How To Prevent Black Mold & Stop Growth In Homes

In this article, we’ll be giving you tips on how to prevent black mold from coming back.

Have you ever had to deal with black mold in your home?

If you have, then we assume you didn’t enjoy the ugliness, inconvenience, and fees you had to pay the mold inspector and remediation professionals.

Our guide will focus on how to stop mold from spreading.

How To Prevent Mold In House

If you’re glad that you’ve finally gotten rid of the mold in your home, then you’d be more ecstatic if you manage to keep them from ever coming back!

If you’re wondering how to keep mold away, then you’re in luck!

In this guide, we’ll be discussing black mold prevention strategies.

Keep reading!

What Attracts Mold To Your Home?

Knowing what attracts mold to your home in the first place will help you understand how you can prevent them from coming back.

Black mold, being the most common household mold species, is attracted to environments that are dark and moist. Unfortunately, there are so many areas in your home that can offer the comfort mold spores are in search of.

Areas such as the kitchen, bathroom, and basement are high on the list.

This is because there is a lot of water activity in these areas. The basement is the lowest point of your home, and water will always flow to the steepest points.

Once there is excessive moisture in the above-mentioned areas, or anywhere else in your home, then you can expect mold growth there.

It’s simple, keep moisture away to keep mold away!

Why You Should Prevent Mold From Coming Back Into Your Home

As the popular saying goes – Prevention is better than cure. It is much easier to stop mold growth in your home than to deal with the complications they bring.

If you don’t already know, mold can cause allergic reactions in humans, especially to those that are already prone. It can also cause breathing complications among individuals with problematic respiratory issues.

Your family’s health should be a priority, so keeping black mold out should be something worth taking seriously.

Health problems aside, mold doesn’t look good! They are unappealing to the eyes, thanks to their ugly looks. If you plan to sell your home, then having a mold infestation will significantly reduce its market value.

Last but not least, mold stinks!

If you were wondering what that awful, musty smell is, then wonder no more. It’s mold!

There you have it, good reasons to keep mold from returning to your home.

• Mold is a health hazard
• It reduces the aesthetic appeal of your home
• It has an awful smell

Preventing Mold: 10 Options To Consider

Mold spores are practically everywhere, and there’s nothing we can do to get rid of them.

However, there are so many things we can do to keep the spores from settling, growing into a mold, and multiplying in our home.

• Black Mold Prevention Methods

Follow these tips, and black mold will never reappear in your home again!

1. Buy A Humidifier

This is one of the best ways to prevent mold in apartments.

If your home is high in humidity, then you’re practically inviting black mold to stay. Mold can thrive easily in areas that have a humidity higher than 60%, so you have to keep it below this number.

One of the fastest ways to do this is by buying and installing a dehumidifier. This device can control the humidity levels in your home, which will in turn make the environment uncomfortable for mold growth.

It is advised that the humidity levels in your home should be at 50% or less. Such conditions aren’t attractive to mold, so the spores will never settle there.

You can buy a dehumidifier from a home improvement store near you.

2. Ventilate Your Home

One of the moisture’s greatest enemies is air, as it can dry up a wet surface in no time. With this in mind, it would be wise to ventilate your home as much as you can.

This means keeping your windows and doors open frequently to allow the much-needed air to come in. When there’s enough airflow, there would be less moisture and zero mold growth.

Yes we know, leaving your doors and windows open can allow other outdoor pests to come in. But not necessarily!

You can install mesh screens by the windows and doors to keep pests out. Make sure the screens you install are tightly woven, so even small insect pests can’t creep in.

You can also keep your fans on now and then to contribute to the airflow.

Ventilation is most important in rooms that have no fans. This includes your kitchen and bathroom. Don’t forget to keep your basement windows open too!

3. Fix Leakages To Stop Mold Growth

Leaking pipes are a big problem as far as moisture is concerned.

If you notice any leakages, don’t take them lightly. Make sure you hire a good plumber to fix all the leakages, especially in the kitchen and bathroom.

Once this is done, the chances of mold growth will be greatly reduced.

4. Re-Do Your landscape To Reduce Mold

If your basement has suffered a mold infestation in the past, then one of the contributing factors is your landscape. We’re sure you’re wondering how?

Well, if your landscape is tilted towards your building, then it means all standing water will flow in that direction. Standing water could be a result of heavy rainfall or melted snow.

While this seems like a big deal, it really isn’t.

All you need to do is hire a professional landscaper to re-do the land, in a way that it slopes away from your home’s foundation and not towards it.

This will cost you a decent sum of money, but it’ll be worth it in the end. When standing water flows away, there wouldn’t be any trickling into your foundation and your basement.

5. Plant Some Trees Away From Your Building

Trees compete for moisture all the time, and that is why a tree’s roots will always grow in the direction where there is water. You can use this knowledge to your advantage to keep groundwater from flowing towards your foundation.

Simply plant some trees around your yard so their roots can suck in as much water as possible.

While this is not the most effective way to prevent mold from growing in your home, it is undeniably a great backup measure!

6. Use Paint Sealers on Walls

When a wall is porous, it means water can seep through. When that happens, then there’s a chance you’ll find mold growing in them.

To prevent this from happening, you can use paint sealers to keep moisture from flowing through. Paint sealers can be applied on both interior and exterior walls.

Apply the sealer on both sides to ensure there isn’t any moisture coming through.

This is a very reliable option if you are looking for how to keep mold from growing back.

7. Install Good Drainage Systems

To further ensure water flows away from your home, you should install a decent drainage system in and outside your home.

Your roof and foundation should have drains that channel water away, and your basement should have floor drains to ensure excess water doesn’t stand.

Make sure you do regular checks on your drainage system to ensure it isn’t clogged. Make it a habit to clean and pick out any debris or dirt that may have lodged in there.

8. Install A Sump Pump

A sump pump is an excellent tool for water control in the basement. It is a device that collects excess water and pumps it away into the main sewer system.

Sump pumps usually have sensors that detect when moisture levels are too high. This triggers the motor to come on and pump the excess water away.

Make sure the pump is installed by the lowest point of your basement floor. This will allow all the water to flow in that direction and be collected by the basin.

9. Dry Wet Surfaces

Do you know how to reduce mold in your house? Dry wet surfaces.

As you do the dishes in the kitchen or take a shower in the bathroom, there will be splashes here and there. If water is consistently left behind, then mold will start to grow on these surfaces.

Make it a habit to wipe the kitchen sink and counters dry when they get wet. After you take a shower, mop up all the water on the floor to keep it dry at all times.

Also, use shower curtains to control splashes.

10. Dry Your Belongings Before Storing Them Inside

Did you recently wash your rug outside, did you bring it in before it dried up completely? If you did, then you’re encouraging mold growth in your home.

Whatever it is you washed outside, make sure it is dried up before you bring it back in and store it. In case you didn’t know, mold can grow on fabric too!

If there is spillage on your rug, take it outside and dry it up before mold starts to grow on it. Keep in mind, mold doesn’t need more than 48 hours before it starts developing on a surface!

Concluding On Stopping Mold From Growing

Keeping mold from growing in your home isn’t as difficult as you think. Just practice the habits mentioned in this article and you’ll be fine.

Good luck!