Winter is almost here, meaning that a few months of cold and moist weather is upon us. During this time, your holiday house could easily become the breeding space for fungus and mold, something that is extremely dangerous for people – especially infants and elderly individuals. Besides it possibly damaging your health, it could also ruin your home, which could result in expensive repairs.
This is why you might now be wondering – are there some easy and cheap ways that will allow me to keep my summer home safe from mold? Well, there are, and this is exactly what we’ll discuss in this article today. Let’s take a closer look at what you must do in order to keep your the environment in your summer home healthy:
1. Firstly, Ensure That There is no Mold
Before you choose to do anything else from this list, you’ll have to ensure that there is no mold at the moment. If you do not do this and take care of it, it will definitely develop further, no matter what you do next. If the space affected is relatively small, you may be able to clean it by yourself, however, if it has grown, you’ll need some help from an expert company such as Elitemoisture.com.
By having a professional help you, they’ll be able to assess the problematic area, and then they’ll determine what needs to be done. It can involve various things such as tearing out the surfaces affected, cleaning the surfaces, as well as preventing it from spreading further. If you begin this process, it can hinder more serious issues where the fungus spreads without you seeing it.
2. Observe The Moisture Levels
As you probably already know, mold thrives in wet and soggy rooms, and if you’re can observe the humidity levels closely in your summer house, you could catch it before it grows and spreads. Keep in mind, it will grow when the moisture levels reach more than sixty percent.
This is why you should always keep the levels from thirty to fifty percent, especially since it is the most suitable indoor status. Some of the places that you should surely monitor include your cellar, attic, toilets, and, of course, any other location that is wet and soggy.
3. You’ll Have to Buy a Dehumidifier
If the condensation is constantly increasing, you should connect a dehumidifier that’ll hinder the mold from developing and spreading. This device will drain the air out, which means that it could condensate the dampness and liquidate it, hence, the moisture levels will decrease over time. Keep in mind, you’ll want to install it in the rooms where you see that there is more dampness than in other areas, especially since those areas are more prone to fungus and mildew growth.
4. Adding a Fan to The Bathroom Be a Lifesaver
Fans that can be added to a toilet are specifically manufactured for extracting condensation from the air, which means that they could pull the steam and liquid-filled air out of the space, place it into the ventilation system, and then out of the house. This is perfect for any toilet that does not have regular ventilation such as a window. By installing a fan, you’ll keep the dampness out of the air, which means that the drying time will be faster including the floors, walls, and other objects in the area.
5. Defend The Residence From Liquid
If your vacation residence is in a location that is low, if there is heavy rainfall in the location, or if the cellar was flooded in the past, you should definitely spend some money on buying a system that’ll successfully redirect the liquid away from the residence. For example, you can choose to add French drains that will keep liquid away from the base or you could get pumps that will eliminate any liquid that has penetrated your basement. This will certainly prevent it from growing, especially after rain.
6. Opt For Different Materials
Although you might not know this, some materials can grow mildew faster than others, hence, if there are any problem areas where it is always appearing, you might want to consider installing different materials there like wallboard that are waterproof that will prevent the spread and appearance of mildew.
Additionally, there are various paints and primers that you can buy and apply, all of which will stop mildew from appearing and growing. Keep in mind, this is one of the best things that you can choose to do if specific areas were affected in the past, especially since it will prevent and hinder it from appearing again.
7. Your Gutters Might Need Some Work
Many homeowners do not realize this, but, maintaining the rain gutters is one of the most crucial things anyone could do when they are trying to keep their house moisture-free. This is why you must ensure that they function properly since if not, it can cause water to back up, hence, causing water damage to your attic. Hence, ensure that you maintain and clean them at least two times a year, and if there are any damages, ensure that you call a professional that will help you fix it properly.
8. Clean The Carpets
If you have carpets in your summer home, you might have noticed that they are musty and that there is also an unpleasant smell coming from them, and if so, you must take action immediately. Although you might not notice it, mold could be spreading on the carpets, which is extremely dangerous, especially if you have pets. Hence, you’ll want to ensure that the carpets are clean and regularly monitored for any spread.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is a wide range of things that you can do, all of which will help you prevent mold and mildew from occurring and spreading all over your vacation home. And, if you choose to follow some of the tips mentioned above, you’ll make the entire process easier, less time-consuming, and less stressful as well.
Hence, now that you are aware of all the things that can help you, you might not want to lose any more time. Instead, you might want to go back to the beginning of this article, determine what you’ll need to do, and then start gathering the tools and equipment you’ll need for protecting your summer home from mold.
Nina Smith 
Kim Marks