Mold is expensive to get rid of, so preventing mold growth in your home is important. You may occasionally have mildew growing in your bathroom, but the rest of your home should be free from mold. Here are five residential mold prevention tips to try.

1. Keep Your Home Dry

Get a roof leak repaired promptly because the moisture can cause mold to grow in your attic and spread. Do a water meter test occasionally to test for hidden water leaks. Fix pipe leaks as soon as possible, especially drips under sinks that cause mold to grow in your cabinets.

You may even want to invest in a thermal camera or humidity meter so you can scan for damp areas and test the humidity in your home to make sure your house is dry enough.

2. Run Your HVAC When Possible

You probably run your HVAC in the winter and summer, but you may want to run it in the off-seasons too so you can keep humidity under control. Keeping your windows closed and your HVAC running not only controls the temperature but the humidity as well.

If your home has a problem with humidity, you might talk to an HVAC company about putting a dehumidifier on your HVAC. You can operate it with a humidistat the same way you operate a thermostat, but you control for humidity rather than temperature.

3. Keep Air Moving

Air circulation helps prevent mold, so use fans when you can't run your HVAC. Also, keep clutter to a minimum since heaps of clothes and curtains that block the registers don't get airflow around them and can grow mildew. Improve ventilation in your kitchen and bathrooms with exhaust fans if you have them.

4. Dry Out Condensation

Mold can start growing in your home due to condensation. Condensation is a sign of high humidity, and it can also occur in your basement due to temperature differences. If you see condensation, dry it out and figure out why it's occurring so you can stop it. You might need to wrap plumbing pipes in the basement with insulation or buy a portable dehumidifier to pull moisture from the air before it causes condensation and mold on your windows, walls, or flooring.

5. Improve Outdoor Drainage

Check that rain is able to drain away from your house and that water doesn't puddle up near your foundation. Rain that collects near your foundation can seep through the concrete and cause mold behind your siding or inside your home. Maintaining proper drainage around your home is important for preventing water damage and mold.

Contact a professional to learn more about residential mold prevention.