Top 5 Home Plumbing Tips
In order for mold to grow it needs three things: oxygen, water or moisture, and temperatures between 70-100 degrees Fahrenheit. Since mold is organic, it feeds off of organic substances such as wood, paint, or food. The mold will attach itself to a substance and expand, causing it to put off airborne contaminants in little spores that get into the air which is ultimately bad for your health.
The most common causes of bathroom mold are lingering moisture which is caused by a lack of ventilation, leaky toilets, sinks, and plumbing pipes, damp materials such as rugs, paper products, wood, wallpaper, drywall, or fabrics. Solution? Use your bathroom fan, hang up your towels and bath mats, fix any leaks, and use your squeegee.
Bath vent fan
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The bathroom vent fan serves the primary function to dissipate warm, moist air, which is created from the use of a hot shower or bath. Without this ventilation, the humidity levels remain high within the bathroom – otherwise, creating a perfect living space for mold, mildew, and other harmful bacteria.
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If you don’t have a working bath vent fan, you need one – and if you’re not sure if yours is effective, you can test it by holding a piece of tissue paper to it; if the fan is removing air properly, the paper will be drawn against the fan and will remain there as long as the fan is on.
Hang your towels and bath mats and wash them regularly
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Other places in the bathroom that can catch mold are your towels and rugs. When you get out of the shower and you have a wet towel, and you bunch it up or just drop it on the floor – because mold feeds on fabric, mold will also build up inside your towels or in your bath mats. So, you always want to make sure that you hang your towels to dry and wash them regularly so there’s not a buildup of mold in there.
Fix any leaks
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Make sure your faucets are not dripping – even the slightest drip in your faucet, get it fixed immediately. Any kind of leak that isn’t properly fixed can cause mold to grow. Be sure to clean up any liquid spills or condensation as soon as possible when spotted to prevent mold from beginning to grow.
Love thy squeegee
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A helpful tip to avoid lengthy shower cleaning sessions along with preventing mold growth, is to invest in a squeegee. When water accumulates and has no escape, a squeegee is completely fundamental. It removes all the moisture and other stuff that requires vigorous scrubbing later. Use your squeegee as part of your shower routine to tackle the inevitable nuisance of soap scum and mold growth.
Is mold growth already an issue in your bathroom? Thankfully, if the infestation of mold isn’t too large, you can easily fix it yourself.
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Get rid of and replace caulking or sealant that has mold growth
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Bleach, vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide are your best line of defense when cleaning your bathroom (do not mix those products; mixing can cause toxic reactions)
We provide professional plumbing services for residential, commercial and industrial clients throughout Southern Florida. We provide fast response time, competitive rates, and reliable service. Need A Plumber? Schedule an appointment today and call us at 954-445-6443 or use our contact form.
