New Home | Mold Control Tips

Homeowner Tips | Home Safety Tips | Home Maintenance Tips
Mold Control Tips | Home Insurance Tips

Control Moisture and prevent mold - When water leaks or spills occur indoors - ACT QUICKLY. If wet or damp materials/areas are dried 24-48 hours after a leak or spill happens, in most cases mold will not grow.

Clean and repair roof gutters regularly.

Make sure the ground slopes away from the building foundation, so that water does not enter or collect around it.

Keep air conditioning drip pans clean and the drain lines unobstructed and flowing properly.

Keep indoor humidity low. If possible, keep indoor humidity below 60 percent (ideally between 30 and 50 percent) relative humidity. Relative humidity can be measured with a moisture or humidity meter, a small, inexpensive ($10-$50) instrument available at many hardware stores.

If you see condensation or moisture collecting on windows, walls or pipes ACT QUICKLY to dry the wet surface and reduce the moisture/water source. Condensation can be a sign of high humidity.

Reduce humidity and prevent condensed moisture - Vent appliances that produce moisture, such as clothes dryers, stoves, and kerosene heaters to the outside where possible. (Combustion appliances such as stoves and kerosene heaters produce water vapor and will increase the humidity unless vented to the outside.)

Use air conditioners and/or de-humidifiers when needed.

When showering, run the bathroom fan or open the window. Whenever cooking, running the dishwasher or dishwashing, use exhaust fans or open windows.

Other ways to help prevent condensation include: Reduce the humidity (see above).

Use of fans and opening doors and/or windows, when practical can increase ventilation or air movement.

Insulate cold surfaces, such as cold water pipes.