As we build tighter and tighter homes these days we run the risk of creating mold growth and trapping allergens. Preventing these problems can seem like a daunting task, but with a little knowledge it can be more manageable. With the increase in incidents of black mold in the last few years it has become even more of a necessity to make your home healthier. Often called “Building Green” or “Health Homes” this type of building isn’t meant to make a building sterile, but to prevent damage to the home from mold growth and creating health problems for its inhabitants.

One of the biggest areas of constructing healthy homes is insulation. For many years fiberglass insulation was the main product used to insulate homes, however this can be a problem in a healthy home. Water can seep into the walls from condensation or from a leak and can cause mold growth. Also over time it can settle in the wall leaving the top part of the wall for air and cold to move through. There are two ways you can prevent this. One way is to take all the fiberglass insulation and replace it with either a fiberglass insulation that has totally been wrapped in a housewrap-like material that will allow the insulation to breath but keep out water and allergens or the best, sprayed in expanding foam insulation. Either of these materials will make your home healthier, however the fiberglass can still sink in the wall and there is the possibility of condensation still building inside the wrapped fiberglass from excessive humidity. One way to help prevent both problems is to install housewrap on the outside of your home and the flanges along both sides stapled it the studs on the inside every 8 to 12 inches. Sprayed in expanding foam insulation on the other hand sticks to anything it touches so it will not gradually sink inside the wall and will not allow mold or mildew to grow on it because it is a dense plastic. Some people complain that rodents tend to like to burrow in it because it’s warm, which may be a problem with either material however it can be prevented by having a chemical added that discourages rodents from burrowing into the material and is not harmful to the inhabitants of the home.