Healthy Indoors Magazine
Issue link: https://hi.healthyindoors.com/i/1507087
30 | July/August 2023 By Jeffrey C. May, ©2023 E levated moisture levels inside a home can lead to mold growth. Some mois- ture sources are obvious, like spilled foods, leaking pipes, and water intrusion into a base- ment. In this article, I am discussing other sources that may seem less ob- vious or are ust conditions that you are used to having in your home. Th : Mold growth can grow on the ceiling and walls in a bathroom if moisture from a shower or bath condenses on these surfaces. To reduce such moisture levels, keep the bathroom door open and the exhaust fan running for at least an hour after showering. A bathroom exhaust fan, however, is designed to remove odors and not necessarily enough moisture, so operate an oscillating fan to create airflow, which will speed up drying. ou could also run a stand-up fan to blow air out of the bathroom to an adj acent area. Hang towels in another room to dry or put them in the dryer. As for the mold growth? This is nearly always surface growth and can be wiped away with a mild bleach solution one part bleach to 16 to 18 parts water) or with any suitable cleaning agent. It's common for water to leak out of tubs if the shower curtains aren't com- pletely blocking the water flow. Then mold growth can occur on a tile floor, and water can even leak under the flooring and cause damage. A simple solution is to install "shower shields" at the front corners of the tub. These small plastic barriers are usually avail- able at Home epot and are easy to install. If you have shower curtains, wash or replace them now and then, as they can become coated with mi- crobial growth.) Th : Cooking produces a lot of moisture, so it's best to have an exhaust fan that vents to the exte- rior over your stove. Operate the fan whenever you are cooking or baking. Th : A pileup of lint behind your dryer indicates that the dryer ex- haust hose may be leaking or be dis- connected. Check outside to be sure that the end of the hose is not clogged with lint or other debris. If a dryer is ex- Not-So-Obvious Sources of Moisture Mold growth and peeling paint on a bathroom ceiling.