The black stain in the corner of the ceiling appeared suddenly, or so it seems. In reality that small mold colony had all the time to organize, grow and thrive. The reason? The windows of the house were sealed like a bunker for whole months.
The great misunderstanding of energy saving
“Outside it’s cold, heat is dispersed inside.” This mantra accompanies millions of Italians from October to March. The result is a house transformed into a tropical greenhouse where humidity reigns supreme. The bills perhaps thank (but not too much), while the walls begin to show the first signs of failure. The truth, not too uncomfortable, is that the spoiled air costs more dear than a few degree less on the thermostat: a house that does not breathe becomes the condensation paradise, and where there is condensation, the mold will arrive on time as taxes.
How the problem was born
Every day a family of four produces about 12 liters of water vapor. Hot showers, pots on the fire, clothes lying at home, even our breath contributes to this industrial humidity production. If this air full of water does not find a way out, it is deposited on the colder surfaces. The corners of the rooms, the thermal bridges, the walls exposed to the north become real sponges.
The process is subtle. First appears a slight patina of humidity, almost imperceptible, then the first dark specks arrive and within a few weeks, the corner of the bedroom will seem to have come out of a horror movie. At that point, armed with bleach and good will, you will try to remedy: a useless feat, equal to the attempt to empty the sea with a teaspoon, if we do not decide to face the cause of the problem.
The lost art of air exchange
Our grandparents opened the windows every morning, even with the snow. A ritual that looked like torture, but that had a iron logic, because five minutes of current are enough to completely change the air of a room., A few minutes that can make a huge difference between a healthy environment and a spore culture chamber.
The trick lies in the technique: open everything, create current and circulate the air quickly. There is no need to leave an open glimmer for hours – so the house would really cool down, without moreover to get a real spare part – therefore better a total and short opening than a perennial crack.
The most common mistakes
Those who think they solve with the dehumidifiers is very wrong. These appliances are useful, but they represent a patch, not a solution. It would be like drying the floor while the tap continues to lose, completely meaningless.
Even the habit of sealing each draft with gaskets and paraspifferi can prove to be counterproductive: remember that a too hermetic house becomes a trap for humidity, for this you need controlled escape routes, not a total closure.
The worst error remains to ignore the first signs. Vitri chopped in the morning, the smell of persistent closed, sensation of heavy air are alarm bells not to be underestimated. When the mold becomes visible, the damage is already done.
Some practical solution
Let’s see how to behave with fixtures and windows to avoid the appearance of the mold:
We remember how much prevention remains the most effective weapon. It costs less open the windows every day than having to redo the plasters or, worse, live with the respiratory problems caused by the spores. Because in the end, between an illusory savings and health, the choice should be obvious.
Don’t you want to lose our news?
