After what seemed like a neverending forecast of rain, sleet, and snow, Springtime has finally decided to unpack and hang around for a few months. The sunshine and warmer temperatures have you opening windows, cleaning out closets, and making plans to update your patio, but soon you notice that your house smells…weird. And it keeps coming back no matter how much Lysol and Febreze you saturate the air with.
If you can’t get your home smelling fresh, read on to find out what might be the culprit:
Your House is Humid
You might think that running your air conditioning while keeping your windows open is a great way to balance out the temperature in your home, but what you’re actually doing is creating a breeding ground for mold. When the humidity in your home reaches 55% or above, surfaces become ripe for mold growth. Keep a hydrometer (a device that measures humidity) in your home so you can keep an eye on levels. If you see the numbers start to climb, turn up your AC or invest in a dehumidifier.
You Haven’t Replaced Your Air Filters
When air filters get clogged, the air in your ducts doesn’t flow as freely as it should. This causes the air to get cold, which causes condensation on the outside of your ductwork. That condensation can turn into black-colored mold, which (spoiler alert) doesn’t smell that great. If you have a hard time remembering, set an alert on your smartphone to remind yourself when it’s time to replace your filters.
You Don’t Run Your Bathroom Fan
Taking a hot shower is soothing, but the steam that fills your bathroom isn’t helping your air quality. If left unchecked, steam from a shower could cause mold to grow on shower doors, walls, and ceilings. Run your bathroom fan during showers and for at least 30 minutes afterward to get rid of the damp air in your bathroom.
If you’ve tried all of these things and your home still smells weird, then it might be time to call in a professional to see if you have a mold or mildew problem. But don’t wait! The longer mold has to grow, the harder it is to get rid of, which will put your hope of springtime freshness on hold until the problem has been solved.
Source: Green Home Solutions, Spring is here-Avoid Mold and Odors
