How Humidity Affects Mold Growth In Your Home

2/6/2020 (Permalink)

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HOW HUMIDITY AFFECTS MOLD GROWTH IN YOUR HOME

The humidity level in a home should be somewhere between 30 and 50 percent. High humidity is typically referred to as wet air, and air with little to no humidity is usually referred to as dry air. 

A good way to think about humidity is by comparing a rain forest climate vs. a desert climate. When the atmosphere has high humidity levels, it means that there is a lot of moisture in the air. High humidity levels in your home can be a recipe for a mold disaster. 

Mold is a fungus that can grow almost anywhere, and it thrives in areas with a lot of moisture. Mold can present some serious health risks to the inhabitants of a home. As the level of moisture in a home rises, the likelihood that it will start to grow mold begins to increase as well.

Most people will want to eliminate excess moisture in their home to avoid humidity and mold growth. However, ideally, you want your home to be somewhere in the middle since either extreme is not good for you or your home. Humidity is not all bad. In any place in your home where people spend a lot of time, you should not bring the humidity levels down so low that the air is uncomfortably dry.  

If your home has dark, humid areas that are not well ventilated, they can become a breeding ground for mold growth. It is in settings like boiler rooms or water heater closets where you should deploy anti-humidity tactics. The first step in reducing humidity levels is by allowing fresh air to flow into that room. The next thing to do is install a dehumidifier, which is a device that sucks excess moisture from the air, mitigating the risk of humidity and mold growth in your home. 

If you think you may have humidity and mold growth in your home, call SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree at (617) 774-8583 today. We service Milton, Braintree, Brockton, Randolph, Avon, Abington, Dorchester, Mattapan and the surrounding South Shore areas, we have 24/7 emergency service.

 -Elias Urizar