How to Prevent Mold Growth in Germantown & Montgomery County

Humidity is no stranger to our area.  After all, we’re at a low elevation, not far from the ocean, and right in the path of all those warm and moist air currents flowing up along the Atlantic coastline.

Can you say 90 degrees with 90% humidity?  The truth is, we say it way too often:  unless, of course, that’s your idea of perfect weather conditions. 

Well, love or hate “warm and humid,” it’s that exact combination that puts mold on a fast track to home infestation, all year long.  That’s right:  while things dry up considerably outdoors during the off-season, that isn’t necessarily the case inside your four walls.

And that can be a real problem when you consider all the damage mold can cause, including:

Health Effects

• Allergies
• Asthma
• Flu-like symptoms
• Upper respiratory diseases
• Nose bleeds & rashes

Property Damage

• Rugs and carpeting can be ruined
• Mold can damage or destroy personal belongings like suitcases, family heirlooms, clothing, and anything else stored in a damp environment
• Warping of wall, floors, and ceilings
• Wood rot
• Food spoilage

Mold is part of nature and not all bad.  It breaks down fallen leaves and dead trees, for example.  But it doesn’t add a whole lot of value inside your home.

That’s why it’s important to take every possible precaution to prevent or reverse the course of indoor mold growth, starting with the following:

• Check and repair any loose caulking inside your bathtub or shower

• Also check the caulking and weather stripping around your windows and doors and repair or replace as needed to keep moisture out

• Replace your old style windows with double pane, tightly sealed models

• If your home’s relative humidity level averages more than 60%, consider installing a whole-house humidity control system

• Even if you don’t need a whole-house humidity control system, use and regularly empty room de-humidifiers in your basement and other frequently damp indoor areas

• If your home is prone to basement flooding, the one-two punch of a sump pump and back-up sump pump will remove water as fast as it enters

• Still, you want to keep water out in the first place so hire a home contractor to see how and where water is entering your home and then implement the necessary corrective measures

• Have your air ducts cleaned at least every four years…your ductwork, a damp and dark environment, is an absolutely perfect mold breeding ground

• Clean your flooring and upholstery often with a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner

• Don’t combine wet towels and clothing with the rest of your laundry for any length of time

Also, take care of leaking pipes and faucets as soon as they’re detected.  Prompt action is equally vital should you suddenly start to smell mold or see the telltale black spots of stains on walls, for example, that have water pipes behind them.   That type of sudden symptom probably means the problem has been brewing for quite some time.

At Your 1 Plumber, we can locate and repair any water leak inside or outside your home.  We also offer water pipe replacement and installation services for any size home.  Contact us today for help in keeping water inside your pipes, and outside your home.

Toll free:  1-888-540-7586
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