
Mould build up can be prevented in a number of ways. By understanding what causes mould you can determine the course of action that is best to prevent mould from re-occurring.
Mould is usually the main way homeowners find out that they have a damp problem.
Common causes of mould are:
- Poor ventilation in the home. Closing all windows and doors when winter comes along cuts off a lot of the natural ventilation in a home, and causes evaporation through the timber or ceilings.
- Add to this the moisture we create by use of showers, cooking, heaters and particularly un-ducted clothes dryers and you could quickly have a serious mould problem.
- Warm, damp air rises, bringing with it mould spores that travel in moist air. When you heat your home the heated, moist air travels through the home to the cooler areas and then condensates, causing the growth of mould on ceilings, walls etc.
- Where possible, ceiling vents or wall vents should be fitted to allow ventilation. Installation of “Whirly Birds” or roof fan ventilators are a great compliment to ceiling vents as they draw the warm, damp air from your building through the roof cavity. This is a relatively simple solution to most common ventilation problems.
- Particular attention should be made to damp areas, for example, kitchens, bathrooms and laundry should be well ventilated.
- Electric exhaust fans should be fitted ducting the steam outside the building.
- Damp sub-floors are another major cause and rising damp. This is particularly prevalent in older brick homes. A Licensed Builder may be required to assess and repair damp courses. When the ground under your home is damp it releases moisture and mould spores up through the walls and floors of the building.
- By property ventilating the sub-floor area, you can reduce the amount of moisture coming from this area, ridding your home of trapped heat and mould through the use of sub-floor ventilation systems.
- Attending to any landscaping and drainage issues to the sub-floor area of your home is another preventative measure that will significantly reduce moisture build-up in the home.
- Other major causes are blocked guttering and poor roof maintenance.
- Always make sure gutters are kept clean, free from leaves and debris. If not, water can enter the building through the eaves.
- Install leaf/gutter guard to prevent blockages.
- Ensure gutters are flowing to the downpipes. In a heavy downpour, instead of water getting away as it should gutters can overflow into the building.
- Insufficient downpipes to the roof surface area can be a problem if the downpipes cannot cope in heavy periods of rain. This too can cause gutters to overflow into the building.
- Large stained areas on ceilings can be indicative of roof leaks. Check and seal any roof leaks. Look for signs that flashing needs replacing around chimneys, roof vents, skylights etc. Broken tiles and rusted metal roofing are signs that your roof may require maintenance.
- In short, always inspect for leaks, sometimes what could have been an easy fix will turn into a major task.
- Where possible, open windows. Aim for a minimum of 30 mins to 1 hr per day.
- Remembering that whilst ventilation is key it may also bring with it more mould spores, therefore always monitor moisture.
- Dust walls and vacuum floors regularly to eliminate places where mould may begin to grow.
This will eliminate most common household mould issues.
Remember…, “Prevention is better than cure!”
Of course, if you have followed all of our guidelines and you are still unable to control the presence of mould in your home please get in contact with us so that we can offer some expert guidance and assistance. We are the mould removal experts throughout Sydney, Newcastle and the Central Coast