Garage Door Maintenance – Spores

Our New Jersey weather here in Mount Laurel can run hot, cold, warm, humid and everything in between. That’s great for variety and for leaf colors but not so good when we have moisture in our garages! Moist, dark garage interiors can sometimes harbor mold spores and this is never good! Mold spores are bad for your health and can cause serious illness and debilitating health; even death! Not to scare you with fright tactics, but if you have mold in your garage, you need to remove it and take steps to ensure that it does NOT come back!

Mold in the garage; really?

Yes, mold can grow anywhere in your home where moisture and darkness prevail. Mold feeds on nutrients found on certain porous material. It loves wood, paper and can grow on cement floors, drywall, wood panels and other similar surfaces. Most people tend to think of mold growing in bathrooms, shower stalls, bathtubs, toilet bowls, under kitchen sinks, in basements and in dark closets. All of these are valid places to find mold but here at Garage Door Repair Mount Laurel, we are focusing entirely on your garage door mold for this post.

New Garage?

Is your Mount Laurel, NJ garage already built? We’ll give you some helpful tips later on, but if you are adding on, or have yet to build your garage, you might want to consider using non porous materials like aluminum, vinyl and steel for your studs, walls and panels. If you are using a contractor, tell him or her about your concerns with mold spores and see what they recommend as far as new construction materials and methods.

Already Built Garages

If your garage is already built (most of us) then there are easy to follow tips on how to prevent mold spores from growing and spreading, and if you already have mold, how to eliminate it and keep it from coming back stronger than ever! Your first goal is to always keep the interior of your garage as dry as possible. This goes for surfaces as well as for interior air. Dampness and moisture are what mold need, so a well-ventilated, dry garage interior is always best. Please note; we are not saying that your garage should be air-tight! Just the opposite; it needs to be ventilated and as dry as possible. If necessary, open the garage door for air and light and also consider using fans and space heaters if it’s cold outside or during inclement weather.

Beware Of Leaks!

If you have a leaky roof, water heater, garage sink, water softener or radiator, get them fixed as soon as possible! It does you no good to spend all your time mopping up water and spills or drying out your garage if the leaks keep happening.

Be Thorough!

Be sure and get ALL of the mold spores that you can find. This is not the time for “most” or doing an okay job; treat mold spore removal as seriously as possible, and get the entire mold that you can find. If it helps, compare it to cancer treatments. The doctors never shoot for most of the cancer or a good portion of it; they try and get every cancer cell they can find! Use bleach in your cleaning; it’s strong enough to do the job and if handled properly, it won’t hurt you. Use a mixture of one part bleach to four parts water. Spray your floors, garage door, walls and ceiling with this mixture. You can scrub or wipe with a brush or a sponge to remove the mold growth. Always use gloves and bleach (even diluted) can be very corrosive and your skin should not have direct contact. The same goes for breathing; use a respirator or mask and try hard to avoid breathing the fumes.

Beach Alternative

If the thought of using something as caustic as bleach bothers you, there is an alternative that is not so strong, yet works just as well; vinegar. Increase the proportion to one part white vinegar and one part water. For added strength, you can add one tablespoon of dishwashing detergent and this concoction will be gentler on you, but just as effective on the mold spores! Apply the same way; spray on and wipe with a brush or sponge. Another good alternative solution if you want to avoid the strong bleach mixture is denatured alcohol. For this one, apply full strength and do not dilute at all. Always remember to do your cleaning in a well ventilated garage. Leave the garage door open, wear a mask or respirator and be extra careful not to breathe in the fumes. If you are doing mold spore removal in the cold, winter months, use a space heater in order to keep moisture to a bare minimum.

Moisture Can Sneak In

The obvious sources of moisture were mentioned above but there are other, less obvious ways in which moisture can sneak into your garage and hardly be noticed. These include water and snow being tracked into your garage via your tires. This can be from your car, motorcycle, lawnmower, skateboard, bicycle or anything else with wheels. It’s so easy to drive in, park, and then go inside the house; little thinking that your wheels have water from rain, sprinklers, snow or the garden hose still on them. It will dry up; right? Sure, but in the meantime, your enclosed garage is turning that moisture into dampness that can spawn and harbor mold growth.

Final Tips

Mold loves cardboard, newspapers, rags and other porous items. Garages are often like attics and basements; they are used to store items for safekeeping or for later use. If possible, store your items like books, clothing, newspapers, magazines and similar items in plastic containers with lids. This also helps should your water heater or water softener leak or break down or you have some other plumbing mishap. The above items are “food” for mold and eliminating them or keeping them dry can go a long way towards mold containment inside your garage!