6 Simple Ways to Prevent Mold from AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex

Summer is almost here across the Triangle area, and that means closing up the house to save energy and keep cool as much as possible.  A sealed home, quite common in the hot months, can sometimes increase the chances for mold.

In our last AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex Blog, our team suggested the five most common places mold can grow in a home. Mold needs the following components to get develop: warmth, moisture and food. These foods include organic materials that are found in every home like wood, paper, drywall, dust and other porous materials. Now that our current readers know that mold likes to grow and thrive in the Triangle, let’s talk about how to prevent it.

AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex offers six simple ways to prevent mold in the Triangle home or business:

• Ventilation: This is one of the best ways to prevent mold from starting. Think of the rooms in a home that almost always have some type of moisture, steam or high humidity. They are usually the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room. Using exhaust fans or opening a window when these rooms are in use, allows the humidity to escape and can help prevent the start of mold.
• Circulation: Mold also loves stale and musty air. Circulating the air throughout the house with fans, ceiling fans and air conditioners can reduce the chance for mold.
• Humidity: Periods of high humidity can cause certain types of mold to begin. Often the best way to prevent mold in high humidity situations is to use a dehumidifier.
• Dryness: If carpeting and or carpet padding gets wet and remains damp, it only takes about 24 to 48 hours for mold to start growing. Drying the carpet quickly is the best way to prevent mold.  Our team can help dry the wet carpet and if needed, we can manage the situation, and make sure everything is under control.
• Cleanliness: Keeping the home clean can reduce the chances of mold. Mold spores can be found anywhere, floating around outdoors and indoors. Keeping the surroundings clean is essential. 
• Sunshine: Open the curtains and the let the sun shine in. Mold doesn’t like the sun and letting the sun in can prevent mold in many areas of your home.

If mold is found in the home, or there is suspicion, AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex can inspect and test for mold in a Triangle home or business.  If mold is found we will safely assess and remove it following proper procedures to make certain the mold is contained and properly disposed.

Advanta Clean is IIRC certified and serve the entire Triangle area including Holly Springs, Fuquay Varina, Lillington, Sanford and Fayetteville/ Fort Bragg. Concerned about mold? Please call our experts at 919-434-7249 for a mold inspection today.

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AdvantaClean of Cary and Apex is your mold and environmental specialist in Southwest Wake, Chatham and Johnston Counties.

Our team of certified professionals is ready to address all your service needs.

Your air quality and restoration specialists

Call 919 434 7249

AdvantaClean

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5 Critical North Carolina Winter Indoor Moisture Problems

Excessive indoor moisture and humidity are well-known problems North Carolina and throughout the Southeast summer. Lack of ventilation and the constant use of air conditioning between June and October enable very humid air to become trapped indoors; this can create mold growth and other problems. However, it is important to note that high indoor humidity and moisture levels can cause even more problems during winter. Condensation can occur on cold surfaces; walls, windows, and doors that are cooled by cold outdoor air as well. If the moisture is not corrected, this can eventually cause structural damage and poor indoor air quality. It’s important for Triangle home and business owners to know about moisture and all the problems it can cause, as well as how to get indoor moisture issues fixed.

AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex offers important advice on five very common indoor moisture problems during North Carolina’s winter months:

• Condensation on windows, exterior-facing doors, and walls: Moisture occurs when warm air comes into contact with cold surfaces inside a building. Poorly insulated windows, doors, and walls are common sources. Condensation causes water to accumulate in these areas and enable mold to grow, or if undetected or not corrected over a period of time, causes important building structural components to deteriorate.
• Mold growth in moist areas: The essential ingredients for mold growth are present in most indoor environments, as mold microbes are everywhere. They only need a food source and moisture to flourish. The food source, in the form of wood products and other cellulose-rich building materials such as drywall and furniture are abundant, and moisture is often the only missing ingredient. Remember, moisture accumulates indoors and mold can grow.
• Dust mites and insects thrive in elevated humidity levels: Dust mites are known to cause allergy and asthma symptoms for many people in homes and businesses. Even if mold isn’t present within an overly humid environment, dust mites will be plentiful enough to significantly reduce indoor air quality. And the problems become more serious when mold is present.
• Crawl space enclosures and dehumidifiers: Crawl spaces can be a source of excessive indoor moisture during winter months if the ground is moist. This moisture continuously evaporates and enters the indoor air, and mold can grow if the air is warm.  AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex can detect and resolve crawl space moisture problems with encapsulations. If the problem is not so severe, running a dehumidifier may be a solution.
• The key fact to solving indoor moisture problems: Moisture sources should be identified and controlled, and relative humidity levels should be maintained in the 40 to 60 percent range. Some common moisture sources are condensation, slow plumbing leaks, poorly ventilated bathrooms, damp crawl spaces, attics, and indoor activities such as cooking.

AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex specializes in helping home and business owners improve their indoor air quality, test, remediate and eliminate mold, and encapsulate crawl spaces. We offer the best available expertise certified by multiple standards-setting organizations. Add to this the best equipment and customer service available in the Triangle, and there’s no reason not to call now to solve building moisture and indoor air quality issues.

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May you and yours have the most joyous of Christmas Seasons and Happy New Year!

AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary and Apex is the regional environmental specialist in Wake and Johnston Counties. Our team of certified professionals is ready to address all regional service needs, from the Triangle to Sanford to Lillington to Faywetteville.

We are the air quality and restoration specialists in the Triangle!

Call 919 434 7249

AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex

Photo: markusspike, pixabay