The Best Temperature To Keep Your Home To Prevent Mold
Molds are part of our natural environment, which are very common in buildings and homes. They are microscopic fungi with a slimy or fuzzy texture that lives on plant and animal matter. Molds are not only irritating on sight, but they also cause some health hazards such as asthma, respiratory problems, allergy attacks, and neurological problems.
Temperature plays a significant role in the survival of these microscopic organisms. They can survive at about the same temperature as humans, which is why they multiply in homes. A minimum of 20o Celsius (70o Fahrenheit) and a maximum of 48o Celsius (120o Fahrenheit) are required to live. Any environment with humidity above 65% is ideal for mold to grow, and they can feed on almost anything.
Hence, to prevent mold growth in your home, you must ensure that the environment’s temperature is unsuitable for them. Here are some of the ways to get the best temperature to prevent mold growth in your home.
Healthy Humidity Levels
Ensure to keep the humidity levels of your home down because molds thrive in humid environments. Install vent fans in your home, especially in areas prone to moistures like the bathroom and kitchen. You can also use an HVAC system to control the humidity levels. Running an air conditioner will help excess dry humidity in the air. Practically, it’s not easy to properly ventilate your home, which is why you must use a dehumidifier to help regulate the humidity level anytime.
Proper Fresh Air Ventilation
Allowing the right amount of air into your home plays a significant role in keeping the environment free of mold. Permanently closing up windows will increase the carbon dioxide levels in your home, which can create a suitable space for mold growth. Therefore, ensure proper ventilation of your home by opening your windows when it’s cool outside—like morning and night— or whenever it’s warmer inside. Be cautious not to open windows and doors whenever the air conditioner is on to invite humid air into the more relaxed home. And this causes condensation, which will help mold survive.
Always Dry Wet Areas
Molds can’t survive without moisture. Therefore it’s essential to always keep the wet areas in your home dry. Regular cleaning and drying of the surfaces in your bathroom, kitchen, and other moist areas is a significant way to keep your home clean and free from mold. Always look out for leaky pipes, damp basement, and even spilled liquid on carpets or rugs to quickly dry them. Eradicate the sources of moisture in your home by fixing any plumbing issue or water leakage.
Exposure to Ultraviolet Light
One significant way to create an unconducive environment for mold is to expose your home to UV lights constantly. It has been a mold remedy since pre-air conditioning days. This practice can help if you have your home in high humidity areas. Allowing sunlight into your home proves to be effective in absorbing the moisture in the air, which thereby lowers humidity levels. Lamps can also be placed in areas where mold is a problem; it will help reduce the contamination level.
Use Digital Thermostat
Since molds can only survive at certain temperatures, our best practice to keep them away will avoid those temperatures. Thus, a need for a digital thermostat to regulate the temperature in your home. The ideal temperature for mold to live is between 70oF and 86oF. You must make a conscious effort to keep the temperatures inside the home lower, especially during summer. A digital thermostat will help manage indoor temperature even when you are not at home. Some of them also have humidistats that control humidity.
Mold and siding
Mold can be found growing on the outside of your home, but it’s most dangerous when you don’t see it. Often unseen and hidden from view under siding or in closets as a result of poor construction practices like moisture exposure; mold becomes difficult (if not impossible) to remove once proliferation has started! It grows quickly with just one small window for air circulation which makes this type of issue more costly than fixing its symptoms – so stay informed by knowing how often these types occur wherever there’s inhabitable space available. In such cases, the best thing you can do is change your siding and replace it with materials that are less susceptible than wood to molds, such as stone or brick
Conclusion
Most homes experience mold attacks. Sometimes they grow unnoticed, and due to our ignorance, we create an avenue for them to survive. Molds can only grow and live in moist environments at some particular temperature range. Therefore, to fight this microscopic organism and keep them away from your home, you must regulate the best temperature—which is unsuitable for molds—in your environment. Ensure always to keep your home free of moisture.