preventing mold and mildew (how much, house, landscaping)

[christiner81]

I've never really lived in a non-desert area and so I know nothing about general mold/mildew prevention, esp with regard to caring for a house. is there anything everyone does in/around their home to prevent any issues?

what about moss? is it okay or do you have to tame it from time to time?

[Random_Walk]

preventing mold/mildew? There are things will keep it at bay: sunlight, frequent fresh air circulation, warmth, and lower humidity. Indoors, usually keeping things warm will do the trick. Bathroom fans also help whenever you use the shower, to better remove the steamy air quickly. The rest is pretty simple - keeping things clean.

A mild solution of water with a little bleach in it usually wipes out most instances of it, but only if you catch it soon enough.

As for moss? It's usually a good idea to keep it tame... unless you like re-roofing your house every 15-20 years or so. OTOH, I've seen homes with a roof that was almost pure green with moss, yet somehow things are still dry indoors.

[Nell Plotts]

Each spring Costco sells a granular product to rid roofs of moss. Because moss puts down fine roots it is important to treat aggressively.

[davemess10]

Some of it can depend on your heating system. Electric baseboard just doesn't do as good of a job at keeping mold at bay as forced air. Lately we've been using these plastic cups of desiccate pellets. They are pretty cheap (under $5) and we have noticed a difference, as for our clothes not feeling moist and less condensation on the glass when we wake up.

The desert it is not here in the winter, so expect a little bit of a battle.

[billhd]

I have a dehumidifier in the basement set at 55%. Keeps it nice and dry. That plus running the bathroom extractor fan after showering for 5-10 mins and I've had no problems wih dampness or mold in the house.

[Squidlo]

Moss on roofs is about how much sun it will get. There are preparations to control moss on roofs. Control moss, no need to reroof. Shingles should last as stated by the manufacturer.

Mold is about humidity. Keep the air drier in the home. Look for sources of moisture and eliminate them. Homes with baseboard heat I have seen a lot of mold (condensation-low temps). Systems that circulate air I have seen less. I can tell you from experience a leaking pipe in a wall is enough to get mold going in a wall. A well built home will not have mold issues. Look at drainage around the home. Is the landscaping far enough away from the siding? Its common sense. Pest and Dry Rot conditions are similar. Experts will tell you relative humidity needs to be below 80% to keep WDO (wood destroying organisms) at bay.

Beware of "used homes" with mold issues. If you have concerns have an inspector check out the home.