MOULD

Today I had the pleasure of taking a great course on Mould put on by Chad from Pillar to Post Home Inspections.

Here are some highlights I wanted to pass along:

*Mould is everywhere and pretty much every house has it somewhere. The problem is when there are large quantities of the more dangerous spores.

*Mould can grow on wood products, drywall, wallpaper, insulation, carpets, dust (dirt), but can't grow on things like glass or vinyl.

*Mould needs the following 4 things to grow: spores, nutrients, the right temperature (18-24C or 65-80F), and moisture.

*Don't finish a basement in the first year, rather run a dehumidifier to dry it out.

*Contrary to popular belief mould is actually more common in newer homes than in older homes, because they're often too airtight.

*Main ways to avoid it:

- Keep a healthy air flow in your home. It's actually cheaper to heat cold dry air from outside, than it is to heat moist warm air in your home. Keep your furnace fan on at least an hour each day. Keep a window open, just a crack, even in the winter and don't keep your blinds closed up. HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilation) systems on your furnace are great for good air flow because they bring in outside air and pump out stale inside air.

- Keep water and moisture out of your home by keeping a proper grade around the exterior of the house, by maintaining caulking around windows, and keep your roof and flashing in good repair.

* Key point: Don't just clean mould. Find the source of the moisture and fix it or you will just have the problem again.

Any questions just let me know! krista@jonkerteam.com