Mold-Free Phuket Apartment: Top 9 Tips to Prevent Mold

Mold has grown to become one of the most dangerous poisons we encounter on a daily basis during the past decade. Due in part to more stringent, energy-efficient home construction practices, a mold problem, while relatively easy to eradicate in small quantities, can quickly grow to a size and scope that can make you very sick and necessitates costly professional remediation to resolve the current problem and prevent future mold growth. With the high humidity, we experience In Samui and in Phuket, leaving your apartment windows and doors closed for extended periods of time along with running the air conditioner day and night can cause mold problems to occur. 

Mold development, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may occur almost everywhere. Mold spores are present whether you are inside or outside. They can get access to your house through holes as big as doors or windows or as tiny as the smallest crack you've ever pursued with a caulk gun. Once inside your house, the spores may begin to grow on your clothing, shoes, toys, and even your pets. Worse still, poisonous mold is virtually likely to produce clouds of potentially deadly spores that, once airborne, may go directly to your lungs.

The first step toward a mold-free environment is to get an understanding of what causes it to grow. To avoid mold, it's important to realize that it requires three things to grow: moisture, air, and food, all of which may be found almost everywhere in your house. Mold thrives in areas with food sources, such as the dust on a bathroom ceiling, the starch paste on the back of the wallpaper, or the plant fibers that comprise the jute pad under a carpet. Mold development starts when moisture is introduced.

How To Prevent Mold

What you need to know to avoid mold growth in your apartment or house is as follows:

CONTROL THE MOISTURE - Maintain a humidity level of less than 50% in cabinet areas like under the sink in the bathroom and kitchen. Maintain proper drainage on the inside and outside of your apartment by keeping drains or gutters clean and dirt constantly sloping away from your home or apartment. 

STORE SAFELY - Store all items at least several inches above concrete floors and away from foundations where moisture may readily leak in. This is particularly critical when dealing with organic materials such as cardboard boxes. Avoid hardwood shelves for a mold-free house; metal or plastic shelves are preferred. Don't store wet bathing suits and wet clothing in rooms where you will run air conditioning. 

BUILD MOLD-RESISTANT – When selecting construction materials, choose those that do not support mold growth. Mold-resistant wallboard or green board in areas like bathroom ceilings. In contrast to standard drywall, which has a paper face, mold-resistant drywall features a fiberglass face that cannot support a mold infestation.

VENTILATE EXTREMELY WELL – In wet areas such as bathrooms and kitchens, inadequate or absent ventilation fans may leave enough moisture behind to maintain a mold issue. Assure that all bathrooms and kitchens are ventilated correctly, using fans that exhaust moisture to the outside. After showering, leave the bathroom door open to allow surfaces to dry more quickly. Run some fans during the rainy season to keep the air circulating.

AVOID CARPETS– More than almost any other item in a home, carpets may act as a perfect breeding ground for mold. Even non-organic carpets may accumulate dirt, dust, and moisture, creating an ideal environment for mold growth, particularly in below-grade areas with higher relative humidity. For ground floor areas, hard surface materials such as laminate flooring, tile, or engineered hardwoods are always a superior choice.

FILTER THE AIR — If your house is equipped with a forced-air cooling system, it is critical to use a high-quality air filter. May suggests pleated filters with a minimum MERV value of 6-8, or 11 if the family has a history of allergies. Another alternative is to install an electric air purifier throughout the home. A whole-house air cleaner, which is permanently attached to the home's HVAC system, utilizes ionization technology to charge particles, causing them to adhere to filters like a magnet. I use a small one of these in my bedroom in Chiang Mai and the filters turn gray in a week during the smoky season.

INSULATE DUCTS - Duct systems that distribute cooled air throughout your home must be insulated anywhere they pass through unheated or uncooled areas such as attics or basements. Otherwise, moisture may develop within the ducts, which, when coupled with dust in the air, allows mold to grow, and then spores can easily spread throughout the whole home.

CLEAN CAREFULLY – In bathrooms and kitchens, use mold-inhibiting cleansers. At the outset of each season, portable air conditioning systems should be disassembled and cleaned. When painting moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms, apply an EPA-approved mold inhibitor.

QUICKLY FIX LEAKS — If you do have a significant leak, prompt intervention may help prevent mold from growing. Dry damaged carpets and padding completely, and remove any wet upholstery. Then, prior to replacing the carpet and pad, thoroughly clean and disinfect all surfaces.

BONUS TIP - When cleaning use hydrogen peroxide on surfaces where you have seen mold appears. You can also use Borax or a cup of bleach mixed with 1 gallon of water.

Additionally, you may do mold tests to assist in narrowing down the source of the mold. Hiring a building expert prior to conducting a mold test, such as a mold-trained home inspector may assist you in identifying the source of the issue and modifying the environment to prevent the mold from returning.

Mold may be a necessary part of Mother Nature's plans, but following these guidelines will ensure that recovering from the mold allergies it may cause is never one of them. For more information on mold prevention, see the Centers for Disease Control's website.

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