You probably don’t need the morning show weather report to anticipate how it's going to feel when you go outside this time of year — it's going to be muggy, and it's going to be hot. And while you already know how all the suffocating humidity is going to affect your sweat glands, there are many homeowners throughout Frankfort and Chicagoland that don’t fully understand the effect humidity can have on mold growth. With all of us spending even more time at home this year, now more than ever be sure the air quality of your indoor spaces is as healthy as it can be for your family.
Too much mold in your home can be dangerous for many reasons. Mold can cause:
An increase in allergy-like symptoms
Damage to the structure of your home
An uptick in pest infestations
Here is what you need to know about the dangers of combining the summer head with the Midwest humidity.
Heat + Humidity = Mold = Poor Indoor Air Quality in Your South Chicagoland Home
In order for mold spores to multiply, they need three things: heat (temperatures above 70ºF), humidity (usually between 60% and 70%), and a food source. Summertime here in the Midwest provides two of the three, and the building materials that make up your home make up the third (food). Now, of course, you can’t remove the wood and drywall and paint of your home, unless of course, you want to live in a stainless steel box. But you can do your best to reduce the other two factors necessary for mold growth!
Reducing the humidity in your home, keeping the temperatures mild, and utilizing proper ventilation will greatly reduce your risk of excessive mold growth. Plus, your home will be much more energy efficient and feel more comfortable!
How To Get Rid Of Moisture
The first thing many homeowners think to do with a stuffy humid home is to buy a portable dehumidifier. This is particularly a popular way to remove moisture in musty basements and crawlspaces all across Frankfort and Chicagoland. And though a dehumidifier may remove existing humidity from the air, it won’t prevent future moisture from replacing it. At Assured Insulation, we aren’t big fans of “bandaid” fixes, which is why we recommend starting with an energy audit to determine what it is in your home that is allowing all the moisture in!
An Energy Audit
An energy audit (also known as an energy assessment) is a full diagnostic scan of your home performance. The goal of an energy audit is to find the air holes, attic and crawlspace insulation issues, and inefficiencies in your heating and cooling system that are affecting your home comfort, health and overall efficiency. AFter your energy audit, we may recommend the following common home performance upgrades:
Air sealing — to stop outside air from getting in
Insulation upgrades — to keep your home at the right temperature all year
Heating & Cooling upgrades — for proper ventilation and comfort control
Solving Your Mold Problem with Better HVAC Equipment
Once you know where the moisture is infiltrating your home, and you have solved the issue through professional air sealing and insulation updates, your air conditioner is the next line of defense in the fight against moisture and mold growth. A properly functioning air conditioner will not only keep your home cool in the summer, but it should also remove excess moisture and filter out any contaminants like mold spores and other allergens.
Want to Prevent Mold Damage? Rest “Assured”, We Can Help
If you are tired of that musty mildew smell, or if you suspect mold may be at the heart of the year-round allergy symptoms you experience at home, call in the whole home experts at Assured Insulation. Our team will diagnose any issues related to high humidity and moisture, and help you find a lasting solution to mitigate your mold exposure and mold damage. It all starts with an energy audit!