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Among the hardest infestations to get rid of in your home are mold and mildew. Generally, fungus migrates from outside into your home, and the spores are next to impossible to kill; most fungus infestations are only completely eradicated by replacing all the material they grew on with fungus-resistant material like slick tile. And it’s not just a pest because it smells bad; molds, mildews, and other fungus are serious health hazards, and can cause lung damage to you, your children, and your pets. Anyone with a breathing problem is at risk of illness, hospitalization, and even death if they are exposed to too much mold and mildew.
Your homeowners insurance may pay for your mold removal; check the policy to find out. If they do, you should hire professionals to take care of the problem. If not, there are a few things you can do yourself to alleviate the problem until you can afford to take care of it.
Household mold and mildew are usually caused and/or made worse when your home is too humid. Try to control your humidity level by sealing all your water pipes securely, so that there are no drips inside the walls; mold and mildew grow in wet places. You can also try using a dehumidifier in the house if you live in a naturally humid area, such as near a river or wetlands. If you’re not certain how much humidity there is in your house, you can purchase or rent a moisture analyzer at many hardware stores.
If there has already been mildew damage to carpet, wallpaper, or drywall, you may have to replace all of it; it’s nearly impossible to clean mold and mildew completely from the places it grows. Don’t bother doing this, though, until you have some sort of humidity control; you can’t keep mold out if the conditions are right for it. Temperature is also a factor in fungus growth; it prefers dark, humid, warm conditions. Turning your thermostat down in the winter may help, and using an air conditioner in the summer instead of opening your windows, while it will cost more, will help filter out fungus spores as well as cooling down the temperature below what mold and mildew like.
No matter what, you should do something about mold and mildew as soon as you can. Fungi are health hazards, and you may not know damage is being done to your body until it’s too late.
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