Simple Home Improvements to Help Keep Mold at Bay in your Herndon, VA Household

The Washington, D.C.-Herndon, VA area is rich in history, with beautiful historic homes dotting its landscape. Of course, a great number of these homes were built years before codes required ventilation fans or windows in bathrooms, or before the reality of what mold can do to a home was known. Nowadays, there are frequent news programs featuring homes with rampant mold, not all of which were destroyed through a natural disaster such as flooding. Mold can grow even in dry areas of the country, so long as there is moisture inside the home and mold spores in the air.

While it is impossible to eliminate all spores from the outside air, it is possible to keep them from growing into a troublesome problem when they make their way indoors into your Herndon, VA home. The following are a few simple household improvements that homeowners can make to ensure that mold does not develop because of excess moisture in the air. Regardless of how old or new a home is, a few economical changes can mean the difference between being mold-free, and having an expensive and time-consuming cleanup project on your hands.

• Ventilate with hosing and exhaust fans: Moisture from appliances needs to be properly directed to the outdoors, including clothes dryers and oven exhaust fans. Old ventilation in your Herndon, VA house should be checked regularly to ensure there are no leaks allowing moisture to remain trapped indoors. Installing exhaust fans in the bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room is a quick and efficient way to eliminate excess moisture from any room. This is especially important in rooms without windows.
• Install appropriate drainage: All appliances and fixtures that use plumbing will need to be checked for appropriate drainage, including the dishwasher, toilets, sinks, and washing machines. In the absence of reliable drainage, hosing will need to be installed to keep the moisture out of the air and draining properly. Appropriate drainage also needs to be installed on gutters as well, as an overgrowth of outdoor mold can mean problems indoors.
• Replace outdated HVAC systems: Old HVAC systems found in homes located in Herndon, VA may have leakages and dirty or wet drip pans. They may be beyond a little repair and replacing outdated systems will more efficiently heat and cool your home, as well as reduce the allergens and mold spores that are introduced into your home. By doing a thorough check of the HVAC system, homeowners can prepare for a humid summer (and increase in mold) by replacing that inefficient system with a clean and moisture-free one.
• Keep landscaping tidy and properly graded: Mold spores that develop into unsightly mold come from the outdoors. By keeping landscaping in order, Herndon, VA homeowners can greatly reduce the mold growing outside their Herndon, VA home, which in turn greatly decreases the mold spores that reach the indoors. Cleaning out gutters, properly grading the land, and regularly checking for proper drainage of water will reduce the chances of outdoor mold, as well as water problems on the foundation or roof, which can lead to indoor mold.

With a few simple home improvements and preventative measures, homeowners can ensure that the inside and outside of their home remains free of troublesome mold. Once mold has infiltrated wall and flooring surfaces, it is harder to kill and remove than it would have been to check for proper ventilation and drainage.

If you suspect you have a mold problem, don't hesitate to call Envirotex Environmental Services. We provide state of the art Mold & Moisture Inspections, Mold Identification, Mold Remediation, Air Quality Testing, Asbestos Inspection & Removal services in the Herndon, VA and the greater Washington D.C. Metropolitan area, including all of Northern Virginia.

About Envriotex Environmental Services

Established in Northern Virginia in 2000, Envirotex Environmental Services was founded on military service. While serving his country, the company's owner Mr. Freeman gained vast knowledge and experience in the environmental services field. His expertise in air monitoring and hazardous materials testing prepared him for his post-military career.