Dealing with mold growth can be a real pain in the neck for homeowners. This is because mold is a tricky substance you have to deal with. It is persistent, and it is quite dangerous to both health and the structure of one's home.
There's a lot of common knowledge out there about how to deal with mold.
There are tips and tricks that people use in order to prevent mold growth from happening in their homes. However, there are also a lot of misconceptions.
One of the biggest misconceptions about mold growth is that mold cannot grow in cold temperatures.
Here we will answer whether mold can grow in cold temperatures, and just what it takes for mold to thrive and grow. Through understanding this, we can learn how best to prevent mold in cold temperatures.
Does Mold Grow in the Cold?
It needs to be understood that mold can actually grow in cold temperatures. It needs to be understood that mold does not particularly thrive in cold temperatures, but that does not make mold growth impossible in such conditions. There is an actual species of mold that we know as snow mold.
Temperature Requirements for Mold Growth
You need to understand that not all molds are the same. The fact is that there are molds that are perfectly capable of growing at lower temperatures. If there were not then it would not be important to regularly check your fridge for moldy food. However, other molds cannot thrive in cold temperatures.
Impact of Cold on Mold Growth
It needs to be understood that cold temperatures cannot actually kill mold. However, they can slow and even stop mold from growing. Essentially it can stop mold in its tracks but will not kill it.
Common Places Mold Can Grow in Cold Temperatures
Refrigerators
As previously mentioned, the refrigerator is one of the places where mold can grow that also has cold temperatures. While it is gross to think about, everybody has, at some point or another, left something in the fridge a little too long only to find a nasty green surprise on it.
Cold, Moist Climates
Areas that have colder climates still experience mold growth. Numerous molds grow outdoors, even in cold climates. You will see mold on dead trees, dead leaves, and other forms of dead vegetation.
Methods to Prevent Mold Growth in Cold Temperatures
If you wish to prevent mold growth in cold temperatures, you need to remember that not all molds are the same. Some molds will absolutely thrive in cold temperatures and some cannot grow in them at all. Cold temperatures may not kill mold, but they may make mold growth easier to curb. Here are some ways that you can prevent mold growth in cold temperatures.
Reduce Moisture
Mold may be able to endure cold temperatures, but it is not able to ensure a dry environment. If you can reduce the amount of moisture in your home, you can prevent mold growth.
In order to reduce moisture, you must ensure that your plumbing is not leaky or faulty, and make efforts to reduce unnecessary water use in your home. You should also check your windows for any excess moisture that may have accumulated due to condensation from low temperatures. If you deal with high humidity levels, a quality dehumidifier may help.
Increase Air Circulation
Incapable of growing in areas that have decent air circulation. This is because having good air circulation dries out an environment to a degree at which mold is not able to thrive.
A good way to get air circulation going in your home is to use ceiling fans or any other available fan. There's also a good idea to make sure that you stay on top of swapping out your air vents every couple of months.
Don't forget the bathroom, laundry room, and kitchen. These specific rooms need a little extra care with the help of an exhaust fan.
We're seeing them in bathrooms more these days, but most never follow the advice of having one installed in the laundry room. If you have a hood vent over your cooking area, one is unnecessary as long as it vents to the outside.
Remove Food Sources
You need to remove any source of nutrients that mold can potentially latch onto in your home. The best way to do this is to ensure you regularly and diligently clean your home.
You would be amazed at how much a little inspection and maintenance can do to prevent mold growth in your home.
Conclusion
Mold growth can happen anywhere there is moisture and food for the mold to feed off. The temperature hardly factors into whether or not mold can grow. It can only affect how it grows and at what speed.
With this knowledge, you should be able to protect your home from mold growth, no matter the temperature.
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