If you have environmental allergies, you know that reducing exposure to any and all irritants is a key step in controlling your symptoms. Mold is also a common irritant, but there may be sources of mold in your home that you are not aware of, such as your houseplants.

Mold on Houseplants. Can Houseplants have Mold?

How houseplants grow mold

Houseplants kept at home or at work are actually a common source of mold. The plants themselves are not a problem, but the moist soil and even some containers can harbor mold. Most potted plants are kept very moist, and that moist soil is a breeding ground for mold and if the soil is ever disturbed in any way, the mold spores are released into the air.

Preventing Mold in Houseplants

Allergy doctors often advise patients who are allergic to mold to remove houseplants. However, if you just can’t live without having green plants in your home, there are some steps you can take to reduce or prevent mold in houseplants.

• First, start with sterile soil. The dirt it is planted in may already have mold in the store or plant nursery, so be sure to repot every plant with new soil, removing as much of the old dirt as you can from the root ball.
• You can always sterilize your soil by heating it in the oven if you want to be very sure it is mold-free.
• Water your plants only when they are dry; don’t overwater. Mold in houseplants usually occurs when the plant is constantly moist. Instead of watering on a daily schedule, only water your plants when they are dry to the touch.
• Making sure your plants get plenty of sunlight directly on the potted soil will help too.
• If the houseplant has good air circulation around it, mold is less likely to grow. Perhaps add a small fan near your plants to improve air flow.
• Trimming dead leaves and keeping the houseplants neat and maintained will also help.

If you address your potentially moldy houseplant and still smell mold or have symptoms of mold exposure, check your home. This post covers the most likely places to find mold, but if those don’t pan out, be mindful that any spot in the home could become a breeding ground in the presence of a leak or collection of humidity. If you find mold or suspect mold and don’t want to or can’t check the home yourself, the next step is to have a mold inspection. Call us if you discover you do have mold to remove it and repair the damage.

As the summer draws to an end, you probably feel like your A/C unit has been running non-stop in this sweltering heat. Whether you have a central air system or a window or air unit, humidity builds up and that can become the perfect breeding ground for mold.

Don’t Let Your Air Conditioner Be A Breeding Ground for Mold

Dangers of Mold In Your Air Conditioner

A small mold problem in your air conditioner can quickly become a bigger problem. Most people don’t even know they have an A/C mold problem, so it continues to grow unnoticed and circulates through your home every time you turn on the unit. Some people have no reaction, but others have mild allergic reactions or could even suffer fairly severe respiratory disorders.

How to Prevent Mold in Your Air Conditioner

There are ways to keep the unit clean. The first line of defense is a clean air filter, so make sure you clean it regularly. Set a reminder every month to ensure that the buildup gets washed off. Organic matter from your kitchen and home build up on the filter to literally create food for mold, so regular washing is key.

Air conditioners do require regular maintenance, so review your owner’s manual and follow the manufacturer recommendations to avoid any moisture buildup in the unit. Coils should be kept clear of dirt; also make sure they are functioning properly. Drains should be kept clear of clogs, and don’t forget to check for leaks.

Moisture can also build up in ducts, so make sure you don’t have any standing water where your ducts are concerned. Moisture usually builds up on ducts because the drain channels are not properly maintained, thus they clog. If you’ve never had your ducts cleaned, it is probably time, so hire a professional company to do it.

If you need to buy a window unit, be sure to buy one that features indoor humidity control. Today’s modern window units will automatically control the air’s moisture level to keep mold under control.

Going away on vacation?  Contrary to popular belief, it is not a good idea to turn your a/c off if you’re leaving. An airtight house with no air circulation is a big breeding ground for mold. Instead, keep your unit running. You can certainly crank the temperature up a few notches, so that the unit is not constantly running, but make sure the unit is circulating air while you’re gone.

Remember, mold doesn’t need much moisture to grow out of control, and summertime is prime time for mold.

When it comes to mold growing in your home, it’s important to take precautions. Mold can be dangerous and make us sick. There are the obvious places to look for mold such as basements, crawl spaces and behind drywall after a flood, but there are other places that it can pop up that you would never think of.

Sneaky Places that Mold can Grow in Your Home

Window sills

Windows sills are prime locations for mold to grow even though we may not realize it. This is because they are often exposed to moisture, infrequently get substantial air flow, and the dirt that collects in the grooves is great food for spores. In order to prevent mold in your window sills, wipe down your windows when you see a good amount of condensation and also make sure to clean the dirt out of the window tracks once in a while.

Air conditioners

Condensation and dirt sucked in from the outside help the mold to grow. In order to prevent this, run the air conditioner daily even if only for 10 minutes and make sure to remove it and store it when you’re not using it.

Chimneys

Rain and snow can get into a chimney if it isn’t capped off well. In addition, other materials, such as leaves, enter the space and provide a great environment for mold to grow. To prevent this, make sure the top of the chimney is covered correctly.

Washing machines

Front-load washing machines can cause problems with mold. There is a gasket around the door that is constantly wet when the washer is running and never dries out because the door is usually closed when not in use as well. This causes an ideal environment for mold to grow. To prevent this, make sure to either leave the door open when the washer isn’t in use or wipe down the gasket with a cloth in between washings.

Refrigerator drip pans

These pans are easy to forget about, but grow mold due to the lack of air circulation under the fridge. The condensation and spilled food create a great place for mold to grow. To prevent this, clean out the drip pan yearly using white vinegar and water.

Mold can sometimes make people sick, so it’s best to avoid it when at all possible. Repair leaks and water damage right away, contact a professional for water damage that is extensive or contains grey or black water, and routinely check areas in the home that are prone to grow mold. Issues like the ones listed here are pretty easy for the homeowner to address themselves, but don’t hesitate to call a mold remediation specialist for molds that are difficult to clean, if you are allergic to mold, or simply don’t want to mess with it.