mildew / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Homes built in the last 40 years in Canada are relatively airtight. Before that we generally relied on leaky uninsulated walls to provide fresh air and prevent mold and mildew, and they did that very well. Cost and comfort had us adding insulation, but not necessarily sealing our walls. The folly of this was quickly re...

...mildew – which usually makes an appearance as a cloud of little black dots around windows or in the corners of rooms. Condensation causes mold and mildew around windows    As condensation occurs when moist air comes into contact with a colder surface like a wall, window, mirror etc. this is usually where we find mold...

Vapor Barrier + Air-Con = Damp Moldy Walls So here's a little known fact that most HVAC installers won't tell a potential new client for central air; Polyethylene vapor barriers in combination with air conditioning in homes can rot walls because of the condensation they may cause. This is why if you have a newer home w...

...mildew in homes develops in conditions of high humidity, most often in bathrooms, kitchens and basements, unless caused by roof leaks and other building envelope failures. Along with affecting the durability of your home, mold and mildew can cause or aggravate allergies, asthma and respiratory illnesses which means we ...

...mildew and mold marks in corners or behind furniture, for peace of mind consider buying a hydrometer to measure your indoor relative humidity, which will cost you maybe $20 to $30 at most hardware stores. If you have an issue, and the humidity levels are off the scale, then chances are you've got a moldy basement even ...

...mildew in homes. Health Canada recommendations for optimum indoor air quality © Health Canada How much fresh air is enough? It is very difficult for humans to detect low levels of contaminants in their air, even when they represent a health hazard. An ideal home ventilation system would include sensors t...