Why is Mold Growing In My Home?
Outdoors, molds are an important and prolific part of the natural environment. They play a crucial role in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees.
They reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and have great capability to float through air, coming to rest on surfaces far and wide. Mold spores are spread just about everywhere air moves; indoors and out.
So why doesn't mold grow on every surface the spores land on? The basic answer is that the surface needs to have moisture and some type of carbohydrate to feed on. If those two conditions exist, the mold will grow. The carbohydrate can be as simple as dust, the moisture can be as simple as high humidity. It does not take much to give mold the all context it needs to agressively spread throughout a structure. In fact, in most situations, the mold spores are already present throughout the structure. They are simply waiting there patiently for the humidity to rise to a level where they can spring to life.
Common examples of moisture conditions that trigger mold growth are:
- Water intrusion through a basement or crawlspace wall
- Plumbing, Appliance or Fixture leaks
- Poorly vented attics, icedams
- Bathroom or dryer vents that are vented directly into attics or walls
- Flooding of any kind
- Dirt floored crawlspaces
- Condensation of any kind
- Periods of high humidity