Your home is a very important place. It provides a roof over your head, warmth and comfort, and a place to lay your head on at night. Homes can be the best place to be, and some of the best memories can happen there. If you are a homeowner, then you realize the importance of your home and how big of an investment it was for you. In most cases, your home is the single biggest investment you may make in your lifetime.

Naturally, something that is of this much importance should be taken care of properly. A regular cleaning schedule should be established so the house won't become too dirty, and the yard needs to be watered and mowed. One of the biggest problems many homeowners face is moisture and the threat of mold. Depending on the situation, cleaning may not be enough to prevent mold problems from occurring in the first place.

Mold is a microscopic fungus that can travel through the air. The three things it needs to grow are moisture, warmth, and food. Mold can show up in the most obvious places, such as the bathroom, basement, kitchen, and laundry room, but can also grow on your windowsill and inside your own walls. Preventing mold from growing in the first place is simple enough if you know how to take the proper steps in prevention.

Mold needs moisture to grow. Rooms need to have proper ventilation for improved air circulation and to prevent too much moisture from accumulating. Bathrooms, the laundry room, and the kitchen should be your biggest concerns, since water is used primarily in those rooms. Your bathroom should be properly ventilated with an exhaust fan or a window. If the bathroom has both the fan and the window, then use both. Drying wet surfaces after you use the bathroom will also help prevent mold from occurring. The steam that emits from cooking your food on the stove should be sucked through the fan over the stove. It is important to keep your kitchen properly ventilated because that is where you prepare and make foods. Food that comes into contact with mold can cause serious health problems.

Opt for a vacuum with a HEPA air filter. Some of the top of the line models eliminate up to 99.9% of common allergens, dust mites, and mold spores in your carpet. If any moisture came into contact with the mold spores in your carpet, then you will have a serious problem and will probably have to hire a mold remediation company to clean out your carpet. When cleaning, use a disinfectant that is scientifically proven to kill germs and bacteria.

Taking preventative steps in mold prevention will not only benefit your home but will also benefit you and your family's overall health and well-being in the long run.