A few brief facts on mould…
Nothing is more natural than mould. Mould is a fungus and there are thousands of different moulds on the planet. Like all living things, mould needs moisture to grow and survive. Outside in nature moulds job is to digest and breakdown natural vegetation. As a rule of thumb, mould outside of the home is good, mould inside the home is bad.
How does mould from the outside get inside your house?
Mould releases thousands and thousands of microscopic spores that easily float through the air and into a home through open windows and doors. It also enters the home or apartment by people and pets who track these spores inside. Tiny mould spores are impossible to keep out of your home. What really determines if mould will grow in your home is one key ingredient, and that’s moisture.
Mould spores, a food source, plus moisture, equals a lot of mould growing in your home. Mould finding their way indoors likes to eat paper & wood products. Some even the glue that holds paper and glue together! Mould also likes to eat building and finished materials. Many of our possessions can serve as mould food if moisture is added to even furniture, clothing and toys. Mould can grow on just about anything if it stays wet or damp.
One of the most common problems affecting indoor air quality is mould. So many people have mould in their house, and everyone wants to keep themselves and their family members safe from it. Mould is ubiquitous, meaning that it’s everywhere and we are constantly breathing it in. However, when you have a moisture event like a flood, heavy rain or a leak in your home, they are drawn to it because that’s what they feed off of.
When mould grows inside your home, it’s unsightly, as it smells and if left untreated it can do sever damage to your property and can have a big impact on the resale value of your home.
Persistent exposure to mould in the home can lead to irritated eyes, ongoing nasal congestion and sinuses initially. Ongoing mould can lead to more serious symptoms such as asthma and upper respiratory infections.
Mould affects people differently!
One person in the home may not be effected by the mould that has slowly travelled up the wall, whereas another person in the home could be severely affect. The best approach to mould is to treat is as if it could harm the entire family, because you don’t want a situation where someone could get sick months later.
Mould Prevention
The first rule of mould prevention is to keep the home or apartment dry. If there’s no moisture, then there’s no way for mould spores to grow.
There are five general ways for moisture to accumulate inside a house or apartment:
1/ Rain can invade your home through leaks. Roofs leak, window leaks, door leaks.
2/ A wet crawlspace under a home can add a whole lot of moisture to your home as damp air rises through cracks around plumbing and wiring in the walls.
3/ Plumbing leaks inside the home are another unwanted water source.
4/ Be sure to check for leaks or condensation coming from drainpipes, washing machine supply hoses.
5/ A significant source of moisture comes from within the home itself. From people and their everyday activities. Every time we exhale we are adding water vapour to the air. So can taking a shower, running the dishwashing on or boiling water on the stove.
The best way to prevent water from entering your home is to do regular visual inspections to identify issues early.
Relative Humidity
The amount of moisture in the air is called relative humidity. When moist air comes in contact with a cool surface it condenses back into liquid water. That’s what causes the outside of your favorited beverage to sweat when it’s humid outside. Inside your home it’s easy to see moisture condense on a window but not so easy to see on a cool bedroom wall. Most people don’t notice the condensation on the wall until the mould starts growing. Using humidity gauge in your home can tell you how full the air is with moisture. You can find a humidity gauge in most electronic stores. In general 30-50 humidity is a healthy range for your home. The higher the relative humidity the more likely you’re going to get to condensation that can lead to mould. Mould can grow out of sight behind furniture placed against a cool exterior wall, or under carpet and padding.
Ventilation
Proper ventilation is key. Bringing fresh outside air into your home lets the moist inside air leave your home. Moisture can also be controlled with good bathroom fans and kitchen range hoods. Using exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms will capture and remove large sources of moist air before it can escape into the house. A simple test for your fan is to see if it can hold up a piece of tissue paper. Letting a bathroom fan run until the bathroom is dry is essential. It will also assist if you briefly open all your windows to allow outside air to flush out stale moist air trapped inside a bathroom or kitchen.
Final Thoughts
The first step in getting rid of mould is to see what caused the mould and fed it. The next step is to decide if you clean or discard the mould, and that really depends. Slick surface items can probably be thoroughly washed clean. Porous items may need to be cut out and thrown out. If you’re not sure about you’re sensitive to mould, it’s a good idea to consider professional mould removalists. For small amounts of mould on slick surfaces, you can mist with soapy water then scrub it off. Bleach isn’t recommended. If you smell mould, but don’t see it, you may need to get aggressive with your inspection or call a professional.
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If you are in Sydney, the blogging team recommends you contact The Third Hand who are experts in removing mould in homes, apartments and rental properties across New South Wales.
The Third Hand are Sydney based and experienced at not only property management for property investors and have an experienced building maintenance team that do an array of remedial work including mould relating matters.
To learn more about the array of property services The Third Hand offer, visit their website here: https://thirdhand.au
Here is a recent media release the published:
The Third Hand Confirm Importance of Mould Inspections
The Third Hand is a Sydney base property management company and in an exclusive interview with Metro Cities Media confirmed the importance of regular mould inspections.
The Third Hand, in their interview when interviewed by Metro Cities Media, confirmed the importance of home mould inspections, especially before committing to an investment property purchase. They note that once the purchased property is tenanted, the occupants place less importance on reporting what they consider a minor mould outbreak, before it has rapidly spread and is too late.
Mr Angelo Boliaris Founder of The Third Hand said this , “Property investors get structural and termite inspections completed before a purchase, but do not consider getting a mould inspection done prior or during their ownership for the presence of potentially killer mould. The heartache of finding a mould infestation and the substantial remedial costs of removing the mould could be avoided by getting a simple pre-purchase and regular mould inspection done by a specialist building biologist. They can also check for other biological pollutants & contaminants at the same time.”
Mould is a type of fungus that is found everywhere in nature, indoors and outdoors. They grow on surfaces that have been damp for more than 24 hours, especially on organic substances such as wallpaper, timber, ceiling tiles, carpeting and insulation. In humid environments the growth of mould can be rapid, eventually causing damage to materials it has colonized as well as producing mycotoxins. These can lead to serious health issues of occupants of rental properties if left unchecked.
“This is a silent, but massive issue and spring is a good time to tackle it, especially when a property is vacant. We recommend and hire to landlords commercial dehumidifiers that remove many litres of water from the walls which in turn helps resolve the mould growth and paint peeling issues.” said Angelo Boliaris
There are two types of mould, toxic or allergenic. Toxic moulds can produce mycotoxins that cause health problems such as skin irritation or allergic reactions like shortness of breath and wheezing (allergic rhinitis). Allergic rhinitis is also known as hay fever and can be caused by moulds.
The Third Hand
The Third Hand is a property company first and foremost. Looking after the bricks and mortar, along with the best interests of tenants & owners. They have combined property management & property maintenance, giving clients one port of call for everything.
Angelo Boliaris
The Third Hand
+61 02 9586 0000
Level 1/1a Montgomery Street Kogarah Sydney NSW Australia 2217
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