Since mold is far more common during the South’s rainy season, taking a proactive approach and preparing for increased moisture exposure ahead of this year’s wetter months can help you prevent issues in your home, all while helping you save money in the process.
Tips to Prevent Moisture Leaks and Flooding
The primary threat during the rainy season is water accessing parts of your home that it shouldn’t. Even a minor leak can provide enough moisture to promote mold growth in seldom-explored areas of your home.
Follow these tips to prevent that possibility from becoming a reality:
Schedule a Roof Inspection
Though many of its signs start off well-hidden, one of the first places to look if you suspect mold growth is the attic. That’s because an undiscovered roof leak gives mold time to grow, sending harmful spores to the living spaces in the lower levels of the building.
Mold testing can help you find undiscovered growth in your kitchen, bathroom, and other high-risk areas, but a pre-season roof inspection will ensure everything is checked and give you enough time to schedule roof repairs before the rain starts to fall.
Keep an Eye on Your HVAC System
Your HVAC system uses a drip pan and condensate line to catch excess moisture. As water collects in the drip pan, the condensate line carries the water away and deposits it outside. A cracked drain pan or clogged line, however, will allow that water to overflow and flood your home. A seasonal HVAC tune-up gives your technician a chance to clean the line and inspect the drip pan.
Check the Foundation
If your home has a basement, check its interior walls for moisture or water stains. As moist soil surrounding your home expands, it applies pressure to its walls. As a result, they can start bowing, which can also lead to leaks that call for basement repairs.
Whether you have a slab foundation or a full basement, you’ll also want to inspect the soil grading around your home. The soil should form a decline that leads water away from your home. If that isn’t the case, consider shoring up the soil to restore a steeper grade.
Seal Window Leaks
You don’t have to wait for rainfall to discover leaks in your home’s windows. You shouldn’t feel a temperature change as you run your hand along each window’s seals. If you notice a temperature change, use caulk to seal the leak. If your home has older window frames, continue to keep an eye out for leaks throughout the rainy season.
How to Limit Indoor Humidity Levels
The humidity levels in your home play another important role in mold growth during the region’s rainy season. Controlling indoor humidity can be a little more complex, however, depending on how high the humidity rises in your home.
Nevertheless, here are a few suggestions:
Clean Your Appliance Vents
Many appliances (clothes dryers, kitchen stoves, kerosene heaters) have vents that carry steam and particles out of your home. Over time, their vent hoses become clogged, blocking the air from properly escaping. As a result, hot air will build up inside the house and raise its humidity levels. It’s best to schedule vent cleaning once or twice a year to prevent these situations.
Increase Ventilation Throughout Your Home With Exhaust Fans
Taking a shower or cooking meals adds steam and heat to your indoor environment, which can lead to condensation. The process leaves behind excess moisture, increasing the chances that mold will begin to grow.
Thankfully, you can easily counteract these effects by opening your windows to maintain a more moderate temperature and circulate the air more consistently. Another option is to make use of exhaust fans. The fans will dissipate the heat and steam before it has a chance to leave behind moisture on the surfaces in these parts of your home.
Install a Whole-House Dehumidifier
As your air conditioner cools your home, it acts as a dehumidifier. However, if its operation isn’t sufficient enough to bring your indoor humidity below 60%, a supplemental dehumidifier will help. A whole-home dehumidifier, in particular, will leave you with a cool and dry indoor environment throughout your entire space.
Keep an Eye Out for the Signs of Mold
Even after employing these prevention tips, your home may still need your attention in other ways throughout the rainy season. Taking steps to control your indoor environment will help you address problems before they become severe.
