Atlanta Real Estate Blog

Preventing Mold in Your Home
Courtesy of NewsUSA
Photo: © JPimages - Dreamstime


The air naturally contains mold spores, which are part of the natural environment.  Outdoors, molds help break down decaying organic matter. But when molds grow indoors, it can cause serious health problems.

How does mold move indoors?  When circulating mold spores land in damp, moist environments, like insulation around a leaking pipe, they start to reproduce.

Once indoors, mold can cause or expedite heath problems, especially in people already prone to asthma or allergies.  Ailments associated with poor indoor air health include respiratory problems, fatigue, headaches, pneumonia, greater susceptibility to other infections, sinus congestion, skin problems, and ear, nose and throat irritation.

Once mold begins to grow, it can never be fully removed.  Certified professionals can discover whether you have mold and identify the type of mold growing in your home.  Still, the best way to stop mold is to prevent it from ever beginning.  Environmental Service Professionals, a company that provides certified environmental home inspections, offers these tips to homeowners who want to keep their homes healthy and mold-free:

Vacuum and mop frequently.
Frequent cleaning can help remove mold spores before they have a chance to find moisture and grow. Pay special attention in kitchens, bathrooms, basements and laundry rooms.

Look for leaks.
Make sure that your home plumbing system is in tiptop shape; leaking pipes create the moist environments that facilitate mold growth.

Use your exhaust fans.
Steam from hot showers or cooking can allow mold spores to grow, so open windows or use exhaust fans whenever you create steam.  Make sure that exhaust fans carry moisture outside and not into an attic or crawl space.

Watch your humidity.
In most areas, keep indoor humidity at 60 percent in the summer and at 40 percent in the winter.  Consider putting a dehumidifier in the basement; basements often become cooler and wetter than other parts of the house.

For more information or to find a service professional near you, visit the Environmental Service Professionals Web site at espusa.net.

For Buyers: The "Sniff Test"

Does the home pass the "sniff test"?  If you enter a home and smell a musty, stale odor, this is often a clue to the presence or mold or mildew in a home.  See if you can identify the source of the musty smell.  It may be simple to correct  by proper cleaning in the home.  Otherwise, there may be more serious problems in the home that require more costly repairs, etc.

For Sellers:

Cover-ups don't work; clean-ups do!  If you smell a musty smell when you enter your home, search for the cause and correct it.  By ignoring the problem, you are likely to drive away buyers who otherwise find your home attractive.  Curing the source of the musty smell before buyers visit your home increases the number of possible buyers, reduces costly repairs, and helps your home sell faster.  Buyers with allergies routinely dismiss homes that have musty odors. 

Tags: environmental safety, mold, mildew, home sellers, home buyers, selling your home faster, allergies, musty odors, health, asthma, "sniff test", ATLShortSales.com