Mold spores are dangerous and can cause unimaginable health problems along with huge expenses in moving costs, medical bills and property damage. Our Northglenn Garage Door Repair experts urge you to eliminate mold whenever it is found in your home or business location and that includes your garage! Usually when you think of mold growing, the mental image of a bathroom, kitchen or shed arises. Mold spores love humid, moist and dark environments that are also mostly unventilated. This of course can include your garage interior.
New garage mold proofing
Are you in the process of building your new home? Is the work commencing now or has it started recently? This is the perfect time to mold proof your new garage. It’s actually a simple process. Just be sure to not use materials that are hospitable to mold and its growth. These materials include wood and drywall and instead use a paperless version or vinyl siding or aluminum. Wood and paper are quite hospitable to mold spores so you’ll want to avoid using them as much as possible. They are actually food for the mold so if you eliminate the food source by using different building materials, you drastically cut down on mold’s ability to grow and thrive.
Existing garage mold proofing
Sometimes applying a coat of paint is all that is needed to mold proof your existing garage walls. As you know, mold eats paper and wood products much like they do the old food in your refrigerator. If the spores can’t get to the food source, they die out and don’t multiply. Also, be sure to keep your garage well ventilated as the air inside your garage really needs to be as moisture proof as possible. Our Northglenn, CO weather tends to be low humidity and that’s great for keeping mold growth to a minimum. We also realize that we do get humid spells once in a while and that many of our readers live elsewhere in more damp and moist climates like Florida or North Carolina.
Fix any leaks
This one is important. Not only can leaks cause further damage to your building structure, but the water or moisture that they bring can increase the humidity level inside your garage especially when trapped inside a closed space. If you discover a leaky roof or water heater, get it fixed as fast as possible and leave the garage door open to air the space out or if that is not possible, use fans to do the trick.
Mold removal
If you discover mold in your Northglenn garage, act fast to remove it! Don’t put it on your “to do list” for a future project; clean it up as soon as possible! Try and remove ALL of the mold spores that you find; leaving even a tiny amount will have it growing back with a vengeance. Look for mold growth on the garage door itself and also on the floor, walls and corners of the room. Of course, mold can grow on items inside the garage like cardboard boxes, books, rags, papers and other porous materials.
It’s best to use bleach in your mold cleanup efforts. You’ll be using your bleach mixture on both drywall and concrete surfaces as both are porous and a favorite growth area for dangerous mold to thrive in. Use one part bleach to four parts water when cleaning floors, walls or your garage door. Are your garage walls unfinished drywall? If so, spray your bleach mixture directly on it and let it soak in. Be sure to wear gloves if you are scrubbing bleach onto vinyl, concrete or wood surfaces. We recommend that you wear a respirator when cleaning or just leave the garage door open if you can.
Do I have to use bleach?
No, there are other good alternatives to using bleach for mold removal. One of them is vinegar. Another is tea tree oil and water. Use one part white vinegar and one part water. Be sure to not use the apple cider version; only the regular while one. You can add a tablespoon of dishwashing detergent to every quart of solution that you make for added strength. You can also use denatured alcohol, but be sure to use full strength. Either spray it on or wipe the surface with a sponge. Please make an effort to NOT breathe any fumes from these cleanings. As stated above, clean with your garage door open or use fans to recirculate the air. If cleaning in the winter or cold months, use space heaters to dry out the inside surfaces of your garage; remember; no moisture!
Word of warning!
Be careful to NOT use your bleach mixtures with ammonia or other chemicals. Toxic fumes may be the result. Another big NO is to use white vinegar with hydrogen peroxide. Please resist the urge to experiment and make your solutions extra strong! The mixtures mentioned above are in the right proportions and are safe so please stick to that.
More tips
Always remember that mold spores need moisture to survive and to grow. It doesn’t do any good to fix leaks and wipe up spills if you are going to overlook other, easy-to-do things like tracking snow or water into your garage by simply driving in to it from the outside and having it on your tires. This is something to watch out for all year long and not just with your car – moisture can be brought into your garage through skateboards, bicycles, motorcycles, lawn mowers and even snow shoes!
Be sure to keep mold inducing items to a minimum inside your garage. It’s always a good idea to store books, old newspapers, magazines and rags in non-cardboard containers. Plastic is not so good for the earth’s environment, but mold hates it and will not grow or thrive in dry, sealed plastic containers with no moisture in them. You can stop, prevent and eliminate mold spores in your Northglenn, CO garage; just be watchful, careful and responsive and you’ll be fine!
Aricle source here: GARAGE DOOR MAINTENANCE – SPORES
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