There are plenty of reasons to love Boston. Its rich history. Its great food. Its unique people. There’s definitely something special about this place, as any true local will tell you with pride.
Yet, with all its advantages, there are also a few drawbacks that Bostonians do face. We’re talking, of course, about weather-related challenges. Because Boston is so far North, and nestled so close to the bay, the winters tend to be long and cold, and the summers mild and wet.
This kind of wet, variable climate can make life in Boston especially tricky for homeowners, since mold grows so easily in humid conditions. Most Bostonians know that when mold starts to become a problem in a home, the process to remove it and prevent it can be frustrating and drawn out. If left unchecked, mold can do some serious damage to a home, often leaving the infrastructure weakened and lowering the overall property value. Because mold exposure can lead to some serious health issues, the damage is not purely monetary, either.
So, whether you’re a seasoned homeowner who recently stumbled upon a problem in your house, or are currently on the market and want to be able to spot it before you buy, this guide will teach you everything you need to know about Boston’s unique relationship with mold.
The Basics
Most people know that mold is a type of fungus that grows in damp areas, but the story of mold doesn’t start on the wall of your shower or on that old loaf of bread. The truth is that mold spores are everywhere, all the time, and it’s only in certain conditions that they can take hold and start to form colonies.
So what is the perfect formula for mold to take hold in your home? Well, the basic necessities for mold to thrive are water, organic matter, and mild temperatures. Timing is also crucial: even if all of those variables come together in favor of mold growth, the spores will still take a set amount of time to take root and spread. Understanding how these factors all work together is the first step to protecting your Boston home.
Water
In general, there are a few areas of the house that are most likely to retain moisture, like the kitchen, laundry room, and bathroom. The basement is also vulnerable because the surrounding soil will inevitably leak moisture through the walls.
Interestingly, older homes may be something of an advantage in terms of moisture, precisely because they are not as well insulated as newer constructions. That bit of extra air flow, while not great for your energy bill, helps to dehumidify the house and lower the risk for mold growth.
In terms of seasonal changes, winter tends to be less humid than summer, although that doesn’t completely rule out the risk of getting a mold outbreak. In fact, water leaks from frozen pipes are pretty common in the Boston area, and if not treated right away, can lead to mold growth in the following weeks. This is especially true if the homeowner decides to increase the heat to prevent further freeze in the pipes.
Organic Matter
Organic matter is just a fancy name for anything in your house that can be broken down and digested by mold. Wood and paper materials, such as wallpaper and drywall, are the most common surfaces that mold will use as food.
That said, older homes sometimes have the upper hand here as well, when it comes to mold prevention. This is because older constructions tend to make use of lumber - which, though organic, is denser and more slowly broken down by mold - as well as plaster - which is made up of various types of stone instead of organic matter.
Newer constructions and renovation projects, on the other hand, tend to utilize drywall, which is just compacted organic matter. For this reason, it’s common to see mold outbreaks in recently finished basements, even when the home has never had a mold problem.
Temperature
Unfortunately for us, mold enjoys the same temperatures that we feel most comfortable in. Whether we’re shivering in the winter time or sweating it out in the summer, we tend to keep the thermostat somewhere between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, which is exactly the temperature that mold prefers.
Obviously, this isn’t really something we’d be willing to change just to prevent an outbreak, but it’s good to know all the same.
Time
When your home offers the previous three variables - humidity, food, and warmth - the likelihood that you’ll have an outbreak is pretty high.
But, that’s not to say that you absolutely can’t prevent a full invasion. If you know that something like a water leak has created the perfect storm, you can avoid a mold invasion by getting rid of all the moisture within 12 hours.
Likewise, if you’ve recently completed a renovation project using drywall, or bought furniture made of engineered wood products like plywood or particle board, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the area to make sure that you don’t see mold starting to take hold.
How to Spot the Signs of Mold
Now that you know the basics of mold, it’s equally important to know how to detect it in your home. To begin, there are three common mold strains in the Boston area that you should know about: aspergillus, cladosporium, and the infamous stachybotrys chartarum, or black mold. While these strains all tend to look similar, showing up as dark, blotchy discolorations, you may find them in different areas of the home. Aspergillum, for instance, tends to form in HVAC systems whereas cladosporium is more likely to be found in bathrooms. Black mold is a more serious outbreak that results from severe neglect, so it can pop up under floorboards, in the ceiling, or wallpaper.
Even if there are no visible signs of mold, you may be able to smell the colony. If the air smells musty, especially over a long period of time, it’s a pretty good indication that you have an outbreak in the walls, ceiling, or under the carpet. In fact, if you can smell the mold and can’t see it, it’s even more crucial to get your home checked for mold, since you won’t know immediately how extensive the problem is.
Another way to detect mold is by monitoring the health of you and your family. Symptoms like coughing, stuffiness, or soreness in the throat are all indications that there may be a mold problem.
How to Deal With it Once You Spot it
Clearly, mold is an issue that has to be dealt with, but exactly how is not totally obvious. Many people think, for example, that with a little bit of bleach and some elbow grease, mold can be scrubbed out, but it’s often not that simple. First of all, household bleach is not quite strong enough to completely kill off the spores, although it is strong enough to aid in the breakdown of organic matter. That’s right - using bleach on mold colonies can actually make the problem worse.
At the same time, trying to get rid of mold by scrubbing it away doesn’t address the root problem of moisture, food, temperature, and time. As we mentioned before, mold spores are constantly floating around in the air, so simply scrubbing the visible colony off the wall without changing the environment won’t have a lasting impact. So while the surface may look mold-free, the spores might still be working away on a microscopic, and thus invisible, scale, only to become visible again over the next few days or weeks.
The best option to eradicate mold from your home is to call in a mold expert. Luckily, because of Boston’s challenging climate, there are plenty of highly qualified experts who are more than willing to come assess the situation and remove the colony in a safe way. It’s important to remember that the sooner you address the mold problem in your home, the fewer repercussions and long-term effects you’ll have to deal with.
To Sum it All Up.
Mold in Boston is a common threat, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be treated or prevented. If you’ve experienced a mold problem, you can generally lower the risk of getting it again by increasing the ventilation in your home and lowering the humidity. Conducting regular checks of your home, either by looking more closely in vulnerable areas or just being aware of new smells, can help you catch colonies early.
And, if you’re in the market for a new home, or are thinking of renovating your home, be aware of that perfect formula for mold growth. Always opt for hardwoods or non-organic materials like stone, and try to minimize the use of constructed materials like paper or plywood. When in doubt about whether a space is particularly primed for mold growth, bring in an expert now so that you don’t end up paying more later.
Overall, Boston has some of the most beautiful homes on the East Coast, along with some of the most difficult weather for home maintenance. By familiarizing yourself with the basics of mold, you can protect your home and your family.