Reducing Mold And Mildew In Your Bathroom

It is no secret that mold and mildew love to live in your bathroom. The warm, moist air is a perfect environment for spores to thrive, making it difficult to keep in check. Even with regularly cleaning, mildew and mold can live under caulking and between bathroom tiles, lurking in every little crevice. Beyond cleaning, there are ways to reduce these aggravating and potentially harmful growths by reducing moisture in the room.

Reduce Moisture In Your Bathroom

While you cannot rid your bathroom completely of moisture, there are ways to minimize the amount that accumulates throughout the day. Hot baths, showers and the continuous presence of water make the bathroom a very humid place which attract mold and mildew. Some ways to cut down on this moisture include:

–        Exhaust fan. If you don’t already have a bathroom exhaust fan to remove moist air, you need to invest in having one installed in all of your bathrooms. This circulates the air, adding much needed ventilation to these small, moist rooms.

–        Open a window. Even if you don’t have an exhaust fan, you can still open a window and use a small, portable fan to blow moist air out. This can be very effective in removing excess moisture.

–        Fix leaks. Is there constant condensation on your toilet, or does your bathtub faucet have a slow drip? This constant moisture is making your mold and mildew problem worse. Call your local plumber to get your fixtures repaired.

If you are able to reduce the amount of moisture that stays in the air in your bathroom, you can have a fighting chance of keeping mold and mildew at bay. Keeping moisture low also protects drywall and other porous surfaces from becoming infested with dangerous mold which can be harmful and very expensive to remove.

Posted on behalf of Seagraves Plumbing Septic and Sewer

Tips For Replacing Your Faucets

What is the number one thing that most people never do when trying to install something new?  Read the directions! Your new faucet will come with a set of directions which will probably be all that you’ll need for that part of the project. The most difficulty that you’ll encounter will be in removing your old faucet, depending on the age (types of pipes and parts) of your existing plumbing.

First, look under your sink. Pull out all the cleaners and old rags, discarded vases, dog chews, plant food and special scrubbers. Check to see if there are shut off valves to the faucet and that they work. Secondly, measure the circumference of the tubes that supply water to your existing faucet. You’ll want to buy replacement ones that fit because today’s new supply tubes are easier to install around pipes in tight fitting places. You may need a pipe wrench or slip-joint pliers, if you need to remove any existing piping, in order to get to the faucet. If you have copper lines, a tube cutter may also be necessary. Additionally, you will also want to purchase a basin wrench, which is made especially for those older fasteners that clamp the assemblies to the sink and are often difficult to reach.

The idea here is to get together a list of what you need to complete your task and pick up those items before you start. When you have assembled all your tools and materials, begin dismantling whatever prevents your access to the faucet assembly. Also, if this task sound too overwhelming,  your local plumbing professional is just a phone call away and has all the necessary tools and know how necessary for a professional faucet installation.