How do I get rid of annoying mold? 9 tips from the experts

How you heat and ventilate or how you place furnishings not only affects the quality of life. Especially in winter, it decides whether mold will spread or not.

Together with the expert Peter Tappler from IBO Innenanalytik OG in Vienna, the OÖN give tips on how to prevent or combat mold formation.

What you can do against mold

1. Regular Ventilate is necessary, especially in winter, to remove the moisture released into the indoor air by people (breathing, perspiration) or from cooking fumes, showering/bathing, drying laundry, house plants, aquariums, indoor fountains, etc.
2. Will the room temperature change in the course of Energy saving measures lowered, the humidity automatically increases. This can sometimes even be desirable, but if the values ​​are too high, mold growth can occur.
3. Depending on the intensity of use, living spaces should be ventilated efficiently three to five times a day. This is best suited Cross ventilation, in which the windows on opposite sides are completely opened at the same time for a few minutes. Rule of thumb: The lower the outside temperature, the shorter ventilation times can be selected. According to Tappler, the best solution would be demand-based mechanical room ventilation with moisture recovery.
4. You can determine whether there is a risk of mold by measuring the relative Humidity check. You can get suitable thermo-hygrometers for around 20 euros. There are also devices that can be read on your cell phone. Normal humidity levels in the cold season are around 30 to 50 percent, but in well-insulated houses it can be slightly higher.
5. Scene bathroom: If there is an exhaust fan, it often does not turn on or the filter is clogged (this should be cleaned or changed once a year). The exhaust air can be regulated using a hygrostat, which activates the fan when the humidity is high. If there are only windows in the bathroom for ventilation, they must remain open long enough after bathing.
6. basement, cellar should only be ventilated if there is less absolute humidity in the outside air than inside – so ventilating cellars in the warm season is usually not effective.
7. Furniture should not be placed on vulnerable external walls or external corners (wall areas with low insulation levels). If it is unavoidable, you should leave enough distance between the object and the wall (five to ten centimeters, depending on the area being adjusted). Anything that impairs air circulation and free flow to the wall surface is unfavorable.
8. If you discover mold on the wall, Need for action given that the infestation usually extends over a larger area than what can be seen. Small infested areas on the wall can be treated yourself using mold remover from the drugstore; directly affected textiles must be disposed of. Simply painting over the infestation is not enough. Wearing an FFP3 mask is recommended when working.
9. The infestation occurs again and again or if the infestation is larger, experts should be consulted. Dense houses, apartments and windows are to be advocated for energy saving reasons. Internal surfaces of walls also remain warmer with good external insulation, says Tappler: “However, the moisture produced by users has to be removed somehow. It’s amazing how much water vapor we produce every day. An average family gives around ten liters of water per day indoor air.” If this steam is not sufficiently dissipated, such high humidity will develop in cold wall areas that mold will grow at some point.

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