Why Is There Mold In Your House?
In hurricane-prone parts of the country like Florida, mold and mildew can damage the home beyond livability and can also lead to illness. 
Why is there mold in your house? There are a myriad of reasons that mold occurs. Mold is more than a nuisance — it is a potential health hazard. It’s crucial that you control mold and you can do that by controlling humidity levels in your home or office.
- In order for mold to grow and thrive it requires four things or even a combination of these can cause mildew and mold in your home or office. A food source. Because mold is a living organism it needs food to thrive. The food mold dines upon include: animal or human food, paper, wood or even soap residue.
- Moisture or a water source. Mold has to have a moist environment in which to grow. If your home has a high humidity level, mold will make itself at home. Kitchens, basements, bathrooms, attics and rooms with indoor swimming pools or hot tubs are the ideal locations for mold to grow.
- The right temperature. Mold loves a warm place in which to grow — a dark space is also a requirement. Mold spores grow in temperatures that humans find comfortable and that’s what makes your home or office or dark, moist space a great growing ground.
Why Is There Mold In Your House?
What can you do to eliminate or prevent mold from taking hold in your home? There are a few ways that our geothermal service professionals recommend and they include:
- Keeping indoor humidity at proper levels is crucial. A home that has too much humidity is a growing ground for mold. Living in Florida, we deal with mold on a regular basis; if your home is too humid, consider installing a dehumidifier. (Note: you don’t want the home to be too dry, either. Ask our pros for advice)
- If there is a leak or if the carpet or floor by the shower or sink or basement gets wet, dry it thoroughly. Use fans to ensure it is completely dry. This is especially true if the water has seeped from the carpet into the flooring below.
- Air circulation or a whole home ventilation system will increase the air flow and air that moves is not air that is amenable to mold growth.
Do you need to know whether your home’s humidity is at proper levels? Call our office: Symbiont Service Corp. has been serving HVAC and GeoThermal system customers around the Florida Suncoast for more than 30 years. Contact us today for information on ways to control mold.
We educate our customers in Englewood, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For information about mold and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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