Mold spores are the seed packages that mold uses to reproduce in Captiva.
Mold spores are both small and aerodynamic. Some mold spores are as small as .5 microns in diameter. By comparison a human hair is 16 microns in diameter. Mold spores are a normal component of the air here in Captiva. The “spore count” varies by season and is counted just like pollen count. There are thousands of kinds of molds. Relatively few kinds of mold are harmful to humans but a small number of molds are very dangerous.
To grow into a mold colony all a mold spore needs is water and a food source. The water can be a leak or flood or in the form of high humidity. Mold needs about 60% relative humidity to sustain growth. Molds favorite food source is wood fiber. In your Captiva home there are many wood fiber products. The paper on your drywall, the press board in cabinets and furniture, door and window trim, studs and structural components and even the paper backing on your home insulation. When any of these wood fiber products get wet or the humidity is above 60% for several days mold spores that have settled out of the air in your Captiva home begin to grow.
This is why it is so important to keep your Captiva home under 60% relative humidity and your central air conditioning will do that. Keep your air conditioner in good shape and if you are away from your Captiva home for more than a weekend be sure to leave the thermostat set no higher than 80 degrees and if you have a humidistat set it at 58%.
If you are a seasonal resident or vacationing have a trusted and competent friend or a qualified Home Watch look in on your Captiva home regularly to insure that the humidity is below 60% and A/C system is functioning properly. Another enemy of mold growth is air movement. If you have ceiling fans in your Captiva home, leaving them running on the lowest setting is relatively inexpensive and will discourage mold spores from landing. If the mold spore never lands, mold growth will not have an opportunity to begin. If you are away for an extended period and you’re A/C fails the humidity in your Captiva home will rise and fall with the outside humidity. The heat of the day will pull moisture into the air as humidity and the relative coolness of night will cause the humid air to drop its water vapor as condensation. This process will wet all surfaces in your Captiva home and cause a “humidity bloom”. In this situation mold will grow on almost everything. It will grow on furniture, walls, carpet, clothing, bedding and everything except glass, plastic and finished metals.