High Humidity and Mold Damage in Nampa

2/2/2018 (Permalink)

Using humidifiers and vaporizers during winter months can be beneficial, but if too much moisture is released mold can begin to grow in your home.

The Dangers of Humidifiers and Vaporizers During Winter Months

If you research mold issues because of concerns about its presence in your Nampa home, you look to rid the spaces of sources of water, limiting the possibility of fungal growth. It may come as a surprise that mold is even more opportunistic than you believed, and you might need to look for another way the mold spores find enough moisture to swell and multiply.

Especially during the winter months, Nampa homeowners choose to increase the interior humidity. Mold damage can trace to this practice, which takes an honest effort to make the air more comfortable and turns it into an incubator for microbial growth. We are well aware of the connection between higher humidities and mold growth and have the best practices to remove the mold and help you prevent it from recurring.

Some strains of mold spores gain enough moisture for growth when ambient humidity tops 60 percent. This can happen in a home where the HVAC system has a built-in humidification feature or where the homeowner adds free-standing humidifiers. The dry heated air of an Idaho winter contributes to dry skin, nosebleeds, and damage to furnishings. Adding moisture helps eliminate static electricity and makes it easier to breathe. SERVPRO finds that a careful balance is critical. Excessive water vapor in the air can diminish air quality and damage structures by encouraging mold growth.

One common scenario is where a parent runs a vaporizer in a young child’s room to help with upper respiratory infections during the cold months. Adding too much moisture to the air invites mold spore to absorb the water, find a likely surface made of or coated with organic matter, and begin to form a colony.

The protocol of mold remediation is the same as with other causes. SERVPRO employees contain and remove the mold, and then sanitize the area. We then address the humidity levels, using precise moisture meters to help you reduce interior levels to a range of 30 to 50 percent. If an HVAC system is involved, we inspect and clean it if necessary, especially if we find moisture or mold colonies inside.

SERVPRO of Nampa / Caldwell is ready to help with the remediation of mold damage in your home. Call (208) 466-5000 to schedule an assessment, and then rest assured when our crews arrive to take care of the rest.

Click here for more information regarding Nampa.