Mold in a private house: causes and methods of elimination

Molds are extremely common in nature. Under natural conditions, these microorganisms perform many functions, ensuring the course of the most complex processes of metabolism and energy in the biosphere. But the appearance of mold in a private house is dangerous for the health of family members and the integrity of materials and individual parts that served for construction and decoration.

Classification of mold microorganisms in a private house

1. Toxic fungi– colonies capable of secreting substances dangerous to human metabolism. This group includes black mold in the house. Even in the smallest volume, mycotoxins cause severe consequences: pulmonary edema, migraines, poisoning, nausea, and vomiting.
2. pathogenic mold is dangerous because it settles inside the human body, provoking the development of chronic diseases. Elderly people, young children, and those who have a weakened immune system for health reasons are especially susceptible to such effects.
3. Allergenic microorganisms (Aspergillus, penicillium) produce small spores that cause irritation when they enter the upper respiratory tract together. This leads to the formation of allergic rhinitis and other respiratory diseases.

Why does mold grow in the house?

The reasons for the development of colonies of the fungus in the house can be improperly organized ventilation and heating: the air stagnates, and the walls freeze through in winter. Excessive humidity is also a consequence of insufficient ventilation. It is in rooms with a high content of H2O in the air that the fungus settles most often: in the bathroom, basement, attic, in kitchen.

The place of localization often speaks of the causes of mold:

• its origin in the corners of the house may indicate problems with the functioning of the pipeline, leaks in the heating system:
• the corners of the walls are covered with fungus in the presence of cracks in the masonry and freezing,
• corners on the floor – in case of problems with the arrangement of sewage and dampness in the basement;
• mold settles on the floor of the house when the positive temperature returns if the room was not heated in winter;
• mold on the ceiling of the house indicates insufficient ventilation and the possible absence of a dryer, leaks in the floor of the upper floor, if any;
• the presence of a colony of fungus behind the furniture means that the surface does not warm up due to the lack of air circulation in the proper volume – you will need to rearrange the cabinets or insulate the wall from the outside;
• the widespread distribution of mold on the walls of the house, and at different heights, is a consequence of high humidity in the room, it can be caused by drying things, a large number of indoor plants, cooking, or evaporation of water from an open aquarium.

Why is mold dangerous in a private house?

As soon as the problem becomes noticeable, the aesthetics and beauty of the interior disappear. A colony of a fungus can cause serious financial damage, literally eating up expensive repairs, building, and finishing materials, and the foundation, causing cracks in the support beams, and in advanced cases causing a collapse of the building.

The presence of mold harms the health of family members, even if it is invisible to the eye. It is easy to detect the fungus by the specific smell of mustiness and dampness.

How to remove mold and mildew?

Get rid of mold in your home as soon as possible. Procedures for the elimination of colonies of the fungus require the use of potent drugs (usually containing chlorine) and strict adherence to safety precautions. If the microorganisms have settled to a large extent, it is better to use the services of specialists.

The color of mold can somewhat help in choosing measures and an action plan to get rid of it.

1. White mold in a wooden house is a huge danger. The affected areas must be completely removed, and the healthy surface treated with special protective compounds.
2. Black mold in the house or its variety, which changes color during the production of spores, occurs against the background of the greenhouse effect. After getting rid of the colonies, the rooms should be dried well and ventilation should be increased.
3. Green crops and small moss appear in places where there are leaks of any origin. They may not be very noticeable on a superficial examination, so all factors that can lead to water leakage (for example, the presence of pipes and rainwater outside) must be carefully analyzed.
4. The blue molds are extremely resistant and even affect varnished wood. Damaged areas must be freed from plaque and treated with a specialized tool.

Warning: White mold is sometimes confused with efflorescence – an evaporating residue from compounds present in the water in which the solution was mixed. They need to be removed using the compositions intended for this.

Effective home protection against mold

Mold in a house made of SIP panels, wood, or any other materials is always a signal that the heating and ventilation means are not working efficiently enough. Strengthening and reorganizing existing engineering systems is not always possible. The equipment of additional solutions requires financial costs, so it is important to choose economically adequate options.
Using air collectors, working on the energy of sunlight, is able to solve the problem of getting rid of mold with minimal investment and labor costs. Installation of the equipment is carried out quickly and does not require the issuance of permits, and its work contributes to the improvement of the microclimate of the rooms, making them unsuitable places for the development of the fungus.