Most Common Places Where Mold Can Grow in our Homes
As we always mention, mold can grow in any place and climate and during any time of the year.
Mold spores are normally found in open environments and at low levels are harmless to our health. When mold spores establish themselves in the right conditions, they multiply and begin to generate the different types of mold that we generally see.
When we say the right conditions, we mean temperature, lack of ventilation, humidity levels, etc. It is precisely these conditions in our homes that encourage mold growth. This mold can cause health problems, irritations, allergic attacks, and in the best of cases, bad odors and stuffy environments.
The places where we most frequently see mold growth are:
BATHROOMS
The concentrations of humidity caused by constant showers, lack of ventilation, water accumulation and some leaks make bathrooms one of the main places where mold can grow. Many bathrooms, due to the way they are constructed, lack ventilation or the ventilation they have is very limited. It is crucial to establish cleaning and drying protocols in bathrooms as well as disinfection. The most common places for mold to grow are in the shower or tub, under the sink, around bathroom furniture, under the rug, and on towels or clothing left undried.
CRAWLSPACES
These spaces are susceptible to mold growth because they are rarely visited, it is difficult to keep them clean and dry (especially after rain or floods) and they are where ventilation and heating ducts are located. Crawlspaces tend to be the first places where mold grows uncontrollably and then the spores are distributed throughout the house through ductwork.
KITCHENS
Like bathrooms, kitchens are prone to mold growth due to humidity levels. It is true that we generally keep our kitchens cleaner and drier than our bathrooms, but sometimes mold spores grow in our cupboards and food storage rooms. They use forgotten rotting foods or boxes of damp or fermented food. We can also find mold colonies behind the dishwasher or kitchen.
ATTICS
Little-used rooms such as attics, especially when we use them as storage, tend to be victims of mold, especially when these poorly ventilated places suffer from some type of humidity or leaks. In the dark corners of these rooms and behind or under boxes and equipment we can undoubtedly find mold in different stages of growth.
BEDROOMS
They are the places in which we spend the most time both during the day and at night, and although we keep them clean, they can also be susceptible to mold growth, mainly when they have poor ventilation or when they suffer from humidity due to a leak or flood. Sometimes everything can seem clean and correct but in places with little access such as closets, corners behind furniture, under the bed and even in out-of-season clothing.
Now, although these are the most common, mold can grow everywhere, it can appear in our living room, in the study, in the office, etc. And although it sounds worrying, it doesn’t have to be, clean frequently, check periodically in isolated and poorly ventilated places, get rid of wet carpets or rugs, check the water connections for leaks or drips and repair any you find.
And in case your home has been invaded by mold, don’t hesitate to call the professionals at Mold Busters New Mexico.
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