Garage Mold Prevention

1/6/2020 (Permalink)

Now that it’s the New Year, it’s time to celebrate by preventing a disaster from happening to your home!

One of the easiest places for mold to begin growing is in the garage. Mold loves a moist, humid climate with little sunlight or ventilation. Your garage has all of the conditions, and it is also somewhere you may not pay as much attention to. Here are some things to do in your garage to ensure the mold stays away this year:

• Look for leaks – Inspect all areas, including the roof, floor, gutters, and pipes. If there are any problem areas, fix them as soon as possible.
• Seal garage door – Check to see if the weather stripping is old and torn, and if so, replace immediately. This will help keep the weather out and keep moisture down.
• Decrease humidity – Since garages naturally have a high humidity reading (typically over 50%), it is important to control this as well as you can. Take the time to use vents and fans to help, and another tip is to leave the garage door open a few sunny hours a day. You can also continually use a dehumidifier to keep the levels down.
• Install waterproof walls – If building or remodeling your garage, you can use mold resistant drywall, as well as waterproof paint. This will cut down on the amount of water retained in the area. You can also use pre-coated aluminum or vinyl siding for even more protection against mold growth.
• Remove standing water – Hopefully, you find none of this in your garage, but if you do, remove with a mop, and let dry as quickly as possible. This will eliminate the source for mold growth.
• Extend gutter downspouts – Gutters and downspouts are the home's first reference of keeping water out of the home itself. Make sure that your downspouts extend at least 10 feet away from the home. This will help redirect the water away from the garage foundation.
• Use waterproof storage – Water is attracted to cardboard, paper, normal drywall, and other porous materials. Using plastic or metal storage containers will help keep water from sticking around in your garage. It also helps keep items inside clean and mold free.

After doing these tips, mold will have a much harder time growing in your garage. If you find any issues that have begun, give us a call at our SERVPRO office at 270-659-0067, and we can come out and preform a mold test to find out exactly what is going on!