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And what you can do to prevent it in your Atlanta area home!

Many Atlantans scoff at the outdated nickname of our beloved city — “Hot-lanta” — though “Humid-lanta” may have been a little more accurate. Summer here in the south doesn’t just bring the heat, it brings the suffocating and oppressive humidity. And with all this moisture in the air, many homeowners throughout the greater Atlanta area come to us asking “at what humidity does mold grow?” and “how can I prevent mold in my house?”

The insulation in your home is closely tied to any existing moisture problems you may be having in your home, and as the trusted insulation contractor in the Atlanta area, the team here at Arbor Insulation wants you to know a few things about how the southern humidity can affect mold growth in your home. 

interior molding with mold damage
The Connection Between Humidity & Mold Growth

Have you been smelling that mildew scent on those particularly humid summer mornings? Unfortunately, mold spores are everywhere. But in order to grow from just a mere spore into a full blown black mold problem for your home, mold spores will need three ingredients: high heat (temperatures above 70ºF), high humidity ( usually between 60% and 70%), and some kind of food source.  Here in the South, the summer brings both the heat and the humidity by the buckets, and the materials that make up your home can provide the food source that mold needs in order to flourish. So what does this mean in the battle against mold? 

By reducing the heat and humidity of your home, as well as properly ventilating our living space, you can greatly reduce your risk of mold growth and keep your home comfortable and healthy!

Thinking About a Dehumidifier? Think Twice.

When it comes to removing moisture, portable dehumidifiers are the first thing many homeowners think of.  Though a dehumidifier will pluck the existing moisture out of the air, it will not do anything to prevent more moisture from infiltrating. Dehumidifiers are great at removing excess moisture buildup, but there are many more home performance factors that can contribute to mold growth in your Atlanta home. For example, if there are existing air leaks in your home, the outside humidity will come and go as it pleases — replacing the moisture your dehumidifier just removed. Or, if your existing insulation has been damaged or deteriorated over time, it could be allowing excess summer heat into your home (did you know insulation works to keep you cool in the summer, too?).

The Arbor Insulation team often finds that there are two primary services that can increase the control you have over your home’s heat and humidity: 

  1. Air sealing

  2. Insulation upgrades

So how can you know which home performance upgrades you home needs, without wasting any extra cash on services that will not provide the best bang for your buck?

A Free Home Diagnostic Test & Estimate from Arbor Insulation

In order to make customized, targeted recommendations for increasing your home’s resilience to mold growth, Arbor Insulation begins with a free home diagnostic test and estimate (also called an energy audit). This diagnostic test combines the knowledge of our Building Performance Institute certified auditors with the latest in diagnostic tools to determine where your home is losing energy. We can determine total air leakage using a blower door test, locate specific problem areas using infrared camera technology, and even do a thorough examination of your crawlspace to see if your home is a good candidate for crawlspace encapsulation.

We also take a close look at the insulation in your home, so we can determine which insulation material will keep the heat and humidity at bay. At Arbor Insulation we have even created our own hybrid insulation product, Airtight360 Hybrid Spray Foam Insulation. This hybrid product provides the air sealing and insulation properties of spray foam insulation at a lower price point, and without all of the hassle of waiting for spray foam to cure! 

Greater Atlanta’s Insulation Professionals – Arbor Insulation Solutions

If you are looking to take care of your mold issues once and for all, don’t settle for the ease of a band-aid fix. Get at the heart of your home’s moisture and temperature issues, with the home performance experts at Arbor Insulation. From the crawlspace to the attic, and everywhere in between (even the floors), a free home diagnostic test and estimate is the first step in securing a mold-free future for your Atlanta home. 

Before you break out the dehumidifier, make sure you know where the humidity is  coming from! Schedule a free home diagnostic test with Arbor Insulation today — Call us at (404) 728-0001 or contact us.

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