You don’t need to be allergic to mold to cringe at the thought of it taking over your home. Mold in generally can be toxic, no matter the color of it, and mold removal is something no homeowner should take lightly. If you’re not careful, the inky stain of mold will infect your bathroom, spread to your kitchen, and hide in your basement and crawlspace so long as it has a moisture source. It will irritate your allergies, cause serious respiratory problems, and permanently affect your health. Here’s how to keep it from invading your space.

3 Tips to Prevent Black Mold & Never Need Mold Removal Services

1. Identify Problem Areas

There’s no magic weapon you can use to defend your entire home from mold, well other than keeping things dry, but there are areas that need to be protected more than others. Bathrooms, basements, and crawlspaces are good examples. If you know your basement floods when it rains, you should also know mold is likely to sprout from those leftover patches of moisture. If your bathroom has poor ventilation or a plumbing leak, you’ll have the same problem. Take stock of your home’s problem areas and work toward correcting them and keeping your home dry.

2. Keep Things Dry

Water is the most important ingredient for mold growth. Mold will never grow in a dry area, and immediately cleaning up wet spots is one of the best things you can do to avoid needing mold removal. A weather-related flood, leaking pipe, and even water collecting on the bathroom walls after you take a shower will provide enough moisture to initiate mold growth. Never let that moisture sit long enough for mold spores to take hold.

3. Monitor Indoor Humidity

Indoor air with a humidity level higher than 60% makes your home a prime habitat for fungus. You can control the humidity by first testing the air with a store-bought hygrometer.  If the levels are too high, invest in a dehumidifier, and if you have a basement, you NEED a dehumidifier. You can also tell the air in your home is too humid by paying attention to signs of condensation. Water droplets on the windows, pipes, and walls mean the air is too humid.

If it’s too late for prevention, you’ll need to do more than attack your mold with bleach and a scrub brush (and FYI, bleach is not good to use on mold)—you’ll need to call in mold removal experts.

A-1 Mold Testing & Remediation Services in Lincoln and Omaha, NE, is a trusted mold removal specialist. If you suspect that black smudge on your wall is dangerous, schedule a mold inspection. You can also call them at (402) 474-6653 or (402) 964-2080 or visit their website for more information about mold treatment.