‘Tis the season for hot chocolate, warm socks, and staying indoors. But just because it’s snowy outside doesn’t mean your home is safe from the risk of a mold infestation. Though many mold species go dormant in the winter, the moisture associated with snow, hail, and sleet combined with the warmth of your home means that the holiday season is the perfect time for spores to get out of hand.
Mold needs heat, nutrients, and water to multiply, but it won’t die if deprived of warmth or food. Mold-proofing your home in the wintertime will keep new spores from growing, but it won’t eliminate an existing fungus problem. If you’re rocketing into the holiday season with a current infestation, it may be in your best interest to call a remediation expert like those at ECS Crime & Trauma Scene Cleanup. These professionals will eradicate the existing mildew and help you prevent the problem from recurring.
With that said, an ounce of prevention may be worth a pound of cure this winter. If your house is growth-free and you’d like to keep it that way come spring, here are four ways you can leave the mold out in the cold.
Pump up the air circulation
Though humans, pets, and houseplants all love moving air to keep us warm and comfortable, mold likes things calm and still. These fungi thrive in warm, stagnant, and humid air, making post-shower bathrooms, kitchens with dishwashers, and wintertime basements the perfect hideaways for an expensive springtime remediation bill.
Turn on a fan or crack a window any time you plan to release a lot of steam into the air or in any areas of your house that generally don’t see a lot of circulation, such as basements and attics. 
Lock out the moisture
Just like any other living thing, mold needs water to survive and dampness to thrive. That’s why locking out any leaks or gaps in your home’s plumbing, and insulation is critical to avoiding an infestation. Luckily, sealing up moisture gaps is likely already part of your winterization routine.
Check all of your door and window seals, and keep an eye out for condensation as the temperatures drop. Any excess moisture around windows or doors should signal to you where the problem areas in your home are, allowing you to take anti-mold measures such as fixing your seals and increasing the airflow.
Bring old books and clothing upstairs
Mold loves to chomp down on your summer clothes or your decades-old photo albums, so if you’re storing these items in a high-humidity environment, it may be best to move them before the freeze hits. Taking out any paper or cloth will deprive spores of food, killing them before they can take root in your home.
Clean out your gutters
Once the last of the golden leaves have fallen, and the chill is setting in, it’s time to rake all of the plant mush out of your gutters. This step is vital not only to ensure your gutters filter rain and snow properly and that backed-up snow and moisture don’t create mold-tempting leaks in your roof.
Parting shot
Not only does mold destroy your walls and ceilings, but it can also pose a risk to your family’s respiratory health. Preventing potential spore growth is the best way to keep your family warm and comfortable this holiday season.
