Where to Watch for Mold This Winter
Cold winter air holds less humidity than the warm air of summer, which can lead to increased condensation accumulating in unexpected places. This cold air can seep in through the smallest cracks in your home’s exterior walls, gaps in the seals on your doors and windows, and more.
Your Heating System could be Circulating Mold
Did you know that changes in humidity and condensation can lead to mold growing in unexpected places?
The moisture in the air easily transforms from its gaseous state to a liquid in the winter, producing condensation every time it hits a cold surface. Cold surfaces abound in the basement, so when any warm, moist air makes it down there, condensation is sure to follow. This condensation can accumulate virtually anywhere, including your air vents and heating ducts. When your heater warms the air, it holds more moisture – and then once it shuts off, the air cools, dropping the moisture onto anything beneath it.
Since moisture, air, and a food source are the only things mold needs to grow, this leads to an increased risk of mold growth in your basement. From there, it can make its way into your air ducts and heating system, especially since most people have their furnaces in the basement. Turning on your heating system this winter could potentially blow mold spores around your home and worsen any type of mold problem.
Is There a Build-Up of Dust in Your Ducts or Vents?
It may not seem too important to clean your air ducts and heating vents regularly, but dust buildup provides the perfect haven for mold. Any professional mold remediation expert will tell you that you can find mold nearly anywhere, but it’s especially common to find mold in the basement. The spores from a mold or mildew infestation can feed on the dust that builds up in your vents due to infrequent or improper air duct cleaning.
It’s important to catch and remediate a mold problem in your home as soon as possible. Mold removal becomes more time-consuming and difficult the longer the issue goes unchecked. Knowing the signs of mold and what to look for is essential, but there could still be mold present without any visible signs.
Watch for Condensation in the Basement
It’s pretty common knowledge that basements, attics, and crawl spaces are prime real estate for mold growth. You should always watch out for signs of excess condensation building up on your basement walls, as this is one of the most common causes of basement mold. The reason these areas are so high-risk for mold is because they tend to have poor ventilation which, when combined with excess moisture and condensation, is the perfect breeding ground.
While black mold is probably the most infamous type of mold, known for its severe health impacts, it’s not the only kind of mold that can cause health issues with prolonged exposure. The vast majority of these potentially dangerous molds can be caused by poor ventilation and excess condensation, which is why proper basement waterproofing and mold prevention is always important.
Check for Leaks, Drips, and Puddles
Mold needs moisture to grow, so one of the easiest ways to pinpoint where you may have a mold infestation starting is by looking for leaks in your plumbing, dripping faucets, and puddles. While flooding, burst sump pumps, and other forms of extreme water damage can definitely all cause an environment fit for mold to breed, it doesn’t always have to be something that extreme.
It’s important to invest in professional water damage cleanup and water damage restoration as soon as possible after such an event happens. That’s where restoration companies like Advantaclean come in.
Advantaclean has been in business for decades, so we have plenty of experience. All of our teams are expertly trained and are more than happy to help you when you’re in need. We offer various services, from air duct cleaning services to natural disaster cleanup. To request one of AdvantaClean’s many services, all you have to do is contact us.
