What Are the Causes of White Mold on Bricks?

White mold is a type of fungus that is responsible for causing dead organic matter to decay. However, it can become a problem for homeowners when it lands on the bricks in their home and begins to eat away at the mortar and brick. There are actually hundreds of white mold spores floating inside and outside a home, but they will only settle and grow on the brick walls of your home because of moisture, lack of air circulation and a failure to remove the mold from the bricks regularly.

White mold grows where water settles and in environments that are moist because white mold needs water to reproduce. Thus, white mold tends to grow in humid climates. Inside a home, white mold will grow on bricks in humid rooms such as a bathroom or laundry room. To prevent the growth of white mold in your home, ensure that each room is well ventilated to prevent moisture from building up and pooling.

White mold also grows where there is little air circulation. Mold spores are constantly floating through the air and into a home. If the home has proper air circulation, the spores will cycle back out of the home. However, when mold spores become trapped in a poorly ventilated room they can settle and grow. Inside a home white mold can grow in crawl spaces, attics or basements that do not have proper air circulation. To prevent this, homeowners can install an attic fan or cross ventilate a home regularly. Outside a home, white mold will grow on bricks on a part of the home that is protected from wind.

White mold growth on bricks is common is most environments and inevitable for many homeowners. White mold is harmless if it is cleaned away regularly, but it can damage the bricks on your home if it is left to grow. In fact, the longer it is left alone, the larger the white mold growth will be. To prevent home damage, homeowners can regularly clean the white mold from the bricks on their home. Inside a home, they should look for white mold growth in poorly ventilated areas that may have excess moisture. Outside a home they should look in areas that are protected from wind, including the space behind shrubs and trees or under steps. Power washers are useful cleaning tools for the outside of a home.