Mold and mildew are types of fungi. The problem with them is that they grow and spread very quickly and they destroy things in the process. They can damage your home, your property and your health.

Mold Loves Moisture

The key to preventing mold -- or to keep it from coming back if you already have a problem -- is controlling moisture.

These destructive little fungi need three things to grow: moisture, food and oxygen. You can't eliminate oxygen, and they can eat just about anything, so your only hope is to control the amount of dampness or humidity.

If you live in a muggy climate, absorbing the excess water in the air will go a long way toward preventing the growth and spread of mold and mildew.

If you've suffered flooding, severe weather or a serious leak and dampness has remained even after all the water has been extracted, you'll want to find a way to dehumidify the air before mold starts to grow.

If your bathroom has begun to grow mildew on the shower curtain, tile, grout, caulk, floor, walls or ceiling, the ventilation isn't sufficient to dry things out after a shower, you're going to keep having a problem unless you find a way to absorb the excess dampness.

If your attic, basement, closets or crawl space have that telltale musty smell that indicates moldy growth, you need to find a way to keep them drier. It doesn't take a whole lot of water for mold to grow. They're not fussy. Their tiny spores will land anywhere and happily begin growing if there's anything even slightly wet for them to live on. Pretty much any degree of wetness, dampness, humidity or mugginess will do. But if you can prevent relative humidity from getting above 50% relative humidity, you can keep mold from growing.