5 Steps to Prevent Mold in Your Florida Home - Escarosa

Florida’s warm, humid environment is one of the things many of us love about the Sunshine State. Unfortunately, it’s also what makes mold so common in Florida homes. The tropical climate creates the perfect environment for mold spores to spread and grow, which can wreak havoc on residential buildings. Fortunately, you can learn to prevent mold and protect your structure from damage for years to come.

In this blog, we’ll share our top tips for preventing mold in your Florida home and knowing when to call a mold remediation company for professional mold removal services.

Let’s dive in.

What is Mold?

First things first: what is mold? To put it simply, mold is part of the natural environment. It’s a type of fungal growth that spreads from and develops on different types of decaying or damp organic matter.

There are thousands of different types of mold species in the world, all of which are found both indoors and outdoors, in all climates, and during all seasons.

Mold spores spread via airflow. They’ll travel on drafts until they find a moist, quiet area to land and begin growing. Once they do, they can quickly destroy wood, building materials, food, or other organic materials in a matter of days.

Once mold spores are present, you’ll need to get rid of them via an experienced & qualified mold removal service.

Because of the importance of removing mold correctly, we always recommend working with a company certified in mold remediation and insured to perform mold removal – especially if you’ve recently experienced flooding or water damage.

5 Steps to Prevent Mold in Your Florida Home

Whether you live in a new build or a historic home, these tips will help you prevent mold and keep your home safe and clean:

1. Use your vent fans

After showering in your bathroom or cooking a meal in the kitchen, run your vent fan for at least 15 minutes. This will help remove moist, damp air and promote circulation in rooms that would otherwise be at high risk for mold – like your kitchen and bathroom.

2. Clean kitchen and bathroom fixtures with germ-killing antiseptic cleansers

When airborne mold spores make contact with moist surfaces, they begin to proliferate and grow. While you can’t eliminate all mold spores in the air that enters your home, you can kill them once they land.

To do this, clean high-risk areas like your kitchen and bathroom fixtures, toilets, showers, and tubs with a mold-killing cleanser. We do not recommend the use of bleach. Bleach exposure can cause irritation in the eyes, mouth, lungs, and on skin. Individuals with asthma or other breathing problems are particularly susceptible. Using peroxide, baking soda, or white distilled vinegar solutions is a much better option.

3. Clean up spills promptly

Spills happen, but it’s important to clean them up as quickly as possible.

According to FEMA, mold and mildew can start to form on damp surfaces within just 24-48 hours of water damage. To prevent mold growth in your home, use towels or dish rags to wipe up spills as quickly as possible.

Next, clean the area with a mold-killing cleanser, and open a window or turn on a fan to promote airflow. The more you can ventilate the space, the less likely it is that mold spores will form.

If you’ve experienced excess water from a leaky faucet, toilet, or appliance it’s advisable to have a restoration company come out and check for moisture in the walls and floor just to be safe. They also have the tools to extract the water & thoroughly dry the area of the leak, which will also help prevent mold from developing where you can’t see it.

4. Clean vents regularly

Keep your home ventilated by ensuring proper airflow at all times. Here are a few of our top tips:

• Avoid placing furniture or other large objects in front of your vents.

• Use a vacuum to clean your vents regularly.

• Change the air filters in your HVAC system seasonally.

• Wipe your vents with an antiseptic, germ-killing cleaner at least four times a year.

5. Avoid using towels as bathroom mats

Using towels in place of bathroom mats can cause a buildup of microbial growth, which can lead to a full-blown mold infestation.

The reason is simple: towels laid on the floor don’t dry easily. Instead, they trap moisture and create the ideal environment for mold growth.

Instead, use a moisture-wicking, quick-drying bath mat on your bathroom floor, and wash it in hot, soapy water a few times a month.

When Should you Call a Restoration Company?

Mold and mildew can be difficult to spot, and you may be wondering how to tell when you have an active mold infestation.

Unfortunately, you can’t always see mold with the naked eye. With that in mind, here are a few times we strongly recommend calling a moisture restoration company for mold remediation services:

• Any time you’ve had water damage in your home, such as after a broken pipe, water leak, storm, natural disaster, or other flood events.

• Any time you see, smell, or suspect mold damage. Common signs include discoloration on your walls, floor, or ceiling, blistering, peeling, or sagging walls or paint, or a musty, damp smell anywhere in your home.

• If you live in an older home that experiences recurring water damage, such as a home that collects water in the basement after heavy rain.

• Whenever you suspect water damage, even if you can’t see signs. Examples include any time you hear the sound of rushing water behind walls or you’ve noticed significant changes in your water pressure or utility bills.

• If you’ve noticed new or worsening health symptoms in any member of your household. Mold exposure often causes conditions like asthma and allergies and can worsen existing symptoms in people who already have these conditions.

Escarosa Cleaning and Restoration: Your Trusted Pensacola Water Damage Restoration Company

Florida’s hot, humid air makes this a great place to live, but it’s not without its challenges.

All that moisture creates the perfect environment for mold and mildew growth, and the tropical storms that hit our state each year can cause significant flooding, water damage, and other problems.

Fortunately for homeowners throughout the Sunshine State, you don’t have to deal with water damage on your own.

Here at Escarosa Cleaning and Restoration, our team specializes in mold remediation services and will work with you to remove and prevent mold in your Florida home.

Ready to learn more about our team or how we can help you? Contact us today!