Mold..this one word really says it all; it’s unsightly and bad for your health. So how does mold manage to creep its way into the homes of so many? The usual cause is moisture, especially in areas that are most humid, like bathrooms and basements. While there are some obvious and simple preventative methods to control mold in your home, such as limiting moisture, creating proper ventilation and cleaning on a regular basis – we wish to go a little deeper; and show you how some key renovations and home improvements can truly protect you and your loved ones, from the growing problem of mold.
Contents
Leaks
Believe it or not, one of the main causes of leaks in the home is the direct result of poor indoor air quality. The first step in preventing the mold monster from attacking your home, is to seal the cracks! This means cracks in your walls & floors. If there are any leaks in your roof, you need to repair those immediately – this is where the experts come in.
Expert Help
An excellent and cost-effective preventative measure is to call in a contractor, to check out your heating and cooling units; the system needs to be the right size to properly eliminate humidity and contribute to proper airflow. Further, a certified contractor should be called in to use a blower door, to depressurize the home and locate the necessary areas to be sealed.
Renovations
Renovations give the opportunity to expose mold and to come up with viable solutions on how to repair the problem; and prevent it going forward. When doing your home renos, mold is usually discovered during paint preparation; as you remove old wallpaper and expose “wet” walls. These wet zones also hide under flooring and around poorly insulated windows. Once the extent of the problem has been understood, one must pinpoint exactly which materials need to be discarded and replaced with better quality tiling, wood, etc – while this may present an initial cost, it will save you much more in the long run! A great example lies in bathrooms; often, water runs behind or under a bathroom vanity or sink base – causing major problems. In this case, replacing the sink and vanity is vital. Leave it to the experts to properly seal the bottom edges and other uncoated surfaces; and ultimately, to ensure proper installation.
Improvements
Due to the growing concern of mold in homes, arrays of mold-resistant products have been developed. For instance, mold-resistant dry wall (substituting paper facing that is used in traditional dry walls, with fiberglass mat), greenboard as a preventative material for more humid areas such as bathrooms and basements and water-resistant paints. These are some basic, simple and relatively low cost options to consider, especially if you are in the stages of building your new home!
Author bio: People always say “its not work if you’re passionate about what you do” and I can attest to that. My passion found me 10 years ago when I engaged in my first “flip”. After experiencing the joy and satisfaction of remodelling a home I knew I wanted to pass these feelings onto others so I joined the Canadian General Contractors Group as a project consultant. After achieving great success in Ottawa, I moved to Calgary to join their team as General Manager. In Calgary we are implementing the proven systems and strategies that have made the entire Canadian General Contractors Group so successful. With a dedicated, passionate and professional approach we are taking the Calgary residential renovation scene by storm. Have a look at: Google+ profile!
