Why is mold worse in the Summer?
As the temperatures begin to warm up, you're happy to see the end of winter and the start of the summer months. One thing that you don't love about the summer months is the need to spend more time fighting mold throughout your home. From the pipes under the sink in your bathroom to the little spot above the washing machine, it seems like mold is worse in the summer months.
Why does this happen? You don't want to spend your time indoors battling mold when you can be outside enjoying the sunshine or hanging out with friends. You aren't wrong. Mold does grow more easily in the spring, late summer, and late fall months. Here's your guide to mold in the summer months.
When does mold grow the most in your home?
Mold is another living system and requires a certain set of factors to grow and thrive. When it comes to mold in your home, you don't want it to grow and thrive. You want it to wither and die. There are a variety of molds that you might find growing in your home. The harmful mold falls into one of three categories:
- Allergenic
- Pathogenic
- Toxigenic
It's obvious that the allergenic type aggravates people with allergies while the toxigenic type is toxic for people. However, the meaning of the pathogenic type of mold might not be so obvious. If you have someone living in your home that already suffers from a chronic illness, this type of mold will make the symptoms more pronounced and even create new ones.
The most common types of molds that you find around your home include:
- Acremonium
- Ulocladium
- Alternaria
- Stachybotrys
- Trichoderma
- Aspergillus
- Aureobasidium
- And more
You don't want any mold growing in your home, but there isn't a good way to stop it from entering your house. In nature, mold grows in colonies. You can find it on trees, under rocks, and almost anywhere there's a moist, dark place. For mold to grow and spread, these colonies send out spores.
Without realizing it, you come into contact with these spores anytime you go outside. They're so tiny that you never see them. However, they'll cling to your clothes, skin, shoes, and pets. Once they're inside your home, they have the chance to land somewhere moist and dark. Next thing you know, there's mold cropping around your home.
Several conditions need to be met for mold to survive:
Like any other living system, mold needs certain conditions to be met for it to survive and grow. These factors include:
- Darkness or a well-shaded space.
- Moisture for the mold to grow.
- A source of food, such as wood or other substances.
- Oxygen
- The right temperature
It's the last factor that allows mold to flourish in early spring, late summer, and fall. Mold is kind of like Goldilocks. It can't be too cold or too hot for mold to grow. Mold grows and thrives when the temperature inside your home is in the low 70s and the relative humidity is in the low 30 to 40 percent range.
How do you know you have mold?
Sometimes, mold is easy to spot. You can see it growing in moist dark spaces. If in doubt, you can always test to see if it's mold or some other stain. Try dropping a couple of drops of bleach on it. If it's mold, the bleach will lighten the color. Also, if the spot is getting larger, it's probably mold. Stains don't normally grow larger unless you're adding the source of it.
However, there are times when mold grows in places that you can't easily see it. It's a good thing that there are other signs that mold might be present in your home or a particular room. Here are a few of the signs you might notice, or you should investigate for possible mold growth:
- Water leak.
- An unpleasant musty or earthy smell.
- A dark spot that continues to grow without an obvious source.
- Moist, dark area.
- Family members showing signs of health issues related to growing mold.
- Wood or other material that's warped, cracked, or buckled without an obvious cause.
If you suspect you have mold but can't find it, a professional company can come to your home and investigate.
What are the possible dangers of mold and are they worse in the summer months?
Mold isn't conducive to having a healthy home. There are some very real dangers to mold in the home. In fact, stachybotrys, black mold can kill a person if it's high enough quantities in a small, enclosed space. However, mold can affect people in a variety of ways, such as:
- Breathing problems
- Death
- Runny nose
- Congestion
- Rash on the skin
- Irritated eyes
- Skin irritation
- Sore throat
- Headaches
- Lung irritation
These are only a few of the possible symptoms. You can expect these symptoms to be more obvious in children and the elderly. If you have a family member who already suffers from allergies, asthma, or other breathing issues, the effects will be more dramatic. You may need to remove them from the house until the mold is dealt with and cleared from the space.
In the late summer months and times of increased growth for mold, you may notice the symptoms become more pronounced. This is because the source of the health issues is flourishing due to the optimal temperature and humidity level in your home. It's essential that you remain even more vigilant in looking for mold during these times.
At AdvantaClean, we know that the health of your family is more important to you than the unsightliness and possible damage incurred by mold. If you aren't sure that what you're seeing is mold, our team can test it for you. We can create a plan to remove the mold from your home. Contact us with any questions or when you're ready to schedule an appointment.
