Full Transcript Intro and Mold Prevention Overview 0:00 Molds cannot grow without moisture. 0:02 It's just that simple. 0:03 And the EPA recommends keeping indoor relative humidity between 30 and 50% ideally to avoid that mold growth. 0:09 And why does that matter so much? 0:10 When humidity levels become elevated, you're creating the perfect environment for mold spores, which are always present in the air, 0:16 to colonize and grow on surfaces. 0:18 In the right conditions, you can get mold growth within about 24 to 48 hours. 0:25 You've tried everything. 0:26 You've changed your diet. 0:27 You've detoxed. 0:28 You've even moved homes. 0:29 And yet, you still feel sick. 0:31 Headaches, brain fog, fatigue that no one can explain. 0:35 What if it's not you? 0:36 What if it's your environment? 0:38 Welcome to Mold Microtoxins and More. 0:40 I'm John Bode. 0:42 Each week, I sit down with experts uncovering how mold, microtoxins, and environmental exposures affect your health and what real recovery looks like. 0:50 Let's get into today's conversation. 0:53 The information provided on the Mold Pros podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, 1:00 diagnosis, or treatment. 1:02 Listening to the podcast does not create a doctor-patient or professional-client relationship between you and the podcast host, 1:07 guest, or the Mold Pros. 1:09 The content shared should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 1:15 And always seek the medical advice of your physician or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding the medical condition, 1:22 potential mold exposure, or health concerns. 1:25 Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. 1:30 And while we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, we make no representations or warranties of any kind,
Podcast Disclaimer and Episode Setup 1:36 expressed or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, or suitability of all the information discussed. 1:42 A guest's experience and outcomes discussed on this podcast are individual cases and should not be considered typical results. 1:47 Your situation may differ significantly. 1:51 As always, if you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. 1:56 By listening to the Mole Pros podcast, you acknowledge that you understood this disclosure. 2:01 Welcome back to Mold Microtoxins and More. 2:03 I'm your host, John Bodie, co-founder of The Mold Pros. 2:07 Today's episode is going to be a little bit different. 2:09 Instead of sitting down with a healthcare provider or another environmental health expert, I want to go solo to share what I've learned from years in the 2:17 field about preventing mold problems before they start. 2:21 Most people only think about mold after they've already had a problem. 2:25 But the homeowners that never need our services, these are the ones that are doing these five things consistently. 2:31 So whether you're a current homeowner or you're thinking about buying a property, or you just want to protect your family's health, 2:37 these are practical, actionable steps that can save you thousands of dollars and potentially serious health issues on down the road. 2:45 So I want to count these down from number five to number one, saving the most critical prevention strategy for last. 2:51 So let's dive in. 2:53 Coming in at number five is using mold-resistant building materials and practices, especially during renovations or new construction.
Mold-Resistant Materials and Renovation Practices 3:01 So if you're building or renovating, specify mold-resistant materials wherever possible. 3:06 In bathrooms, laundry rooms, and basements, use mold-resistant drywall. 3:10 Greenboard, or even better, go paperless drywall. 3:14 Regular drywall has a paper facing that's essentially mold food when it gets wet and mold resistant alternatives use fiberglass facing or completely paperless. 3:24 You should also look into mold resistant paints. 3:27 We recommend finding ones that are low VOC. 3:31 And for insulation in damp environments like basements or crawl spaces, avoid paper-faced insulation like fiberglass bats. 3:40 Consider using closed cell spray foam or rigid foam board, or even unfaced fiberglass bats instead. 3:49 And when it comes to flooring, choose wisely. 3:52 especially in basements or bathrooms, ceramic tile or luxury vinyl plank, or even silt concrete. 4:00 Those are way better choices than carpet. 4:03 And some of today's luxury vinyl, it just looks great. 4:07 It's really easy to install and it's not that expensive. 4:09 So it's a really good DIY project. 4:13 And here's something that most people don't even think about. 4:16 How you store your items in your home, it really does matter. 4:20 So don't push furniture against exterior walls, especially in basements. 4:25 Always leave a few inches for air circulation. 4:28 And when it comes to storage, we recommend that you use those polytotes or plastic storage bins instead of cardboard boxes. 4:35 The cardboard is an organic material that readily supports mold growth when it becomes damp and it will absorb moisture. 4:41 So another good tool or tip whenever you're storing is elevate your storage off the basement floors with shelving. 4:50 And for crawl spaces, consider encapsulation with a vapor barrier on the floor and up the walls and make sure that you have sealed vents and a dehumidifier. 5:01 This can completely transform a moisture problem into a controlled environment. 5:06 Stack effect can pull up damp or moldy air from a basement or crawlspace into the main living area. 5:12 And so it's important to keep those areas really dry and well ventilated. 5:16 And finally, when you're doing any renovation work, make absolutely certain that everything is properly dried before closing up the walls. 5:25 We've inspected countless homes where contractors have closed up everything, rebuilt the wall before everything was fully dried out. 5:32 And that just creates the perfect conditions for hidden mold growth. 5:36 Number two on our, on our countdown list is going to be maintaining gutters and ensuring proper drainage around the home's foundation. 5:44 This is kind of one of those out of sight, out of mind issues that causes some of the worst bowl problems that we see. 5:50 Your gutters exist for one reason, and that's to direct water away from your home's foundation. 5:55 And when they're clogged or damaged or we have water that will then overflow and pull around the foundation, and that can see right into the basement or 6:03 right into the crawl space, and it saturates the soil all around your foundation, and that can lead to those significant moisture intrusions. 6:11 We forget that concrete is porous and it will absorb water. 6:15 So here's your action plan. 6:17 Clean your gutters at least twice a year, you know, late spring or late fall perhaps, or if you have a lot of overhanging trees or in a heavily wooded area, 6:25 you may need to do it more frequently than that. 6:28 And while you're up there, check for the proper slope towards downspouts, make sure the water is being directed that way and look for sections that are 6:36 either pulling away from the fascia or have holes or cracks that can sometimes appear. 6:44 But cleaning your gutters, that's only the first step. 6:47 Your downspouts is the second part of that equation. 6:50 And we recommend that those be extended five to six feet away from the foundation. 6:56 You know, those plastic extensions that you can get at Lowe's or Home Depot or your hardware stores, those things work, so use them. 7:04 The goal is to deposit the water far enough away from the foundation so it doesn't flow backwards into the home and create those issues. 7:12 And speaking of foundations, check the grading around your home. 7:17 The soil should slope away from the house. 7:19 Ideally, you want about six inches of drop over a 10-foot run. 7:23 And if the water is pulling near your foundation, you need to regrade those areas or install drainage solutions. 7:31 And if you have some of these chronic moisture issues or some negative slope that you can't really fix otherwise, you may need to look at a French drain 7:39 or other drainage system around the home to pull that water away. 7:44 Yes, it's an investment, but it's much less expensive than dealing with an ongoing mold problem, which can create foundation damage and, 7:50 of course, potential health issues. 7:53 And one more thing, if you have window wells, like in a basement, make sure you have the proper drainage covers. 8:00 Water wells that fill up with water are common entry point moisture for a basement. 8:06 We've seen major mold problems start right there.
Gutters, Drainage, and Foundation Moisture Control 8:10 Number three, ensure proper ventilation throughout your home. 8:16 Poor ventilation is a common contributor to mold growth that we see, and it's completely preventable. 8:24 Think about areas in your home that tend to generate a lot of moisture, like bathrooms or kitchens or laundry rooms. 8:31 These areas absolutely need proper ventilation to the outside of the home, not just into an attic or to another room, but actually outside of the house. 8:41 Every bathroom should have an exhaust fan that's vented to the exterior. 8:45 And make sure that you're running it during showers and for about 20 or 30 minutes after the shower as well. 8:52 And you want to make sure that it's functioning properly. 8:55 So here's a quick test that you can do at home. 8:58 Hold up a tissue to the exhaust fan while it's running. 9:01 And if it doesn't stick to the vent, your fan is not pulling enough air through. 9:06 So that means it may simply need some cleaning. 9:09 You can drop the cover and clean that out really well. 9:12 It could be that perhaps your ducts are blocked or it could be that the fan just needs to be replaced. 9:18 And in the kitchen, use your range hood every time you cook, especially if you're boiling water or cooking anything that generates a lot of steam. 9:26 And again, make sure it's vented to the outside and not just recirculating that air in the home. 9:32 For basements and crawl space, ventilation is absolutely critical. 9:36 Basements often need supplemental ventilation through windows or vents, especially if there's not really good climate controls down there. 9:44 And crawl spaces, as we mentioned before, they should be properly ventilated to building codes. 9:49 And we recommend encapsulation depending upon the climate. 9:54 And don't forget your attic. 9:56 Proper ventilation through soffit vents or ridge vents or gable vents, that prevents moisture buildup that can lead to roof deck mold and structural damage. 10:06 A well-ventilated attic should be close to the outdoor temperature. 10:10 It shouldn't be super hot or a lot more warm than what's compared to the outside. 10:17 One thing that oftentimes happens in attics, especially if they have blown in insulation, is that they'll fail to put the baffles where the soffit vents are, 10:25 and they'll blow that insulation in, and they'll cover up the vents. 10:28 So getting in there with a small leaf rake, you can pull some of that back and increase some of that ventilation. 10:35 And here's one thing that people sometimes really just overlook is don't block your HVAC return vents with furniture. 10:44 Your HVAC system is a major part of your home's ventilation strategy and it needs to circulate that air properly throughout the home to make sure that 10:51 you have proper moisture management. 10:53 You've cleaned, repainted, and replaced filters, and still, you're not getting better. 10:59 Headache, fatigue, brain fog? 11:01 The doctors can't explain it, but your environment can. 11:04 At The Mold Pros, we specialize in uncovering what's hidden in plain sight. 11:08 Our environmental testing looks beyond surface mold, identifying bacteria, volatile organic compounds, and even microtoxins in the air that you breathe. 11:18 Then we correlate those results with your clinical data, showing how your space may be affecting your health. 11:24 Next, we use our patented remediation process to safely remove toxins, restore balance, and prevent them from returning. 11:32 It's more than just a cleanup. 11:34 It's a science-based system designed to help your body heal by healing the environment first.
Ventilation Throughout the Home 11:40 If you're ready to breathe freely again, visit themoldpros.com and schedule your free consultation. 11:46 Because wellness doesn't start in the doctor's office. 11:49 It starts where you live. 11:51 Point number two, fix water leaks immediately. 11:56 I can't stress this enough. 11:58 Mold can begin growing within 24 to 48 hours of water exposure. 12:03 And that's not theoretical. 12:04 That is real-world timing. 12:06 In my years of doing mold inspections, I've seen big problems that started out with what seemed to be really minor water leaks. 12:13 It can be a slow drip underneath the kitchen sink that we'd been meaning to fix and didn't, or a toilet seal that just slightly compromised, 12:23 or maybe even a tiny roof leak in the attic that only shows up during rainy season. 12:27 Well, these small leaks can cause massive problems because they provide consistent moisture over time and oftentimes in a hidden area. 12:35 So have it in a regular inspection routine. 12:39 So check underneath your sinks, check around your toilets, check near your hot water heater, around your windows and in your attic, 12:47 especially after storms in the attic. 12:49 And look for water stains, discoloration, peeling paint, bubbling, warping. 12:54 These are all signs that water could be getting in places where it shouldn't be. 13:00 You can also check your water bill. 13:02 If it's unusually high without a good explanation, you may have a hidden water leak. 13:08 Now, some water companies will offer a leak detection service, but if they don't, you may be able to do this yourself by turning off all the water using 13:19 appliances and then go out and check your water meter. 13:20 If it's still moving and none of those appliances are running, you may have a leak somewhere. 13:26 And if you do find a leak in your home, don't put a bucket under it and add it to fix a leak to your to-do list. 13:33 Address it as soon as possible. 13:35 If it's a small fix and you can take care of it yourself, easily done. 13:39 But if it's beyond your skill level or if you don't have time, just call a plumber immediately. 13:44 The cost of that plumber's visit is nothing compared to a mold remediation and certainly the potential health impacts to your family. 13:52 So get it taken care of straight away. 13:54 And here's something that some people don't think about. 13:56 If you've had an active water leak for more than 48 hours, if the material got really saturated, we recommend that you have a professional mold inspection 14:08 even after fixing the leak. 14:10 Just because you can't see visible mold growth doesn't mean it's not there. 14:13 It could be hiding underneath a wall, it could be under the flooring, etc. 14:18 And some of these hidden molds can be the most dangerous because they go unaddressed for so long. 14:22 So get it tested. 14:23 It doesn't hurt. 14:26 Filant number one, and that is controlling indoor humidity. 14:30 And I'm putting this at the top of the list because it's absolutely foundational. 14:34 Molds cannot grow without moisture. 14:37 It's just that simple. 14:38 And the EPA recommends keeping indoor relative humidity between 30 and 50% ideally to avoid that mold growth. 14:45 And why does that matter so much? 14:47 When humidity levels become elevated, you're creating the perfect environment for mold spores, which are always present in the air, 14:53 to colonize and grow on surfaces. 14:55 And it can happen pretty fast, as we talked about. 14:58 In the right conditions, you can get mold growth within about 24 to 48 hours. 15:03 So how do you control humidity? 15:06 Well, first, we recommend that you invest in a really good hygrometer. 15:11 A hygrometer is a device that measures humidity levels. 15:15 So you can pick one up for about $10 or $20 at any hardware store, or you can buy them online pretty easily, and place them in different areas of your home,
Fix Water Leaks Immediately 15:24 especially if you have a basement or in your bathrooms or laundry rooms and that sort of thing, and check it regularly, especially during humid seasons. 15:33 I use Apple's HomePods, so not only can I listen to great music throughout the house, but these HomePods have temperature and little hygrometers in there, 15:43 so it tells me what the temp and relative humidity is all throughout my house. 15:47 I just pull up on my iPhone, boom, and I know. 15:51 If you're consistently reading above 50%, here's your action plan. 15:56 Run dehumidifiers in problem areas, especially in basements and crawl spaces. 16:01 Damp air is heavier and it drops, and so those are the first places that you want to make sure you get dried out. 16:07 In humid climates like I have here in Florida, a dehumidifier may run quite a bit, especially during rainy season or in a basement, 16:15 it may run all the time. 16:17 We recommend that you get one that has a pump and a drain hose so you're not doing that bucket brigade all the time trying to empty it out. 16:25 Another issue is make sure that your HVAC system is properly sized for your home. 16:30 Here's a mistake that we see all the time is there's an oversized AC unit that will cool your home way too quickly without removing enough of the humidity. 16:40 Your AC should run long enough to dehumidify the home, not just cool it down. 16:47 So here's a game changer. 16:48 Here's your pro tip, and it's a great takeaway. 16:51 Every homeowner should know about this. 16:53 Install a smart thermostat with the humidity control feature. 16:58 Modern smart thermostats like a Nest or a Honeywell home model, they don't just control the temperature, they actually monitor and manage humidity levels 17:07 throughout your home. 17:08 And here's how they work. 17:10 Many smart thermostats have a built-in humidity sensor that can be programmed to maintain specific humidity targets, like we talked about, 17:18 between 30 and 50 percent. 17:20 When that humidity gets too high, they can run your air conditioning in a dehumidification mode, allowing the fan to run at lower speeds to maximize that 17:29 moisture removal. 17:30 Some models can even integrate like a whole house dehumidifier or signal your HVAC system to run longer cycles, specifically for humidity control. 17:41 I have that set up in my Linux system for my home. 17:44 It does a great job. 17:46 And the beauty of a smart thermostat is that it gives real-time data. 17:50 So you can check your home's humidity from your smartphone. 17:53 You can get alerts if your levels are too high. 17:56 And some of those apps will allow you to see historical trends to identify your problem periods. 18:03 So for someone that's serious about mold prevention, this kind of monitoring is simply invaluable. 18:09 And you can literally see when your bathroom humidity spikes after a shower or when your basement humidity creeps up during, 18:15 you know, rainy season or during humid weather.
Control Indoor Humidity 18:18 So if you're going to invest in a smart thermostat for humidity control, make sure it has a couple of these features. 18:25 One, you want a built in humidity sensor. 18:28 You want the building to set those humidity targets. 18:31 make sure it has a dehumidification mode. 18:35 And I really like that smartphone alert feature as well. 18:40 going to cost you probably two to three hundred dollars some utility companies will offer rebates if you upgrade to one of those but that one-time cost 18:48 gives you continuous protection and it's uh it's it's really invaluable so beyond the technology don't forget just the basics right it's using those exhaust 18:59 fans in the bathrooms in the kitchens religiously And make sure you run them 20 or 30 minutes after showering or cooking. 19:06 And during human months, use your air conditioning system that's already there in your home. 19:11 Use that as your kind of whole house dehumidifier. 19:15 You know, you can remove that moisture as it's cooling the air. 19:20 And one tip I always share with homeowners is the condensation forming on the windows. 19:25 If you see that, that's a red flag that your indoor relative humidity may be too high. 19:30 That moisture has to go somewhere. 19:32 And oftentimes it's going in the walls, it's going in the windowsills, et cetera, or flooring where you can't see it. 19:38 So that window condensation is your early warning system. 19:43 In Florida, where I work, we're in one of the most human climates in the country. 19:47 And I can't tell you how many homes I inspect where humidity has been like 65%, 70 or 75% indoors. 19:54 And with these levels, you're not preventing mold. 19:56 You're just waiting for it to appear. 19:58 And when it does, you get spotting all throughout the structure on the walls, the personal items. 20:03 It gets everywhere. 20:04 It's a xerophilic mold bloom. 20:05 And it's a big problem. 20:07 Probably the vast majority of the work that we do is associated with this type of situation. 20:13 And I put humidity as the number one thing because it connects everything back to that moisture control, right? 20:20 Fixing leaks, insurer ventilation, maintaining drainage, using resistant milling materials. 20:25 We all work together to keep those moisture levels where they need to be. 20:29 But if you had to focus on just one thing, controlling your indoor humidity would give the biggest return on investment for mold prevention. 20:37 It's the foundation that everything else is built on. 20:40 So there you have it, the top five things a homeowner can do to avoid mold problems, counting down from number five to number one. 20:48 So just to kind of recap, number five, use mold resistant building materials and practices during renovations. 20:55 Number four, maintain gutters and proper drainage around your foundations. 21:00 And the third item is to ensure proper ventilation in bathrooms, kitchens, and throughout your home. 21:06 Number two, fix water leaks immediately. 21:08 Don't wait. 21:10 Remember, you've got that critical 24 to 48 hour window. 21:14 And the number one thing, maintain or control your indoor relative humidity between 30 and 50% as the EPA recommends. 21:23 None of these steps are particularly complicated or expensive when you're being proactive, but ignoring them can lead to serious problems. 21:30 And I've seen families dealing with chronic health issues that have resolved once they've addressed the mold issue in their homes. 21:37 And I've seen homeowners face remediation bills of 10,000, 15,000, or even as high as 30,000 on projects because of small problems that they ignored that 21:48 became major issues. 21:50 So the best mold problem is the one that you never have. 21:54 And these five practices will get you about 90% of the way there. 21:58 So if you're listening to this and you're thinking, well, I may already have a mold problem, don't panic, but also don't wait. 22:04 If you're experiencing unexplained health symptoms or if you see visible mold or what you believe to be mold, or if you smell that damp, 22:12 musty odor, or if you've had a water intrusion event, we recommend that you get a professional mold inspection. 22:19 At The Mold Pros, we work with health care providers across the country who understand the health impacts of mold exposure, 22:25 and we can help you figure out exactly what's going on in your home. 22:28 And if you're a healthcare provider treating patients with environmental illness, we'd love to connect you with our preferred provider network. 22:36 So thanks for listening to this episode of Mold Microtoxins and More. 22:41 If you found it to be helpful, please share it with friends and family. 22:44 Preventive information like this can make a real difference in people's lives. 22:48 And remember to follow us on whichever platform you listen to your podcast and give us a great review. 22:54 Till next time, stay dry, stay healthy. 22:57 Thank you. 23:01 You've been listening to Mold, Microtoxins and More with John Bodie. 23:04 If you're ready to take the next step towards a healthier home, follow the show and visit TheMoldPros.com for your free consultation. 23:12 Because clean air is the first step to true healing.
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