Mold doesn’t just look ugly, it can also be unhealthy to live with.

Mold spores can be breathed and cause all manner of respiratory problems from asthma to Legionnaires. Getting mold outbreaks in your home? Here are a few ways in which you can stop the problem at its source.

Locate that leak

The most common cause of mold is a water leak. This could be from an internal pipe – such leaks can be costly to your water bill and cause devastating structural damage so you’re best looking into 24 hours fast plumbing if you suspect this to be the cause. A leak could also be coming from outside. If it’s been raining a lot and you’ve been noticing more mold, it could be due to rainwater getting in through the roof or in through a crack in a wall. Sealing up this leak could be as simple as caulking it up or as elaborate as getting your entire roof replaced. Weigh up how bad the leak/mold is and whether it’s worth investing a lot of money into repairs.

Check for rising damp

If you’ve got mold and damp appearing on the bottom of walls on the ground floor of your property, rising damp could be to blame. This is where moisture from the earth travel up through the brickwork and mortar. Getting this seen to quickly is important as the structural integrity of your home could be at risk – installing a damp proof course is the standard solution, which involves putting a thin waterproof layer around the walls of your home.

Ventilate your home

Moisture could be building in your home if it isn’t well ventilated, leading to mold. The bathroom and the kitchen are the two places where steam collects and where mold can often start. Opening windows could be enough to let the moisture out, but if you want a more effective method, you could consider installing an extractor fan. Make sure that this is always turned on after having a shower/whilst cooking food.

Buy a dehumidifier

You could also consider buying a dehumidifier to tackle damp and mold in your home. These devices suck the moisture out of the air and expel it as dry air. Electric dehumidifiers are most effective, but there are more natural and less costly ways of dehumidifying to consider too such as growing certain houseplants indoors or lighting salt rock candles.

Don’t hang wet clothes indoors

Hanging wet clothing indoors can also lead to mold. Try to hang this clothing outdoors. If this is not possible due to the weather, it could be worth investing in a tumble dryer. Modern tumble dryers are a lot more energy-efficient than machines of the past (which had a reputation for being power hungry). You can even save space by buying a washer-dryer that does both washing and drying.