The shock of needing mold removal and realizing what the costs are sometimes hits Long Island homeowners like a brick wall. That is why we will be exploring where does mold usually hide and what can be done to prevent this from turning into an expensive home repair issue.
Normally when we are speaking about mold in homes, it can come in different colors. People are most intimately aware of black mold. If you live in the Long Island area, where the humidity can be quite high in the summer, these varmints can sprout in the most uncommon places.
A typical place may be a shower. This issue is that that difficult to rectify. You can install fan ventilation in the bathroom. When taking a show just make sure it is on. Now before you believe this is the cure all to prevent mold growth in your bathroom, it may not be. There is also a potential for mold to grow within the exhaust system itself, even though this does happen rarely.
You just may be better in leaving the window open to let the humidity out. If you notice a build up of mold on your walls and ceilings, then a cleaner should suffice, as long as you get it early before the mold has a chance to really dig in.
Long Island’s intense summers humidity will not only affect your bathrooms. Air conditioners can also be a breeding ground for mold. You need to make sure that your drain pan is not clogged in anyway and is working properly. As long as your a/c has a slight tilt toward the outside ground, you should be golden.
Now for all of those lucky suckers out there with central air, this can actually be more of an issue. Sometimes condensation can build up in HVAC ducts in your home. This can also occur in buildings, so this is also important info for a facility manager.
Attics can also be a breeding ground for mold. I grew up in the south shore of Long Island, so I know how hot those attics can get. If your attic has insulation and now real way to release heat, you may have a mold growth situation. If you having a simple venting system or exhaust fans should mitigate the issue.
As always, basements and crawl spaces are were mold has a tendency to begin its birth. For crawl spaces, you may consider encapsulation to help prevent mold from growing. Also this will help reduce heating costs in the winter since heat will not escape through the floor. For basements, the use of dehumidifiers and having it waterproofed should prevent any mold buildup.