Five Tips for Keeping Mold and Mildew Out of Your Bathroom

As any homeowner knows, keeping mold and mildew out of the bathroom can sometimes be a real challenge. Bathrooms are often dark and damp, the perfect breeding ground for mold, which is why it is extremely important to design a bathroom that is well equipped to prevent this problem from developing in the first place. Not only is mold growth unsightly, it can also represent a potentially significant health risk for you and your family. So what steps can you take to protect your bathroom from this problem? Ron Benkin, Director of Sales for Kitchen and Bathrooms says “it’s very common to undersize the exhaust fan to the point where it’s ineffective. Not only should the exhaust fan be powerful enough to handle your size room, you have to consider that most fans range from 60 CFM to 120 CFM (Cubic Foot per Minute) and that for every elbow in the ducting or every 10′ run, you lose 40-50 CFM. So, for example, an 80 CFM unit with 10′ of duct and one elbow is hardly pulling any moisture out of the room, if any.
Here are five things that you should pay attention to in your bathroom to help reduce the likelihood of mold and mildew growth:

• Ensure that your bathroom is properly ventilated – One important consideration if you are remodeling your bathroom is to maximize ventilation so that lingering moisture from the tub, bath, or sink has somewhere to go. There are a number of ways to do this, ranging from installing a high performance exhaust fan, opening windows when the weather permits, or even designing a layout that allows for cross breezes in the home.
• Upgrade your tub or shower with an acrylic liner – By outfitting your ceramic tub or shower with a custom acrylic liner, you can cut down on mold because acrylic is nonporous and is inhospitable for mildew growth.
• Install the right kind of countertops and flooring – Pay close attention to the material that use for your countertops and flooring. Sold surfaces, such as glass and quartz materials, for instance tend to better resist bacteria and mold because they are nonporous. Materials with grout lines, on the other hand, can be harder to keep clean.
• Bolster the lighting in your bathroom – Improving the natural lighting of your bathroom is another great way to create an atmosphere that isn’t conducive to mold growth. Investing in high performance replacement windows and a skylight are all good options.
• Use sensible paint products that don’t support mold growth – Interior water-based paints are designed to withstand moisture, making it an excellent option for bathrooms. This style of paint is also easy to wash and scrub.

For further information on how you can protect your bathroom from mold and other bacteria, contact your local bathroom remodeling specialist. They should be able to discuss all the options when remodeling a bathroom. To learn more about Alure Home Improvements and speak with one of our bathroom remodeling specialists, click here.