It’s finally getting to be that time of year again! Soon the birds will be flying back for the summer and the trees will be budding. If you haven’t started your spring clean-up yet, you’re likely planning it for the next week or two. Spring is often a busy season for anyone in school or with kids in school, but it’s unfortunately also the time Calgarians are most at risk for a mould problem. Keep these tips in mind and to lower your risk for developing mould this spring!
Check your basement and attic. Attics and basements often seem like mould magnets. In reality, they’re moisture magnets that are rarely cleaned. Basements endure flooding and are often cooler than the rest of the house. During winter, an attic is also often quite cold. These cooler areas allow water to condense on their surfaces. The water droplets that form cause water damage and, once conditions warm up enough, mould growth. Because winter and spring are the most likely seasons for water to collect and mould to grow, it’s important to check both your attic and basement once temperatures are warm enough for everything to begin melting.
Keep windows shut when humidity is high. It can be tempting to open the windows wide and let all that fresh air in. Letting cool, clean air chase away the stagnant air from winter is wonderful. In fact, we encourage airing out your house every day even during the winter. However, leaving windows open for more than a few minutes when humidity is high can start to cause problems. Mould only needs a room to have more than 50% humidity for 24 hours to start to grow. So let your home air out, but keep an eye on the humidity level inside and out!
Use the dryer or dry clothes outside. When it’s mucky or raining out, it can be tempting to just hang clothes to dry inside. But, as the clothes dry all that moisture has to go somewhere; it goes into the air drastically increasing the humidity of the room they are drying in. Just like leaving a window open, this can lead to having parts of your home at over 50% humidity for over 24 hours. Doing so drastically increases your risk for developing mould.
Calgarians are usually safe from mould during the hot, dry summer. Many use air conditioners that play double-duty as dehumidifiers. If you’ve had humidity problems in the past, you may want to purchase a dehumidifier to use this spring.
Have a mould a problem? The experts at Amity Environmental are here to help! Call us (403) 667-8264.
