Preventing mold

Preventing mold: better safe than sorry

Nobody wants it, yet it often sneaks into the house unnoticed: mold. We'll tell you how you can prevent mold and ensure that it doesn't stand a chance with smart prevention.

Mold infestation not only looks unattractive and causes damage to the masonry - the fungi are also a real health hazard. Moisture on walls, floors or textiles provides the perfect breeding ground for mold growth. The uninvited fluffy guests are not only found in old buildings, but also in new properties. Poor insulation of exterior walls or windows can be just as much a reason for mold growth as constant rain or walls that have not dried out properly in new buildings. In addition, there are rooms in which a certain amount of moisture cannot be avoided - for example in the bathroom or kitchen.

There are many causes of mold

Water vapor is produced when showering, drying laundry, or cooking. However, with targeted measures, it is relatively easy to deal with mold—without having to sacrifice personal hygiene or food intake, of course. The key to a spore-free home is correct ventilation and heating, as well as monitoring the humidity.

To prevent mold in a targeted manner, it is first necessary to examine the triggers closely. Otherwise, fungal spores can spread quickly and subsequently make mold removal more difficult.

These are the ways mold finds its way into the house

Mold develops in houses due to moisture on surfaces that are favorable for mold fungi's growth — e.g., walls, fabrics, joints, seals, etc.

Excessive humidity can occur in many ways, such as condensation, poor ventilation, incorrect heating behavior, or structural conditions. These include inadequate insulation, damaged windows and doors, thermal bridges, leaking roofs, or exterior walls. Indoor plants and aquariums or blocked and defective rain gutters or downpipes can also cause the humidity in the room to rise unnoticed. Triggers such as burst pipes or flooding are more obvious.

Some factors are therefore easy to identify - others are not recognizable at first glance.

Prevent mold with smart home products from Shelly

Large temperature differences and excessive humidity are two of the main causes of mold infestation. However, undetected leaks or water accumulation and incorrect heating behavior can also be triggers for mold growth. Fortunately, the extensive Shelly portfolio offers a simple and naturally smart solution for all these dangers.

Mold growth in the smart home? Not with Shelly

Shelly keeps an eye on the room air for you. You can rely on the BLU H&T, for example. It is small, unobtrusive, and splash-proof, which means it can be flexibly positioned wherever it is needed—in the bathroom, on the kitchen counter, or in the bedroom. The energy-efficient Bluetooth use gives it a battery life of up to three years.

If you want a sensor with a display, the H&T Gen3 is a good choice. Here you can read the temperature and humidity directly. It communicates via WLAN and therefore has a slightly shorter battery life of up to one year.

Manage Shelly H&T via the Shelly app

One of the H&T sensors detects excessive humidity in the room air? No problem. Thanks to a scene created in advance in the app, it simply regulates this problem itself in the smart home by instructing connected devices to turn on the ventilation or turn up the heating. In addition (or alternatively), it sends a push notification to the residents so that they can intervene themselves at an early stage to prevent mold growth – by opening the windows for shock ventilation.

In addition, all measured values are saved in the app as a data history.

Wall display ensures comfort and clarity

Shelly's Wall Display also helps to combat mold. It shows the temperature and humidity on its screen. If the values are conducive to mold infestation, the temperature can be turned up immediately on the display or via the app. Finally, heating control in the Shelly Smart Home is also possible via networked components, such as the Shelly BLU TRV thermostatic valve or the smart actuators for underfloor or electric heating.

Recognize flooding directly

Another smart component that doesn't give mold a chance is the small Shelly Flood. The WLAN water detector is positioned in the cellar next to the heating or washing machine, for example, and immediately detects if a leak has formed and water is escaping. Continuous rain is also becoming an increasing problem. If moisture collects unnoticed, damage is inevitable. Here too, the Shelly Flood sends a warning directly via the app. This makes it possible to take countermeasures without delay and prevent mold from breeding.

10 tips for preventing mold

Once the nasty little spores have spread, combating them can be time-consuming and expensive. That's why targeted prevention is worthwhile. You can prevent mold with these 10 tips.

#1: Ventilate properly

Shock ventilation is the magic word that takes away the basis of mold's existence. It is advisable to open all windows wide for 5 to 10 minutes several times a day and preferably allow a draught to flow between different rooms. This is particularly important after showering, cooking or drying laundry. Leaving the windows tilted all day, on the other hand, is not a good idea. Firstly, the heat loss in the winter is then too great and heating is inefficient. Secondly, this can create a thermal bridge and, as a result, condensation.

#2: Monitor the humidity

Ideally, the room air should have a humidity level of 40 to 60 percent. To measure this, you need so-called hygrometers, i.e., air humidity meters, such as the Shelly H&T, which warns you directly if the values are too high.

#3: Heat regularly

Mold likes it damp. Constant temperatures above 18 degrees therefore effectively prevent mold growth. If a room cools down too much, condensation and moisture can form. Thanks to the Shelly smart home components, you can use simple automation to ensure that the heating output is always optimally adjusted to the respective temperature and humidity in your house or apartment.

#4: Remove moisture directly

Condensation forms quickly, especially on windows, mirrors, or tiles. You should remove the moisture from the water vapor immediately. Drying joints, shower partitions, and curtains after a good shower also help to prevent mold. If water escapes unnoticed from a faulty heater or washing machine, a moisture sensor, such as the Shelly Flood, ensures that the moisture is detected immediately, and you can remove it straight away.

#5: Positioning furniture correctly

In order not to disturb the air circulation, cupboards and furniture should not be placed directly against external walls. A distance of 5 to 10 centimetres is recommended to prevent mold from spreading behind the furniture.

#6: Reduce water vapor

Water vapor is produced when cooking, showering or drying laundry - this cannot be avoided. However, you can use simple tricks to prevent it from spreading too much and promoting mold growth. For example, put a lid on pots when cooking and use the extractor hood. Open the window in the bathroom after showering and ensure good air circulation. If possible, dry laundry outside or in a well-ventilated room.

#7: Repair water damage quickly

Make sure to repair damage caused by leaking roofs, continuous rain or flooding immediately. Here too, the Shelly Flood ensures that you don't miss a single wet spot. If the moisture has already penetrated the walls or floor, you should have the damp areas professionally dried.

#8: Structural measures

As soon as you notice that a thermal bridge has formed, you should waste no time and eliminate it by installing better insulation. Sealing windows, doors and facades can also be an effective measure to prevent mold growth. Leaks in the cellar or foundations must also be drained immediately to protect your home from rising damp.

#9: Use mold-resistant materials

Special paints and plasters prevent mold infestation. Moisture-resistant building materials can also protect against unwelcome fluffy roommates during renovation or refurbishment.

#10: Prevention in damp rooms

Some rooms are simply more susceptible to damp than others. Basements, laundry rooms or bathrooms - focus on early prevention here and use, for example

Dehumidifier. If you couple a humidity meter such as the Shelly H&T with a smart socket, the dehumidifier switches on automatically if the value is too high. You should also take care not to store things on damp floors or external walls in such rooms.