Before we start talking about mold prevention steps, let’s first discuss why your Naples home is so susceptible to mold in the first place.

What Causes Mold Growth

Mold grows in your home when mold spores find conditions conducive to their survival.

Mold feeds on materials such as wood and drywall, which are abundant in most Naples homes.

In a dark, damp environment without a lot of airflow, mold can appear overnight.

Why Homes In Naples Are At High Risk

Have you noticed your struggles with mold are worse in Naples than in other locations where you have lived? That is because Florida is hot and humid. Those are exactly the conditions in which mold thrives.

Battling those conditions and keeping one step ahead of mold isn’t easy, especially in a second home or vacation home. But with continuous preventative action, it is possible.

How Much Damage Could Cost

• Bathrooms: It can cost anywhere from $500 to $1,000 to remove mold and make repairs in a typical bathroom—and that is assuming that mold hasn’t moved in behind your sink or bathtub. If it has, the cost could rise to over $8,000.
• Garages: It could cost anywhere from $2,000 to $6,000 for mold remediation in the garage.
• Attics & Roofs: Mold removal from your attic could cost between $1,000 and $4,000. If there is damage to your roof, you may need to pay up to $1,250 more.

Step 1: Eliminate leaks and replace mold-conducive materials.

If there are leaks in your home, patching them is your first necessary step. Where possible, you can also try replacing regular drywall with mold-resistant drywall or applying mold-inhibiting products to surfaces.

Step 2: Improve ventilation and prevent humidity.

If an area isn’t properly ventilated, you may need to make some changes. Rearrange appliances, vent them out of the room or even outdoors if possible, and keep windows open when you can.

Step 3: Keep up with future leaks and spills.

Don’t “set and forget” with your home. Regularly inspect your property for leaks. Patch them immediately if you find them. And if there is any kind of leak or spill, dry off the area right away.

Now that we have talked about general mold prevention throughout your home, let’s talk about preventing mold by a specific location.

Bathroom

In which room is it hardest to prevent mold from taking over? For a lot of us, the answer will be “the bathroom” for a couple of reasons.

First of all, showering produces a lot of moisture in the bathroom. Secondly, many bathrooms include no windows or only a small window, reducing ventilation. Let’s go over some mold prevention tips for different areas of the bathroom.

In The Shower

Regularly use a squeegee on your shower walls—a quick once-over with a squeegee after each shower is a good practice. Leave the curtain or door open after stepping out. Use the fan while you shower and leave it on for half an hour or so after you finish.

Once a year or so, apply sealant to the grout lines in the shower. Doing so will help prevent mold from getting in between your tiles.

On The Bathroom Ceiling

Using a fan and ensuring proper ventilation is a great way to keep mold off your bathroom ceiling. Now and again, you can also wipe down the ceiling with a baking soda or bleach solution.

Still need more help with the bathroom ceiling? Try going over it with a layer of mold-resistant paint. You can apply this paint to your bathroom walls as well if you like.

In Toilet Bowl

As with your shower, you should regularly clean your toilet bowl. The occasional good scrubbing can go a long way. You also can try applying a cleansing agent to your toilet tank for continual mold prevention.

Around the Sink and Vanity

When water splashes or drips on your counter, wipe it off every time immediately. Be especially mindful of water that gets in between the counter and the wall, or water that gets trapped between the sink and faucet.

Closet

Now let’s talk about another challenge in mold prevention: keeping mold and mildew out of your closets.

Closets are inherently tricky because we keep them closed most of the time, so they are poorly ventilated and dark by default—just the way mold likes it.

General

If your closet doors allow no ventilation, think about replacing them with slatted doors that permit some airflow.
Consider purchasing a product like Eva-Dry, which is a miniature dehumidifier containing silica beads that absorb moisture out of the air. You only need to plug it in to “recharge” it. The beads are reusable. Otherwise, it just sits or hangs in your closet (products like these usually include removable hooks).

On Shoes

Get some acid-free tissue or muslin fabric and wad it up and place it inside your shoes if you won’t be wearing them for a while. It will absorb moisture and help prevent mold from growing in your footwear.

On Clothes

Try and give your clothes some “breathing space” when you store them if you can. Before hanging them or folding them, make sure they are as clean as possible. Even a little sweat residue on a garment can lead to mold problems in storage.

Garage

Your garage probably doesn’t feature climate control like the rest of your home, which can make it a challenge to control mold. Let’s go over some tips.

The Garage Door

If your garage door is not properly sealed, more moisture will get in. Check and reseal it as necessary.

The Garage Floor

Driving or walking in and out of the garage, you will bring in some moisture. So check the drainage of the floor.

Outdoors

If your downspouts empty out within a couple feet of the garage, moisture may accumulate at the base and might gradually compromise the structure. Extend them if you need to so water doesn’t pool there.

Don’t forget—with the garage or any other room in your home, you always have the option of installing a dehumidifier.

Attic

The attic is often a neglected part of the home. If yours is unfinished, it probably is not climate-controlled, making it a breeding ground for mold.

Insulation

If you have no insulation in your attic, think about installing some. Doing so will reduce condensation.

The Roof

If there are any leaks in your roof, patching them will protect both the roof and the attic.

Ventilation

Consider putting a fan in your attic for improved airflow. Attics can get to be very stuffy, especially in our hot, humid climate.

Regular Inspections

You might be used to going months or even years at a time without entering your attic. Make it a point to get up there at least every couple months to check for mold or leaks.

Kitchen

The kitchen can be a literal hot spot for mold. Steam can rise up when you are cooking, producing humidity. It is also easy to splash liquids when preparing food. Here are some mold prevention recommendations.

Sink and Countertops

As with the bathroom vanity, you should immediately mop up any spilled liquids on your kitchen countertops, paying special attention to any small nooks and crevices.

Drawers and Cabinets

Avoid putting wet cutlery into your drawers. Likewise, make sure your dishes are totally dry before putting them away inside your cabinets. Consider replacing some cabinets with open shelves if mold remains a frequent concern.

Pantry

Clean out your pantry on a regular basis. Do not leave expired foods or spices in there where they can gather mold.

Garbage Disposal

When is the last time you looked inside your garbage disposal? There is a good chance you will find some mold in there. It is dark and damp in the disposal. Clean it out on a regular basis.

Trash Bin

The trash bin in your kitchen is dark and enclosed, and you frequently throw old food in there. Mold can flourish in the trash bin if you do not regularly wipe down the interior.

Laundry Room

Laundry room locations and layouts can vary a great deal. But regardless of where you do your laundry in your home, the process can release humidity into the air, making the environment ripe for mold.

Try and keep open ventilation through the laundry room, and consider running a fan as you wash and dry your clothes as well as immediately afterward.

Regularly check between and behind your washing machine and dryer for mold, and scrub away what you find.

If you hand-wash in a basin, check for splashes and clean them up immediately when you are finished.

Mudroom

If your home has a mudroom, you track in a lot of moisture when you come in from the rain.

To prevent mold, mop up any puddles immediately. Leave boots, jackets, etc. to air dry before you put them away in any sort of enclosed storage (like a closet).

Try to avoid using materials like wood which are susceptible to mold for storing certain items. For example, a metal rack for your shoes may be a better option than wood cubbies.

Thank you for reading the Naples Contractors Tips To Prevent Mold Damage To Your Home In Naples.

If you are diligent and keep up with mold prevention, hopefully you will never need to call in a professional for mold remediation in Florida. But if you are experiencing mold damage, the sooner you get it taken care of, the less it will spread. To kill mold now, please contact us for immediate assistance.