Having mold growing in your home is never a pleasant sight. It undoubtedly presents a myriad of health problems for homeowners and impacts the structural integrity of your home and can be costly to remove altogether. If you don’t know how to stop mold from growing, you may risk having a potentially dangerous substance affecting your home and family.
One of the best ways to target mold growth is to know its source, and if you happen to wonder, “what does mold need to grow?” — You’re at the right place! Before we get into details, let us first identify some facts on mold growth.
What Is Mold and How Does It Grow?
“Mold” refers to fungi that grow as multicellular strands called hyphae. By nature, it grows on dead organic matter. The human eye can only see it when it forms into a mycelium — a large colony consisting of an interconnected hyphae network.
The mold growing process occurs via the production of tiny spores. Given that these spores are smaller than a pollen grain, their size allows their spread through water, wind, and even fur. Note, however, that these spores survive in a dormant state until the environment is suitable for mold growth and provides suitable food, water, oxygen, and temperature for them to develop.
Why Is Mold Growing in My House?
There are a lot of things that mold needs to grow. Knowing these conditions will help you avoid promoting its growth so that you can have a healthier, mold-free space. Consider your home environment and check whether they are likely to have mold growing on the surface. To help you, we included some necessary measures that tackle how to stop mold from growing in your home.
So, what does mold need to grow?
Moisture
Given that mold is a living thing, it needs moisture to grow. Moisture is often the most significant factor in determining the likelihood of mold growing in your home.
Moisture comes from numerous sources, and identifying the root of the problem is crucial for you to solve it. For one, mold thrives in wet, damp, and humid conditions. Prevent mold growth by locating cracked pipes to stop water leaks that could instigate this. Since flood is another cause of mold growth, clearing floodwater immediately helps prevent mold from growing in your home.
A simple step to prevent moisture buildup at home is using a squeegee and towel-drying showers and sinks after usage.
Oxygen
Molds are known to be obligate aerobes, which means they also require oxygen to survive. Mold is likely to grow at even low oxygen concentrations, which becomes a problem in fighting mold growth.
We all need oxygen to live and breathe. While we can’t control the amount of oxygen present in our home, simply knowing how to seal the tiniest spaces properly helps prevent mold from growing in them. The best way to do this is to have proper insulation to keep air from getting into your walls and causing mold.
Food
Mold grows on things that it can digest. “Food” in the mold growing process are made from easy-to-absorb substances that mold breaks down through the secretion of digestive enzymes.
Mold can grow in things like meat and vegetables, wood, and drywall. It metabolizes any carbon-containing matter in the environment, so removing its food sources at home may be challenging.
Still, there are some steps you can take to avoid mold growing on food. First, keep your kitchen counter, refrigerator, and under your couch free of food waste. Also, only eat in areas of your home with hard flooring; sanitize them daily. In some instances, you can also use specially formulated mold-resistant paint to combat mold growing on surfaces.
Darkness
You may be here to seek answers to, “Why is mold growing in my house?” It could come from outdoors as the wind carries spores through your doorways and windows. Mold growth then happens inside your home due to a lack of UV rays from the sun, which usually helps eliminate spores.
If you are trying to know the places where mold growth can occur at home, it’s best to look for mold growing in the darkest nooks and crannies of your house. Instead of using expensive UV bulbs to light up your space completely, make sure to keep dark areas in your home clean, dry, and free from mold food sources.
Warm Temperature
An ideal environment for mold growth is a warm place whose temperature is not less than 40° F. Ideally, temperatures between 77° F to 86° F, especially with humid air, make the best conditions for mold to grow. Since many homes are insulated above 60° F, it signals that mold growth can occur year-round in many areas.
While shutting your furnace off is not recommended, especially during winter, you do need to pay attention to particular areas in your home where mold can grow. Also, it pays to be extra diligent during the summer months. Higher temperatures mean faster mold growth.
Hire Deep Water for Efficient Mold Mitigation Services
If you notice mold growing in your home, call our experts at Deep Water for help!
Keeping your home, especially the darkest areas, dry and clean is the first step in mold prevention. However, if you notice any mold growth in your home, it’s best to hire our experts for mold mitigation in Denver, CO. For inquiries and emergencies, call Deep Water Emergency Services today.
