to biological growth and mold --- the only assurance it will not collect is air circulation and bringing in replenishment air. Please take time to read through the Testimonial Section on our site to see what our customers say about the unit. And feel free to call or email us for more information.
Posted by: Skip Spang | July 29, 2009 at 01:32 PM