Building a new home is an exciting process, but long-range planning is necessary to keep it in top condition. New homes need to be designed to avoid problems caused by mold, mildew and dry rot, and this post discusses how to avoid these problems.
Before thinking about building, know what causes mold and mildew – moisture. Spotless walls are never clean enough to avoid feeding mold because drywall is porous and easily absorbs airborne particles. Also due to this complication, there will never be a shortage of mold and mildew growths because these creatures reproduce with airborne spores which land on walls. The one factor that can be controlled when building a new home is the amount of moisture that can get into walls and other structures.
As a result, make sure to build on level, well-drained soil. Soils which hold moisture will hold it close to the foundation and lower crawl spaces, and soils which are prone to shrink-swell (such as clay) will eventually crack foundations and allow moisture to seep into the basement. Your architect should run soil analyses before designing your home.
Another important decision is to know the general humidity of the building area. Places with high humidity are naturally more inclined to allow moisture to condense on the building structure. If you will live in an area of high humidity, make sure to install an efficient air conditioning unit (removes humidity from cooled air) and also consider installing a dehumidifier in your basement and crawl spaces. This will ensure that the high humidity will not have a chance to condense and seep into building materials, thereby inhibiting the growth of mold.
As a final note, make sure that your roof will last for many years when designing your home. If it becomes leaky or damaged, fix it immediately to avoid moisture accumulation in the roof building materials due to precipitation. New homes normally have roofs with 25+ year warranties and must be absolutely leak-proof.
If you are able to keep moisture out of your home, you will prevent the problems caused by mold and mildew!
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