You may have an unwanted guest after this latest brutal Northeast Ohio winter: mold. The heating season often creates the ideal conditions for fungal growth, but don’t despair; there are steps you can take to rid your home of this nasty growth and prevent it from returning.
What Is Mold?
This fungus belongs to a unique family of decomposers that grows quickly by extending its tiny roots. It is typically green, blue or black, though its color is determined by the type of nutrients it receives, the surface material it’s growing on and age.
Where and How Does It Grow?
The ideal conditions for mold growth are spores, an organic food source, moisture, and temperatures between 40 and 100 degrees. Controlling moisture levels can be trickier in the winter months, as the warm air that seeps into your attic meets the cold interior surface of your roof, creating condensation. In the summer months, your A/C may be the culprit, as a unit that is over- or undersized can wreak havoc with humidity levels. Other areas of the home that are at risk include bathrooms and basements, which are frequently damp.
Tips to Prevent Growth
- Repair leaks promptly. Water leaks from pipes, windows or your roof all require immediate attention.
- Increase attic ventilation and insulation. An attic fan can help by continuously forcing the hot attic air out, bringing in the cold, and regulating humidity levels, while added insulation can prevent heat energy from transitioning between your living space and the attic.
- Replace carpeting in high risk areas. Use washable throw rugs in high-moisture areas such as the basement or bathroom.
- Check your drip pan. Check your refrigerator’s drip pan regularly for standing water, and the condensate pan of your A/C in the summer.
- Control humidity levels. Aim for a reading of between 30 and 50 percent, relying on exhaust fans or your A/C or a dehumidifier if necessary.
For more information on how to get rid of and prevent mold in your home, call the experts at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning, proudly serving Cuyahoga, Erie and Lorain counties for over 30 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about mold and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area