Mold is ubiquitous, meaning they are found indoors and outdoors and enter your home through windows and doors attached to shoes and fabrics.
But, most importantly, molds are known to grow in moist spots.
So, since humidifiers are known for moisturizing indoor air, the big question is, can humidifiers cause mold indoors?
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies have revealed that poorly maintained humidifiers can breed mold and other harmful microorganisms in their water tanks and disperse them into the air we breathe.
In this article, you’ll learn about mold and humidifiers, the effect of mold on your health, and how to prevent your humidifier from getting moldy.
Causes of mold growth in the home
The primary cause of mold growth is moisture. Molds need water to thrive. So in dampness and oxygen, mold grows and spreads in your home.
As a result, mold is commonly found in areas that experience leakages, such as around pipes, ceilings or roofs, and windows.
Additionally, mold grows on surfaces that are sound absorbent of moisture.
And examples include wood, paints, walls, dust, and fabric materials.
Similarly…
Humidity levels can elevate in certain areas of your home without adequate ventilation, such as your bathroom, basement, laundry, and cooking areas.
Furthermore…
Excessive use of an air conditioning system or any air humidifying device can lead to over-humidification of your indoor air and consequently promote mold growth.
Can too much humidity cause mold?
It’s difficult for mold to grow in dry environments or places with reduced humidity.
However, mold is known to thrive in environments with elevated moisture levels.
So yes, too much humidity can cause mold to grow. Humidity is the fuel that initiates and powers mold growth in your home.
At such an abnormally high level, mold, mildew, and dust mites spread in your home. In addition, dust mites create dust, and when mold spores land on dusty surfaces, they grow and flourish.
Ultimately, all of these lead to the accumulation of mold spores in your home’s air.
So keeping your indoor humidity low, ideally below 50 percent, helps to prevent mold growth in your house.
Moisture control is crucial to mold control.
Recommended humidity levels for your home
To prevent mold from infesting your home’s air, you’d need to control your indoor moisture and ensure; it’s appropriately monitored.
And this involves keeping the moisture within the ideal humidity level, as the EPA recommends.
But how much humidity is regarded as suitable for indoor air?
Indoor water vapor above 50% is considered too much, and below 30% is considered too little.
So according to EPA, ideally, humidity indoors should be between 30 and 50 percent. Within this threshold, the growth of mold and other pathogens is inhibited.
So to achieve the stated humidity levels, especially in humid seasons, you may need to install an air conditioner or a dehumidifier.
Also, fixing leaks in your roof, plumbing, and walls would go a long way in keeping your moisture in control. And thus prevent mold growth.
Can your humidifier get mold?
If you have a humidifier and don’t properly maintain it such that it’s always clean with no damage, it could cause mold growth in the water tank.
Besides…
Research by the Environmental Protection Agency has shown that ultrasonic and cool mist humidifiers release microorganisms such as mold and bacteria into the air.
Breathing the contaminated mist could lead to inflammation of the lungs.
That said, you should know that using mineralized or tap water fosters mold growth in humidifiers.
This is because the minerals accumulate and solidify into scales which serve as a fertile medium for the growth of mold, bacteria, and other microorganisms.
So…
Proper maintenance and using purified, distilled, or demineralized water in a humidifier will prevent mold growth.
However, some humidifiers come with demineralization cartridges for removing minerals in the water.
What does mold in a humidifier look like?
The good news is that mold comes in various colors and can be easily identified.
Although it may not be visible at the early stage of mold growth, as the mold develops, it becomes colored and identifiable.
So whenever you see white, black, or colored stuff in your humidifier, it’s probably mold breeding in the water tank.
This colored substance usually comprises mold spores dispersed into the air during operation.
This becomes a problem when the spores settle on moist or damp surfaces, germinating and spreading in your home.
Can humidifiers cause mold in a room?
The straightforward answer to the question is yes. As earlier stated, the indoor moisture level is a critical factor in mold growth.
And a humidifier can cause mold if overused such that the moisture levels exceed the advised range of 30 to 50%.
Besides…
There’s a direct relationship between increased moisture and temperature.
Excess moisture leads to a corresponding increase in the room’s temperature.
The warmth from this also speeds up mold growth.
Furthermore, mineralized water in the water tank breeds mold, which is released into your room.
More so, mineralized water forms a mineral scale at the base of the water tank.
During operation, the scale is dispersed into the air as whitish dust and settles on surfaces in your room.
This dust, rich in minerals, is a perfect breeding place for mold to grow and accumulate in your room.
Can humidifiers cause mold on walls?
Placing humidifiers close to walls is a terrible idea. This is because the breeze of mist from the humidifier can concentrate on the walls, getting them wet and destroying the paint.
And most significantly, the dampness promotes mold growth on the walls and paints.
To prevent this, placing your humidifier at least one or two feet from the wall is advised.
And this also applies to furniture, curtains, and electronic devices. The best location to place a humidifier is at the center of your room.
This ensures there’s even and maximum distribution of moisture around your room.
What can I put in my humidifier to prevent mold?
The cleanliness of a humidifier is paramount to breathing clean and sterile air; otherwise, it’ll cause more harm than good to your health.
Hence, you must sanitize your humidifier and keep it germ-free. And the best sanitizer to add to your humidifier is vinegar.
Adding a bit of vinegar is one of the most effective ways of curbing the growth of bacteria and mold in your humidifier.
Lastly, vinegar is also effective in eliminating foul odors and excellent in disinfecting the filters of humidifiers.
Also, it’s a natural and safe disinfectant instead of bleach, which is also effective in removing mold but causes irritation.
Can a moldy humidifier make you sick?
A moldy humidifier threatens your health by releasing mold, compromising your in-house air quality.
Mold in a humidifier is dangerous— mold produces allergens, irritants, and mycotoxins, which are toxic and harmful to your health.
Inhaling mold spores can trigger an allergic reaction if you’re sensitive or have an allergy.
Usually, this manifests in red and eyes, red nose, skin rash, runny nose, and other hay fever symptoms.
Similarly, mold can also trigger asthma attacks in asthmatics allergic to mold.
In addition, mold can cause irritation in the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, even in non-allergic individuals.
humidifier mold symptoms and signs
- If you’re constantly feeling sick indoors and exhibit symptoms such as nasal irritation, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, or the abovementioned symptoms, molds may be the culprit. So you need to investigate and get rid of the mold quickly.
- Molds are usually colored and visible, so you can see them growing on surfaces.
- Mold usually produces compounds with strong odors. These microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs), as they’re called, are highly volatile with unpleasant musty odors. Hence a moldy smell is a sign that your home has a mold problem.
Cleaning and maintenance of humidifier against mold
- Always use distilled or demineralized water in your humidifier. This prevents the buildup of mineral scale associated with tap or mineralized water.
- Refill the water in your humidifier daily and ensure you empty the tank and clean it properly before refilling.
- If you use a portable humidifier, wash and clean it every 3 days. Empty the tank and scrub off any mineral scale on the water tank or interior surfaces.
- A white vinegar solution should be used to disinfect your humidifier, or a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution. But please rinse the tank severally to avoid releasing chemicals into the air. However, this guideline should be used if there’re no manufacturer’s suggestions on the use of disinfectant.
- And all components should be well-dried before re-installation.
- Keep your indoor humidity within ideal levels.
- The area around your humidifier shouldn’t be wet. The device should place on or around good absorbent to prevent dampness.
Final thought
Humidifiers are great devices for creating an optimally humid environment in your home. Such settings prevent molds, dust mites, and allergens from invading indoor air.
But…
If you don’t properly clean and maintain your humidifier, it may get moldy and spread mold spores.
Once mold grows inside a humidifier…
It disperses the harmful spores into the air, where you and your family members can inhale them and possibly experience allergic reactions, asthma, or inflammation of the lungs.
That said…
Excessive use of your unit can also cause over-humidification of your house, leading to mold formation.
So, you must ensure your humidifier is well-regulated and regularly clean to prevent it from harboring mold and germs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can humidifiers spread mold?
An untidy humidifier can breed mold and germs in its water tank.
And in addition, if you operate such an infected humidifier, it can spread mold spores in your home.
This is detrimental to your health, so you must ensure you always keep your humidifiers neat and tidy.
Does a humidifier cause mold in a carpet?
Yes, a humidifier does cause mold growth in the carpet. This is because rugs are excellent absorbents of moisture, which is what mold loves.
Dampened or wet rug is one of the best breeding places for mold. So you must ensure you place your humidifier away from the carpet.
If you don’t have a better place to put it, please ensure there aren’t leakages in the humidifier and place the unit on an elevated platform a little above the floor.
Read more: Does a humidifier cause mold in a carpet?
Can a humidifier cause black mold?
An unregulated humidifier can elevate indoor moisture to unhealthy high levels.
And over time, such dampened surroundings can create conditions that facilitate the formation of black molds in your home.