May 16 2006
Last year’s hurricane season left many houses and buildings in rubble and caused many more to be shut down from increased levels of mold growing inside. Unfortunately, even after extensive repairs, many of these buildings will face the same moisture and mold problems again this year.
Most of the water-vulnerable areas on a house or building are located on its roof. Taking a proactive approach to guard against wind-driven rain in the seven areas on a roof and exterior of a house will help reduce the amount of excess water and moisture allowed in during the upcoming hurricane and rainy season.
“Good House” expert Matt Shipley suggests leak guarding all areas on the exterior of your house. By reducing the number of areas that water has to gain access to a house, the chances of creating an environment friendly to mold significantly decreases.
“Although every house has mold spores, they need the right conditions in order to thrive,” said Shipley. “Mold requires a food source, the right temperature and moisture in order to grow into catastrophic proportions that put insurance and homebuilding companies out of business and drive homeowners from their homes.”
The seven most vulnerable areas on the exterior include:
“You can live worry-free about mold if you successfully manage moisture in and around your house,” Shipley said. “Check each of the water-vulnerable areas on the exterior of your house to make sure they are not collecting water and letting it into your home.”