Mold in the apartment or house is always unsightly: because it not only puts a strain on the walls, but above all on health. Especially in the bedroom, where most people spend a lot of time, it is important to react quickly when mold is discovered. We explain below how you can combat and prevent them. Important: You should take action immediately in your own apartment or house. In a rented apartment or house, you should contact the landlord before taking action and provide written proof of the infestation. Then it is usually the landlord’s job to take action.
In order to combat mold in the bedroom, it is important to identify the causes in order to specifically address them. Possible causes of mold infestation can be the following aspects:
Different methods can be helpful to combat existing mold in the bedroom. An electric dehumidifier is one of them. In comparison to the conventional dehumidifier, which only passively absorbs excess humidity to a small extent, it actively combats excessive humidity.
You can use a so-called hygrometer to check whether the humidity is too high. If droplets settle on the inside of the window pane, it is definitely too high. It should be between 40 and 60 percent. If the hygrometer regularly shows values that are too high, you should take action, purchase a dehumidifier and always keep an eye on the values.
When purchasing an electric dehumidifier, there are a few aspects you should pay attention to. The rating from Stiftung Warentest can be helpful, as can customer reviews. In addition, the target humidity should be adjustable, ideally as a percentage. The model of your choice should be selected to suit the size of the room. Helpful tip: The device’s water bowl should be filled after about a day. If this happens faster, it may make sense to purchase a second active dehumidifier. You should also leave dehumidifiers on at night to ensure high efficiency. When the device reaches the drying threshold, it usually switches off automatically.
In order to prevent mold infestation, it may make sense to purchase a dehumidifier either way, even if the electricity costs can be high. This way you can avoid potentially high removal costs. If there has already been mold infestation, it makes sense to treat the affected areas with a mold remover, dry the areas and then paint over them with a suitable anti-mold paint.
If there is already a high level of mold infestation, the help of experts is usually essential. They can determine the causes and also give tips for prevention.
The bedroom, like the bathroom, is more often affected by mold because the humidity in these rooms is usually higher than in other rooms. The infestation can have an impact on health, especially in the bedroom, as we spend at least the night here. It can cause shortness of breath and asthma, as well as aggravate an existing illness. If you spend a long time in rooms with moisture damage, symptoms such as irritation of the conjunctiva, throat and nasal mucous membranes, coughing, headaches or fatigue are also possible consequences.
If you have discovered mold in your apartment, you should immediately inform your landlord in writing with evidence. Especially if the damage is larger, you should not try to repair the damage yourself so as not to make it worse. The landlords should now take action to have the mold removed. If you are not responsible for the damage, it is possible to assert the right to a rent reduction. If you don’t come to an agreement with the landlord, the whole thing can become a case in court. Experts then check who is responsible for the mold infestation. But be careful: this can be expensive. In the event of a dispute, you should first seek help from the German Tenants’ Association so that the matter can best be resolved out of court.
Sources: Stiftung Warentest / consumer advice center
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