Being in the plumbing world, it’s safe to say every day is a little bit different. And with that, some of those days are not always too glamorous! One of these instances that’s certainly not the prettiest of jobs revolves around mold in the bathroom. The bathroom is one of the most popular places capable of creating an ideal environment for mold growth.
This week’s blog post will discuss why mold is so troublesome and dangerous in the first place, as well as tips for preventing the growth of mold and what to do when you have an outbreak! Keep in mind that mold growth is something we see regularly both in the residential world and with commercial businesses. It’s nothing to mess around with and certainly something you’ll want to act on quickly!
What is mold and how does it grow?
Before we dive into actually eliminating mold outbreaks in your house, it’s important to understand what exactly mold is and why it seems to love the bathroom. To get the best answer to this first question, we consulted WebMD:
“Mold is a type of fungus. These small organisms can be black, white, orange, green, or purple and live almost anywhere inside and outside. Molds thrive on moisture and reproduce through lightweight spores that travel through the air. They’re usually harmless in small amounts. But when they land on a damp spot in your home, they can start to grow.”
When these spores fly through the air, it doesn’t take much moisture for it to stick. Once attached, the fungus will appear as soon as 48 hours upon the initial attachment. With the temperature in the house being fairly warm as well, that is yet another beneficial factor for the mold growing. Add in the dark and moist nature of a bathroom, and you have the perfect setting for mold to thrive!
One final tidbit before we move on (that’s also not the prettiest of facts) revolves around the idea that mold needs food to grow. Where does it find its food? Primarily dust. And what dust is most prevalent in the bathroom? Shockingly enough, human skin! Eww… Enough about that, let’s learn how you can avoid ever having to deal with it!
I already have mold growing. What now?
While we’ll discuss how to prevent future mold outbreaks in the next section, let’s examine the more pressing issue first. You already have some mold growing, what should be your immediate actions? For one, it’s important to diagnose what is causing the mold, which will then help you determine the appropriate steps to take to eliminate the problem (and any future occurrences). Potential problem spots include:
- Leaking plumbing pipes can further exacerbate the growth of mold.
- A toilet or sink that slowly drips and leaves any standing water can be a problem.
- Shower liners, grout, flooring, windows, and walls can all be breeding grounds from moisture left over from showers/baths.
Next step to eliminating the existing mold and prevent future outbreaks? Contact a mold remediation expert or plumber to get eyes on the situation. They’ll know what needs to be done immediately and make the necessary repairs. This is particularly true for mold that you can’t readily see. Chances are it’s hidden behind a wall (which is a location it’ll grow even quicker at) and some construction will need to be done!
The reason why we recommend avoiding turning this into a DIY project is fairly straightforward. If not handled properly, there is a very strong chance of unintentionally spreading the mold spores and putting the health of the home’s occupants at risk!
As a side note, if you’re feeling ambitious and would like to give it a shot treating it, here’s your best bet. A few products that can be utilized to kill mold (in small spots) are bleach, ammonia, or hydrogen peroxide (don’t mix them though!). Use this to kill it before attempting to scrub it off. In addition, any towels you use in this treatment should immediately be thrown out!
I don’t have any mold currently and I don’t ever want any mold.
This is the position many of us find ourselves in. We don’t have any mold problems in our house at the moment and we would prefer to keep things that way for the foreseeable future. While mold is something that’s certainly not always easily prevented, there are certainly plenty of household hacks you can implement to decrease your chances of an outbreak. The following are a few of our favorites:
- No moisture. If you’ve learned one thing from this blog thus far, it should be that mold thrives when there’s moisture. It’s the one undeniable resource in mold spreading throughout the bathroom. Thus, as a homeowner, your number one goal should be to eliminate any and all moisture. Your exhaust fan is likely going to be one of your best friends in doing so. All bathrooms should have an exhaust fan installed. After taking a nice, hot shower, notice how the mirrors fog up? This can spell future danger. Run the exhaust fan after each shower or bath for roughly 20-30 minutes. This will help immensely in ensuring everything dries properly.
- Food sources. Remember from the sections above where we mentioned mold also requires a food source to be able to grow? Well, you’re going to want to eliminate this as well! This step is relatively cut and dry, as it simply means you’ll want to keep everything clean. All surfaces, shower tiles, grout, you name it! Mold can start anywhere there’s moisture!
- Proactive on plumbing. As we tend to stress here on the blog, you ALWAYS want to act in a proactive manner with plumbing problems, rather than a reactive one. You never want to let plumbing issues sit for too long, it’s as simple as that! When it comes to mold in the bathroom, never procrastinate in getting leaks repaired. What may seem like a nominal problem could easily turn into a breeding ground for mold.
- Bath mats. We’ve all probably been guilty of neglecting our bath mats at least a few times in our lives! You don’t have to replace them regularly, but make it a halfway frequent routine of washing them. After doing so, allow it plenty of time to get completely dry before moving it back into the bathroom!
Watch out for black mold.
As we wrap up this blog post, I wanted to close it out with a quick warning. No mold is a good sight to see for homeowners. However, black mold carries with it an increased risk. Also referred to as “Stachybotrys chartarum,” black mold contains mycotoxins and can even be troublesome to individuals that didn’t have any prior respiratory problems. This isn’t to say other molds aren’t entirely capable of producing mycotoxins, but just something to be aware of if you notice black mold in your home! In total, a good mindset to live by is any mold in your home is not a good thing. Black, white, orange, green. No matter what the color is, if you notice mold, get a professional out to your home as soon as possible.
Need Plumbing Help in Kansas City?
Over the course of the year, we run into our fair share of mold outbreaks! This can occur in both the residential and commercial world, especially when someone is attempting to remodel a building that used to be vacant! Hopefully this blog taught you some helpful tips on not only the dangers of mold outbreaks, but also how you save yourself any future headaches by acting proactively.
If you feel you might have a potential mold issue on your hands and would like an expert opinion, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. We’re always ready to go in a moment’s notice. Fill out our free quote form or give us a call at (816) 348-3481 to get started. In terms of location, we work just about anywhere within 30-40 miles of Kansas City. Liberty, Parkville, Smithville, Overland Park, Shawnee, Olathe, Lee’s Summit, you name it!