Mould in your home can become a danger to your health, and is often a sign that there is a damp problem that needs to be resolved before it causes severe damage to both you and your property.
Essentially, mould is a type of fungus which grows and spreads through microscopic spores that are then released into the air (which means if mould is in your home, then you’re breathing it in!). These spores can travel over long distances until they find somewhere to grow - typically in areas of poor airflow such as windows.
Beware, it only takes a few spores to settle for mould to form - and it will continue to develop until it’s completely cleaned and removed.
Most commonly, you’ll find mould in the dampest places within your home - such as bathrooms. This is due to water vapour being released into the air when we have a bath or shower. If the room isn’t ventilated enough, the vapour will condense and eventually form damp patches.
Condensation is one of the most common causes of damp in the home - and it is this damp that unfortunately provides the perfect breeding ground for mould.
Without proper ventilation, mould will grow due to the build-up of condensation. This typically will occur from regular daily activities, such as drying clothes indoors, showering and cooking - all of which adds moisture into the air.
Another common cause of mould is humidity, and this is the reason that mould is primarily found in kitchens and bathrooms where steam is produced from cooking and showering. This steam then causes more humid conditions in these areas of the home in comparison to other rooms.
If you already have mould in your home, it can spread quickly so you need to act fast! At first, it can be hard to see, but within three weeks, it’ll have spread to a point where you can clearly see these patches on your walls.
As we mentioned at the start of this blog, mould can be very damaging to your health - so please don’t ignore it! Some species, known as ‘toxic black mould’ can be particularly hazardous, releasing chemicals - known as mycotoxins - and need to be removed by a professional.
Those who have conditions such as asthma, and individuals with weaker immune systems, can be greatly affected by mould - so if anyone in your household fits this criteria, it’s even more important to be vigilant.
Typical symptoms as a result of mould includes wheezing, coughing, allergic reactions, sneezing, worsening asthma, respiratory infections and even depression as a result. If you have eczema, it can also make your skin significantly worse.
Mould can be cleaned from surfaces using products found in a supermarket - such as diluted bleach for example - but it will grow back quickly if you don’t alter your living conditions. As long as it is not a toxic black mould, it can be usually wiped off walls with a cloth (don’t forget to wear safety equipment such as gloves and glasses!).
If your mould is particularly stubborn, you may need to use toothbrushes, scrubbing brushes and paint scrapers to help remove it fully. Make sure that you get into the tight spaces too - which is where a toothbrush will come in particularly handy!
Don’t forget to throw away any materials that you’ve done your cleaning with so that the mould doesn’t spread even further throughout the home.
Firstly, if you do have mould, you’ll need to completely get rid of it before thinking about investing in a longer-term solution. Once the mould is completely gone, you can then look into increasing the amount of ventilation within your home.
The best way to reduce your chances of mould within your home is to increase ventilation to reduce the moisture in the air. The most effective way to do this would be to invest in a ventilation system - which will draw in fresh, filtered air from the outside and displace all of that mould-causing moist air.
MHVR units work by extracting the moist and stale air from more polluted sources - such as the kitchen, bathrooms and toilets - and supplies clean air (that is also heated from the warmth of the extracted air) into the home.
Get in touch with our team today for more information or if you have any queries - we’re happy to help!
