As autumn is beginning to ease into winter in Lancaster, PA, it’s nearly time to consider the important questions that come along with the shift to the colder season. Important questions like, who’s doing the cooking on Thanksgiving? Are family Christmas lists in progress? And of course, most importantly, are you prepared to prevent pesky winter mold in your home?
Okay, that last one may not have been on your to-do list, but it should be!
Many homeowners think of mold as something that really only manifests during the warm, damp summer months. However, mold removal experts such as those at ServiceMaster Fire and Water Clean Up Services will tell you that this isn’t the case. If your home is warm enough for your family, then chances are it’s warm enough for mold. Once the heat is turned on and all the windows are shut and sealed for the winter, humid air becomes trapped inside, so even if it’s bitter outside, your comfortable winter home may still foster the perfect environment for mold growth.
Heaters, humidifiers, and cooking appliances all contribute to an abundance of warm, moist air that gravitates towards the cool surfaces of basement walls, windows, and entryways. Once that air makes contact with a cooler surface, it produces condensation that can seep down into corners and window wells all around your home. In these cases, you may be able to see some problem areas pop up in the form of off-color specks and spots. Unfortunately, mold problems may not always be visible to the naked eye.
Identifying mold can be a little bit tricky if you can’t see it. If your allergies are acting up uncharacteristically, or if someone in your family has cold symptoms that they just can’t shake, there’s a chance that mold is the culprit. Even if you aren’t having physical symptoms, mold is also bad for the structural integrity of your home; if left alone long enough, it could expand into a serious problem. Plus, some physical symptoms may not appear instantaneously; they could develop slowly over time and cause serious damage to you and your family.
There are, however, many ways to prevent the growth and spread of winter mold:
- Make sure that air is circulating well in your home. This doesn’t necessarily mean leaving windows open (brr!), but you should check that your air vents are clean and functioning!
- If you’re using a humidifier in your home, monitor where the water gathers after use. Simply wiping away the condensation with a rag is an easy step to preventing mold growth.
- Keep an eye out for any water in your basement that may be seeping in from outside, especially early on in the season when snow may be falling and re-melting regularly!
- Use the vents in your kitchen and bathroom while cooking or showering to prevent water from gathering in corners or on your ceiling.
Just because the holiday season is around the corner doesn’t mean winter mold will take time off. If you’ve detected any signs of mold in your home, it’s a good idea to get professionals involved, particularly if you’re experiencing any physical symptoms. Mold can spread further than the eye can see, and the mold removal specialists at ServiceMaster Fire and Water Clean Up Services are well versed in identifying mold and wiping it out for good. With their help, you can re-vitalize your Lancaster, PA home and breathe freely once more. Call 800.570.4206 today for a consult, or visit our website for any questions about your mold situation.
