Arizona is considered to have a very hot desert climate. Because of this, there’s no high humidity and many think that this is good. However, this doesn’t mean that there is no risk of mold infestation or mold-related issues. In fact, mold and mildew can start forming if 3 ideal components come together: location, humidity and temperature.
Every household has mold spores and they are part of the air and household dust. There’s just no way of getting rid of them. And because of this, if mold spores find the ideal combination of these components there’s usually not enough time to prevent mold infestation. Luckily there are things and steps you can take in order to minimize risk of mold infestation.
The risk of mold infestation is higher when there’s high humidity
No matter in what part of Arizona you live, the levels of humidity in your home always fluctuate and it can also vary from one room to the other (living room vs bathroom or kitchen). When the level of humidity in your house is too high, that not only raises the risk of mold infestation but it also raises the chances of indoor bacteria to thrive. So even in the hot desert climate like in Arizona, every household can be infested with mold, mildew or bacteria if the humidity is too high (between 35 – 50% at all times).
In order to minimize the risk, we strongly recommend that you try and keep the level of humidity below these levels whenever possible. If this proves to be difficult through usual means e.g., ventilation, then you can always purchase a dehumidifier which will “suck up” the excess humidity.
Problems with ventilation
Ventilation plays a huge role in minimizing the risk of mold infestation especially in parts of the house like the bathroom or kitchen. If your bathroom has a shower, then it’s more used and the walls are exposed to high amounts of humidity (through steam) which makes the ideal environment for massive mold outbreak, if you don’t have the proper and functional ventilation system.
While you shower, make sure that your bathroom fan is always turned on and that you leave it on for at least 10 minutes after you’re done using the shower. This will make sure that all the excess steam and moisture gets removed and thus minimize the risk of mold infestation.
In the kitchen, the area above the stove is also frequently exposed to steam. So, if your hood doesn’t have a built-in fan, you should definitely get one. The logic is the same. Turn the fan on when you’re cooking and leave it on even after you’re done (at least for a little while).
Reduce risk of mold infestation by circulating air
If you want to prevent mold developing in your home, then the best thing you can do is make sure that there is good and ongoing air circulation. This is mostly important on upper levels because that’s where the warm air will rise.
If the air is circulating properly, that promotes drying of condensation, parts of your home won’t be damp and thus you’re minimizing the risk of mold infestation. To do this, make sure that you leave the doors open as frequently as possible. You can also use fans to promote better airflow.
In case of mold infestation contact a professional mold remediation service
Even though these tips are good ways to reduce the chances of mold infestation, but sometimes even the most cautious homeowners aren’t able to prevent it. The house simply gets infested with mold and that needs to be addressed and remediated as quickly as possible. If not, the mold can cause both structural damage to your property and it also poses a health hazard because it can cause allergies, respiratory problems etc.
So if you notice black spots or large black/dark areas in your home, make sure to contact ASAP Restoration so our team can assess if that’s in fact a mold infestation, what kind of mold is it and what are the necessary steps to remedy the problem.
