Mold is one of the last things you want to find inside, but it could be growing in several places in your Mobile, Alabama, home. Discover four surprising places mold could be lurking, like your air conditioner and your laundry room, and learn how to get rid of it once and for all.
Your Kitchen
Mold spores won’t automatically grow into a visible fungus unless they find an environment where they can thrive. Mold prefers dark, wet areas, so stay on the lookout for spaces with excess indoor moisture.
Since your kitchen is packed with appliances and plumbing that produce extra moisture, mold can lurk in a number of places. When hand-washed dishes pile up in a wet jumble, your dish rack can quickly become a breeding ground for mold. Make a point of cleaning it thoroughly with soap and water every few weeks. Wipe down the surrounding counter area with a mix of white vinegar and warm water.
Although the inside of your refrigerator is cold, that doesn’t mean the fungus can’t thrive inside as well as outside this major appliance. Most refrigerators rely on drip pans to catch everything from condensation to spilled foods and beverages. Since the drip pan goes underneath the fridge, it is a dark, moist area that is ideal for mold. You can nip this problem in the bud by cleaning the drip pan once or twice a year, taking care to wash it with a solution that is one part hydrogen peroxide to 10 parts warm water.
Your Living Room and Bedrooms
You might not have any moisture-creating appliances or plumbing in the living room, family room, or bedrooms, but these parts of your home aren’t immune to mold. Instead of keeping moisture out, older windows can actually create the right opportunities that bring mold indoors. This can happen due to condensation on humid days and during heavy rains.
If wiping down condensation and pooled moisture doesn’t seem to do enough to prevent mold from growing in these areas, consider replacing outdated windows with newer double-paned windows. With their improved construction, double-paned windows are better equipped to keep moisture out and stop mold from thriving.
When your home struggles with high levels of moisture in the air, mold might not be limited to the window area alone. If overly humid air has encouraged mold to grow elsewhere in the living room, family room, or bedrooms, it’s time to improve your indoor air quality.
At Air Specialty, we recommend installing a whole-home dehumidifier to keep moisture levels under control. These devices work seamlessly with your HVAC system to maintain a humidity level between 30 and 50 percent while helping your heating and cooling system to operate efficiently. Instead of placing a portable dehumidifier in each affected room, a whole-home dehumidifier takes care of every room at once, resulting in mold-free air throughout.
Your Air Conditioner
From the evaporator coil to the drain pain, air conditioners generate a lot of excess moisture that can be attractive to mold. In many cases, our annual preventive maintenance is enough to keep potential mold threats at bay. After our air conditioning technicians empty the drain pan, inspect the evaporator coils, and clean the air conditioner, mold will no longer have an inviting place to thrive.
In some cases, however, basic maintenance doesn’t do enough to prevent mold problems. To keep your air and your family healthy, we recommend installing an ultraviolet germicidal light. These devices produce an intense UV light that is designed to kill mold and bacteria. By eliminating mold at its place of origin, these UV lights also prevent mold from becoming airborne and dispersing throughout your home, where it can cause health issues for your family.
Does your home’s indoor air quality need immediate attention? Give us a call at Air Specialty at (251) 415-4559 to learn more about our straightforward HVAC solutions today.
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