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How to Prevent Mold in Food Storage Reserves

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Mold is a slow-moving predator that can destroy your stockpile without you ever knowing. You need to learn how to prevent mold in food storage reserves.

Mold is a fungus that can be found both indoors and outdoors, on walls and on everyday items. No one knows how many species of mold exist, but professional estimates range from tens of thousands to three hundred thousand or more.

Mold spores can survive harsh environmental conditions, such as dry conditions, that do not support normal mold growth.

Some people’s health is sensitive to mold. For these people, exposure to molds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation.

Some people with serious allergies to molds may have more severe reactions. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath.

People with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs. Knowing this, you need to be sure you protect your stockpile from mold to ensure that your family is safe.

Have Mold In Your Food Storage Room?

Lots of canned vegetables in Ball glass jars.

Reduce Basement Humidity

Because the basement is underground, moisture can easily seep into the walls after a flood, hurricane, or other natural disasters. During most disasters, the basement usually takes a beating.

The basement can also be a safe haven during a tornado.

But to keep your basement dry, the air breathable, and the rations safe, you will want to be sure that there are little humidity build-up and no mold.

One of the best ways to do this is by having a compact dehumidifier ready. A dehumidifier will remove any moisture in the air and if needed, the water that is removed is also drinkable.

Ivation 13-Pint Compact Dehumidifier
  • 13-PINT DESICCANT DEHUMIDIFIER – Highly...
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Keep Areas Dry

Moist environments can exist for a number of reasons. The humidity level can simply be off in a home due to window seals or hot water leaks. 

Perhaps a dryer hose is cracked or misdirected and the warm air is being released into a cool room.  Perhaps a flood, no matter how big or small, occurred and the room was not quickly dried or not dried well. 

Any of these situations create the perfect breeding ground for mold to develop in your food storage.

For proper water damage restoration, an air blower is extremely useful. An air blower helps to dry any water left on floors, carpets, and other surfaces into the air, allowing them to dry completely. You have most likely seen an air blower being used to help dry carpets or flooring after a flood.

Does your Home Need a Dehumidifier?

Some signs your home needs a dehumidifier include:

hOmeLabs 4 Dehumidifier for Extra Large Rooms and Basements
  • 4,500 sq ft Large Dehumidifier: Our 15.4 x 11 x...
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Condensation on Patio or Window Glass

If there is water on the interior glass, vapor or fog look, or beading water on a window, these are signs of too much moisture in a room.

Sometimes this can be caused by a leaky hot water pipe or a water leak somewhere under the house.

Mold Spots on Ceilings and Walls

Due to steam rising, problems with moisture tend to be found in corners of walls or on ceilings. Mold growth can happen on the ceiling, walls, and even in drywall.

Be sure that your home is properly vented and that air ducts are cleaned.

Other places for trapped moisture are garages, closets, and basements. You may see mold spots beneath windows as well.

Musty Odor or Smell

Signals of mold and mildew presence are a musty odor in crawl spaces, garages, basements, or entrances. Basements tend to be the number one source of mold growth.

Water Run-Off Dampness

Rainy and snow seasons can be associated with water run-off, leading to your home having an excess of moisture.

The Spring season tends to be the time when most mold grows and can affect a home.

Water or Mold Stains

Water or mold stains on the ceiling, walls, or floors can be a sign of excess moisture in the home.

You will need to take action as soon as possible with mold stains visible. This is a serious health issue.

Control Humidity Levels

Though the air blower will remove excess water from surfaces, it does not remove it from the room. 

Moisture accumulates in the atmosphere, raising the humidity levels above the ideal forty to fifty percent.  This means that after the air blower is turned off, the moisture will resettle, and your potential for further mold growth remains. 

In order to prevent this, use a commercial dehumidifier.  As the air blower pushes moisture into the air, the dehumidifier takes in that air, collects the excess moisture, and releases the dry air back into the room.  It also releases warmth while it works. 

Drier, warmer air means that mold will not be able to grow.  If mold has already sprouted, it will not survive.

Mold can grow from a number of moisture-related issues, but you are not powerless to prevent or stop it.

If you are new to stockpiling food, check out this book to learn more:

The Prepper's Canning Guide
  • Amazon Kindle Edition
  • Luther, Daisy (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
Wonder how you can prevent mold in your food storage? Keeping your storage room dry is very important. Here are some tips to help you. #shtf #prepping #mold #stockpile #shtfdad #foodreserves #survival

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