Of the many issues that can affect a home over the years, there are few quite as disheartening to see as the spread of mold and dampness. Aside from being particularly unpleasant, these can affect the health of those living in the home, not to mention spreading throughout the home to cause real damage throughout. Here, we’re going to look at some of the most common sources of dampness that you can stay on top of to keep your home in good health.
Keep an eye out for air leaks
Your home should act as a protective shield from the outside elements. Therefore, it’s important to make sure that it’s effectively keeping the outdoors where they belong. If you’ve noticed mold or dampness appearing in unexpected areas, it could be due to air leaks that are allowing moisture to seep in from the outside. To address this issue, it’s necessary to locate and seal any air leaks, which can typically be done using caulking. Alternatively, the problem could stem from inadequate ventilation in your home, so be sure to investigate that possibility as well.
The other kind of leak is important, too
Of course, aside from air leaks, the other kind of leak that you should be keeping an eye out for is that coming from your plumbing. These can sprout up throughout the year but tend to be more common in winter, when the cold weather can cause pipes to weaken to some degree, especially if they’re not insulated. While there might be some leaks that you’re able to tackle, yourself, you should get a plumber out for most of them ASAP. If mold and dampness typically appear near where your plumbing or heating is, then there’s a good chance that a leak is at the bottom of it.
Look up
Never neglect to turn your eyes up if you’re worried about dampness and mold in the home, as it can often spread from overhead, across the ceiling, and from the roof. Sometimes, it might be due to condensation, such as in wet rooms like the bathroom where steam and moisture can be trapped if there isn’t good ventilation. In most cases, however, the roofing services of teams like Iron River Construction are going to be the most revelation solution. Cracking, missing, and damaged tiles can lead to leaks coming in from the outdoors and it’s best to take care of them while they’re still relatively small.
Check the gutters, too
All throughout the year, debris like twigs, leaves, and dirt can gather in your gutters. This gets especially more likely in the fall and winter. Enough of this, and your gutter can end up blocked. When this happens, water starts to build up instead of draining. It can start to overflow the gutter and flow down the walls, but it can also find places to seep into the home, creating new leaks, and leading to mold and damp. Renting the right gutter cleaning equipment from teams like SkyVac can help you take care of it. Clearing it out once or twice a year is good enough for most homes.
There are more potential sources of mold and dampness but hopefully, the tips above help you keep an eye out for the more common dangers.
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