Why the building envelope and ventilation are so important to be “safer at home”
Just because we live in Florida doesn’t mean that we have to accept that mold and a musty odor is part of the cost of living in a hot and humid environment. On the contrary, there are things that can be done to reduce levels and increase the odds of truly being “safer at home.” These involve the construction and ventilation of the building. According to a recent study conducted by Taptiklis, Phipps, and Douwes (2020) the envelope condition, ventilation, and insulation all play a vital role in increasing or reducing the number of mold levels in the home.
Optimal ventilation reduced the risk of mold by 60 % and the musty odor by 70-90%.
This figure alone shows how important it is that the home be well ventilated and have proper airflow to reduce the risk of mold. Additionally, the study found that if the envelope condition of the home is poor, the likelihood of mold in the home is greatly increased by 2.4-15.9 times more than a home that has a good envelope condition. The envelope of the home refers to the barriers that separate the conditioned space from the unconditioned space.
This would include the exterior walls, windows, doors, roof, subfloor, etc. Checking to be sure that the envelope is properly “sealed” so to speak would help to reduce mold growth and a musty odor in the home. That being said, besides the obvious roof and window maintenance periodically needed, be sure to check the exterior of your home for cracks and maintain them regularly so water isn’t coming in through the cracks!
Recent Inspections
On a recent inspection, we discovered cracks on the exterior wall and it led to a massive mold infestation on the interior walls. The levels were through the roof, probably literally in this case as well. Besides the mold on the interior walls, we could actually see the difference in the block on the exterior wall that was affected by water intrusion and the block that didn’t have so many cracks by standing back and looking. This picture is of a recent apartment building. In this case, it does make it more challenging for the renter that is not responsible for the exterior of the building. So renters, do your homework as well and make sure that the building you’re living in is properly maintained.
Taptiklis, P, Phipps, R, Jones, M, Douwes, J. House characteristics and condition as determinants of visible mold and musty odor: Results from three New Zealand House Condition Surveys in 2005, 2010, and 2015. Indoor Air. 2020; 00: 1– 16. https://doi.org/10.1111/ina.12774