With the rain and the coming heat, Chicago area homeowners should worry about mold in their homes during the summer months. Mold can grow almost anywhere there is moisture and it grows on almost anything: paper, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood, fabric, insulation, even dust. It can cause serious damage to a family's home and health if the homeowner doesn't take steps to control and deal with it quickly and effectively.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the key to both preventing and remediating mold in the home is controlling moisture. Mold cannot grow without moisture, so a homeowner needs to identify and control moisture sources in the home to prevent the spread of mold.
During the warm summer months, we advise homeowners to keep an eye on these seasonal sources of moisture and take steps to control or eliminate them:
- Air conditioner drain pans
- Condensation caused by high indoor humidity or overly cold indoor surfaces
- Outdoor sprinklers set to allow the spray to hit the walls of the home
- Unvented kitchen and bathroom moisture
- Clothes dryers that vent indoors or wet towels and clothing left to dry indoors
- Overwatering house plants
- Moisture from human sources (sweat, wet hair, breath)
These less-obvious moisture sources can be as dangerous as the typical leaks, spills and flooding that most homeowners recognize as potential breeding grounds for mold. Mold causes a hazard wherever it grows indoors, so homeowners need to be vigilant about controlling indoor moisture.
Homeowners need to understand how prevalent mold is and how easy it is for mold to find a foothold in the home. You also need to stay on the alert to identify and correct everyday sources of moisture before mold has a chance to grow.
For more information about PuroClean Property Restoration Specialists serving the Chicago area or for additional advice on protecting a home from mold, please contact Scott Majeski at 312-453-1500 or smajeski@puroclean.com.
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