Why a Mold Inspection Air Test is Useful in the Winter
Posted in Air Quality, on February 28, 2018
Having a mold inspection air test during the winter months isn’t generally top on our lists of winter home concerns. Many homeowners consider mold to be a spring, summer and fall problem, when water events can cause sudden floods or heat and humidity stick around and get trapped indoors. But mold can grow all year round, and a small problem that begins in the winter can grow bigger by the spring and bigger still by the summer months, making an air test in the winter an important tool in identifying mold problems.
The Causes of Mold Growth During Winter in Ontario
Mold can grow in your home during the winter for many reasons. One common reason is that your furnace may have a built-in humidifier to add moisture to dry winter air. When combined with decreased ventilation and high temperatures, the right conditions for mold growth can arise in even the coldest of months. Another way mold can form in your home is in improperly insulated spaces, where warm indoor air meets a cold exterior wall, forming condensation. Moisture is the single most important factor when it comes to mold growth, and, along with humidity, is one of the things we look for during a mold inspection in the winter.
Where Mold Likes to Grow
During any mold inspection air test at SafeAir, we generally start in one of two places: the basement or the attic. Year-round, they’re the most common places that mold likes to grow in your home, and a mold inspection in the winter can help reveal areas that may become bigger concerns later in the year. Basements are particularly prone to mold because they are often under-insulated, have less traffic, have water sources or are at risk for leaks, and have restricted airflow. At the top of your home, an air test in the winter can reveal a great deal of how your home is coping with increased heating and what problems that warm air could be causing in your attic.
The Benefits of A Mold Inspection Air Test
Having a mold inspection in the winter can help you keep your home and family healthy all year round. Catching mold early can save you time, money, and the headache of remediation by dealing with any mold growth while it’s small and hasn’t caused damage or made anyone ill. An air test in the winter compared with one in the summer can tell you a lot about your indoor air quality and the areas in your home that may need improvement. Mold isn’t the type of problem that goes away on its own - to be certain it’s gone for good, a thorough, professional mold inspection in the winter months is needed to prevent it from continuing to grow and spread.
Prevention is the best method
In the end, the adage ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ applies to mold as well. Preventing mold, through proactive measures like fixing leaks, upgrading ventilation, and by having an air test in the winter are some of the best ways to ensure that mold growth is caught early and removed before it begins to affect your home and your health. Call us at SafeAir if you’re interested in knowing more about having a mold inspection air test and what it can do to help keep your home safe this winter.