Most people do not think about the walls that they have in their homes and that is unfortunately since mold is much more common than you may believe. You have to know what to do in order to remove mold as soon as it appears and everything basically starts with completely understanding how it appears in the first place.
Why Does Mold Appear?
In most cases mold will appear in the walls’ inside corners. If it appears in another place, the problem is most likely something behind the wall and a professional should be called.
When referring to inside corner mold problems, especially with exterior walls, 2 commons are more common than others:
- Poor air circulation
- Uninsulated framing cavities
With poor air circulation, the warm air normally registers at the windows, allowing to blow dry, warm air over glass in order to eliminate condensation. When corners are away from air that moves, moisture ends up condensing. That is a perfect environment for mildew and mold.
When framing cavities are uninsulated or the interior walls will meet the exterior walls, the problem is a little more complex. Carpenters have to insulate the cavities, especially when they are accessible just as walls are framed. If the carpenter is lazy or careless, insulation is simply not included or it is not properly installed. Insulation cannot be added to such locations at a later point in time. When the weather is cold, inside wall surfaces will cool, moisture will condense and the mildew will start appearing.
The Common Handyman Solution
If you are good with tools, you can try the following. Use a 3/8 inches spade drill in order to bore 30 inch interval hopes from the floor up. Holes should be angled towards corner middle. When you see insulation wrapped around your drill, it means that insulation does exist and the fix is not necessary. Instead, call a professional. If you do not see insulation present after the first hole, continue.
Use expanding foam cans. Spray one completely in the first of the holes you drilled and then let it sit for a while so that it expands. Then, on the next day, do the same thing with the next whole. Do this until all the holes are filled. When you are done, you just have to patch holes and repaint, which is not at all difficult.
In the event that insulation is present, you will have to reduce air movement or/and air moisture. You can use ceiling fans, dehumidifiers or warm air vents.