Mold is present wherever there’s moisture. Mold exposure can cause serious health complications in people who are sensitive or allergic to mold, or those who have pre-existing lung illnesses. Mold can also wreak havoc on your property, growing rapidly wherever moisture is present, including on windows, roofs, pipes, ceiling tiles, drywall, and many other areas. When mold makes its way into your home, it reduces indoor air quality, causes stains that are persistent and difficult to remove, and creates unpleasant odours. In order to avoid mold problems in your Muskoka cottage, it’s important to understand how to identify that you have a mold problem, and know how you can prevent them from occurring.
How to tell if your cottage has a mold problem
Despite the potential health problems, staining and odor caused by mold problems, it can be difficult to detect mold in your cottage – especially because mold isn’t always immediately apparent. If you’re trying to detect mold around your cottage, you’ll want to begin with damp areas such as leaky windows, basements, carpeting, and drywall that has been exposed to moisture.
The most telling sign of mold is the staining that is often present with mold outbreaks. Mold will often contain dark blooms on or around windows, walls, and furniture, leaving a dark stain that few surfaces are immune to. Mold will often carry with it a distinct musty or earthy smell, helping you narrow down where the problem is coming from. If water damage has affected walls, window sills, or other areas where paint exists, it will cause cracking, blistering, or peeling, and cause drywall to “bulge” out or appear warped – mold will often be found underneath or around this water damage.
Remember that whenever you’re dealing with mold, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Take the proper precautions, even if you aren’t allergic or sensitive to mold. Wear gloves, masks, and gloves whenever working to protect yourself.
What to do to prevent mold in your Muskoka cottage
The most effective way to prevent mold from growing and spreading in your cottage is to take control of the indoor humidity and airflow in your property. This can be done by using dehumidifiers and fans, or simply by keeping your windows open – ventilation is especially important with bathrooms, laundry rooms, or any room with a source of running water or where laundry is hung to dry.
In addition to controlling humidity, it’s critical to prevent water from entering your home. You can do this by ensuring that your gutters are maintained and cleaned regularly, and that snow is shovelled away from your cottage, especially during the later winter months. Ensuring that the ground around your cottage slopes away from its foundation is also important, as it’ll keep rainfall and snowmelt from entering your property through its foundation. Eliminating leaks caused by old and damaged windows and doors is crucial, as is ensuring that the weather stripping around windows and doors is replaced when it begins to look worn.
It goes without saying that wet feet are almost always going to be a presence in a cottage, so removing any carpeting and replacing it with hardwood flooring is a good idea for long-term mold prevention; plus it makes your cottage easier to maintain. Who wants to vacuum at the cottage?
Mold can wreak havoc on window and door frames, causing them to break down and creating unsightly stains. The team at Muskoka Window & Door Centre has years of experience in dealing with windows and doors being affected by mold problems. If you think that your windows or doors have been damaged by mold, contact us today for an assessment and advice on the best course of action.
For more information about Muskoka Window & Door Centre’s high quality line of window and door products, visit our website.