How to Prevent Mold in Your NYC Home

 Black Mold Removal NYC

How to Prevent Mold and Mold Respiratory Illnesses in Your NYC Home

In recent years there has been an increase in cases of sensitivities and/ or allergic reactions to mold. The reaction to the mold found indoors can trigger asthma episodes in asthmatic and allergic individuals considered healthy, can cause rhinitis, wheezing, disorders of the respiratory tract, cough and fever. There is also evidence to suggest a relationship between indoor mold and air quality which exposes respiratory illnesses in children.

How Buildings are Facilitating Mold Growth

The construction in the last decades of more intelligent buildings, which are sealed, has resulted to some houses to have insufficient ventilation and air exchange. These conditions seem to be the conditions favoring the growth of some toxic molds affecting our health more easily. The building materials we use today can also facilitate the growth of mold, so many of them are also treated with fungicides, which are highly toxic substances. Mold is one of the causes of what is known as "sick building syndrome" factors.

How Does Mold Produce?

Molds reproduce through spores that can lie dormant for years until necessary conditions to facilitate germination are created leading to growth of a mold colony. These are conditions include: good oxygen levels, accurate temperature and high humidity. High temperatures and humidity facilitate mold growth. We cannot keep the temperature low in a  house without being cold, so the best weapon to prevent mold growth is to control moisture, improve ventilation in and around the house,and to have sufficient drainage and waterproofing.

Moisture Control 

A poorly ventilated room, crawlspace, or attic with high humidity or condensation from a suitable surface (clothing, wood, food, leather, plaster, etc.) that is wet for at least 24 to 48 hours is the best place for mold to grow. Keeping the humidity levels below 60% is one of the main ways to hinder the growth of mold and indoor air quality in control. To reduce the moisture in summer we can use air conditioners and dehumidifiers. If the humidity is too high or if, for example, one has to hang clothes indoors. It is advisable to have a hygrometer to monitor the humidity we have at home. 

Air cleaning and housecleaning 

Mold spores travel through the air, so a very good option to remove mold spores and prevent mold growth is to use air purifiers with HEPA filters. HEPA filters filter out particles down to 0.3 microns, which can capture mold spores that are inside our homes. If you already have mold in house, the mold may release toxic substances and so in this case, an air purifier would be recommended.

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