Don’t Open Your Home To Unwanted Guests

16 Apr

Moving into a sparkling new home? Make sure your family is moving in alone. If you’re in the midst of a home construction project, you need to be sure it’s not becoming the perfect resting place for mold.

It takes months to build a house. Just like you wouldn’t want to let the outdoors come inside your beautifully finished home, you shouldn’t want the outdoors creeping into the primary structure of it. Your windows and your roof are added in the later stages of building your home. Until then, the foundation and frame of your home are exposed to all kinds of weather conditions.

Sogged and Bogged

In that time, rainwater can seep into the wood surrounding your doors and windows, and pool on top of your concrete foundation. It’s extremely difficult to adequately dry these surfaces and - especially corners and cavities - before installing new windows and flooring. The brand new wood in your home is quick to absorb this moisture. Once this is sealed in, dampness guarantees structural weakness and mold problems will follow.

Strong coastal winds and rain are infamous for battering gorgeous Southern structures. Protect your home from exposure to these brutal coastal rains by covering the window and door cutouts with plastic - before they get sogged and bogged. Ensure that your contractor is following a tight project management schedule to get your windows and doors installed quickly, rather than leaving your home open for weeks or even months. Additionally, it’s critical to spray any compromised surfaces with a botanical fungicide to combat the inevitable introduction of mold.

Damage Control

If your home has already been enclosed after suffering from exposure to humidity and rain, most contractors will not replace the warped or dampened wood. At this point, multiple dehumidifiers can help to mitigate subsequent damage as build continues. These steps should be taken before drywall is added and painting begins, to prevent an unstoppable infestation of mold that will threaten the foundations of your home.

Following these simple preventative steps will ensure that your home is protected from the inside, out. You wouldn’t accept soggy wood from the lumber yard. Don’t allow it to become part of your home’s foundation either.