Maintaining a tidy home is essential to making it a comfortable place to live. However, keeping a clean home does not shield occupants from the growth of moisture and, consequently, mold. We will go over the specifics of how to dry out walls on your own as well as the health risks associated with mold fungi.
Reasons for education
You must locate the source of the moisture before you can combat it. Dampness on walls is frequently caused by a multitude of factors. The most typical one is:
- Leaks – occur when the water supply system, sewer pipe, or roof roof is damaged;
- Poor ventilation;
- Unsuitable waterproofing of floors and foundations;
- A large number of house plants;
- External factors – proximity to a river, heavy rains, groundwater, etc.d.
Still, the individual is the most significant factor in high humidity. An adult generates up to 2.5 liters of water vapor per day under typical circumstances, including water vapor produced during cooking, washing, and other activities. When drying clothes in the bathroom, for example, even a small departure from the norm can have dire consequences.
Remedies
Once the source of the high humidity has been identified and removed, you can start the process of drying the room. Expensive techniques, like using heat guns, are only required in very large rooms or to completely eradicate the effects of flooding. To swiftly remove moisture from walls in an apartment or private home, take these steps:
- Heater – the device provides air convection; even a small heater will cope with the task in 1-2 days;
- Household dehumidifier – the power of the unit is determined by the size of the home; to eliminate dampness on 50 m², a device with a power of 400 W is sufficient;
- Silica gel is a substance that absorbs moisture and organic vapors from the air; for household use it is supplied in the form of granules, they need to be laid out in a damp room; drying can last up to a week;
Lastly, a rise in home temperature has a negative impact on dampness. Drying the walls can be accomplished rather quickly by running the fireplace or heating system at maximum power. But this approach isn’t good for wooden houses because the direct effect of high temperatures can cause cracks in wood.
Mold on the walls
If there has been high humidity (70% or more) in the home for an extended period of time, mold fungi may start to grow there. Only a small number of the enormous variety of mold species found in nature can grow in homes for humans:
- Black – the most dangerous variety. Belongs to the fourth group of pathogenicity. Especially often affects building structures.
- White – rarely forms on walls, only when condensation has been present for weeks;
- Blue – affects wooden walls, leading to rotting of the material from the inside, its cracking.
Apart from its unsightly appearance, mold poses a serious health risk to humans. The mycotoxin saturation, which kills all living tissue, is the cause of this. Spores can enter the body by direct contact or by releasing themselves into the air and entering through the respiratory system. If you fail to dry out your home’s walls before mold grows there, you run the risk of contracting any of the following illnesses:
- Skin lesions – mycoses, dermatoses;
- Respiratory tract damage – asthma, bronchitis, cough;
- Digestive system disorders;
- Exacerbation of chronic diseases – nervous system, musculoskeletal system.
Mold exposure has a particularly negative effect on those who have pulmonary insufficiency and allergies.
Optimal microclimate in the house
Numerous factors, including occupant health, are influenced by the interior microclimate. However, the safety of the walls, floors, and ceilings suffers just as much from temperature and humidity as does the house’s design.
In order to avoid expensive repairs, it’s critical to keep rooms at their ideal microclimate. For example, the maximum humidity in the winter is 60%, and in the summer, it is 65%. For ambient temperature: a minimum of 15 °C. It is easy to identify the departure from the norm because the following symptoms indicate dampness:
- Condensate on glass and areas of walls joints with the ceiling;
- A characteristic “wet” smell;
- Swelling of wooden structures; expressed, for example, in poorly covered doors;
- Damp salt and sugar.
You shouldn’t hesitate to act when high humidity first appears. Mold always forms quickly if moisture in the walls is not removed in a timely manner. Its removal may require cosmetic repairs and will take a week. It can be challenging to determine humidity levels above average "by eye." A straightforward household device called a hygrometer can assist.
Keep in mind that excessive humidity damages stone structures like brick and concrete in addition to causing decay in wooden ones. When submerged in water, they disintegrate more quickly in areas with harsh winters. Although they endure slightly less damage, metal structures are still prone to corrosion.
Prevention
It’s critical to understand efficient techniques to stop moisture from growing in walls so that homeowners won’t have to worry about how to remove it from their walls. It suffices to implement several easy steps:
- Ventilate the room for at least 10-15 minutes every day, creating a draft;
- Dry clothes only on the balcony or outside;
- Equip a ventilation system in the kitchen;
- Use air filters – models equipped with a Nera filter are more preferable;
- Install air conditioners in combination with fungicidal filters against mold fungi;
- Do not overuse wet cleaning.
It is difficult to totally eradicate fungus from wet walls. It frequently recurs because of a dispute that made it through processing deep within the ceiling structure.
Finding moisture on your walls can be unsettling, but you can address the problem more skillfully if you know what causes it and how to solve it. This article examines common causes of wall dampness, such as leaks and inadequate ventilation, and offers helpful advice on how to spot, address, and avoid dampness. Homeowners can reclaim control over their indoor environment and maintain a more comfortable, healthy living space by implementing these simple steps.
It’s not too hard to ensure both your personal health and the safety of the house. It suffices to accomplish this by adhering to the fundamental guidelines for property maintenance. Furthermore, the issue should never be left to worsen on its own if mold starts to grow.
