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Bathroom Mold Solutions

Often times people decide to renovate their bathrooms due to mold contamination. As a bathroom renovation contractor we can say that mold contamination is one of the top three reasons of why people decide to renovate their bathroom. Bathrooms can loose their esthetic appeal because of mold growth. If you are planning to sell the house, having black mold on the bath’s walls and ceiling is definitely not a selling feature and could turn off prospective buyers. So before you start on your bathroom renovation, here is some helpful information on what mold is, what to do if you have it, and how to prevent it from coming.

Mold and mildew prevention in the bathroom

Bathrooms are a favourite breeding ground of mold. In order for mold to survive in the bathroom, there have to be a few conditions present to keep it alive. These are an organic food sourse, an appropriate temperature (20-30 C) and sufficient moisture. In order to reproduce, molds produce spores, which spread through air, water, or by insects. These spores act like seeds and can form new mold growth if the conditions are right. If you have mold in your bathroom, you’ve probably noticed that it has a tendency to spread through the walls and ceiling. If left unattended for an extended period of time, mold can contaminate large areas of the bathroom and can result in a costly mold remediation. Thus bathroom renovation is the perfect solution to get rid of mold.

Cause of mold growth in the bathroom

There are mainly two reasons of why many bathrooms are contaminated with mold. The most common reason is poor ventilation. Usually there is a lot of moisture in your bathroom and there is not enough ventilation to remove it. The other reason is that somewhere in the bathroom you have water leak or leaks. The most common areas that could leak are tub surroundings, tiled areas of the shower or tub (most often through the grout cracks) and under the toilet and/or sink. To protect your bathroom from leaks that can then contribute to mold problems, it has to be properly waterproofed.

How to spot mold in your bathroom?

Mold usually appears as black or greenish-brown patches on the bathroom surfaces. Most of the time it emerges on the grout lines between the tiles of the bathtub or standing shower area. It also appears on the surfaces around the sink pipes and around the toilet. Not always one can discover mold growth visually. Odours can often be the first sign of a potential mold problem. If the bathroom has a musty odour, it could be of a mold presence. This should prompt a homeowner to investigate the bathroom further for potential mold growth in the hidden areas such as beneath the drywall, behind floor baseboard or inside vanity cabinets or possibly consider a bathroom renovation.

How to remove mold in the bathroom

Before attempting to remove mold and mildew from the bathroom surfaces, one has to determine the cause of mold growth and eliminate it. Simply removing mold from the walls and ceiling of the bathroom, without addressing the origin of the problem, will only create a temporary visual relief but not get rid of the mold itself.

Mold should be treated as soon as it’s detected. When the humidity problem of the bathroom is eliminated and if the contaminated area is not too large (less then 5 sq f in total), mold could be treated with a mold control spray such as “Concrobium Mold Control” or “Safe Shield”. Mold that comes back after cleaning is usually a sign that a moisture source has not been removed. For bigger areas of contamination it is advisable to replace the contaminated drywall entirely. It is also recommended to consult with a professional mold remediation contactor for severely affected areas.

Mold and your health

Health experts say the effects of mold can range from being insignificant to causing allergic reactions and illness. Their effect depends on the type of mold, the amount and degree of exposure and the general health of the homeowners.

Mold free practices in your bathroom

Here are a few tips on how to keep your bathroom mold free.

  • Clean your bathroom regularly. Scrub the shower and tub with your favourite cleaner and wipe it dry. Mold and mildew thrives in the shower and the bath not only due to the damp conditions, but also because of the dirt and grime that builds up on the surfaces of the tiled areas, especially around the tub surrounding and shower enclosures. Body oil and soap scum promotes the growth of mold.
  • Install a good quality bathroom fan and make sure it has a proper termination of the bathroom vent. It is recommended to leave the fan working for 20 minutes after taking a shower/bath. Also, keep the exhaust grille free of debris as dust and other particles quickly accumulate on it.
  • If you’re planning on doing a bathroom renovation, it’s recommended to completely waterproof your bathroom with a waterproofing membrane.

We wish all Toronto homeowners a mold free bathroom experience and make sure that our bathroom renovation practice tackles this issue before it stars. We also recommend that you take action when you see the first signs of a mold so that your bathroom continues to be beautiful, clean, and healthy.

For more information on how we can help you with your bathroom renovation needs please contact Bowerbird Renovations today.


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