Mold is a naturally occurring fungus that can attack any home at any time. All it needs is a little moisture and some good stuff to eat. Mold's favorite foods in the home environment are paper and wood. Given those conditions, bathrooms are prime breeding grounds for mold because they're frequently loaded with moist air - from showering and bathing - and they're most likely covered in paper - from the paper facing on drywall.
So, the first step in preventing mold in the bathroom is to install a ventilation system to rid the space of excess moisture. Modern building codes require vent fans in all bathrooms, although some may make an exception for rooms that have operable windows for passive ventilation. If you have an older bathroom with windows, you should still include a vent fan because windows are less effective at capturing and evacuating water vapor, and windows don't ventilate at all when they're shut tight during the winter.
The next step for keeping mold out of your bathroom is to take away its sources of food. Drywall is a great building material and can be very green if it's made with recycled content, but in high-moisture areas like bathrooms and kitchens, today's green builders are increasingly switching to mold-resistant versions of drywall as a preventive measure against mold.
Mold-resistant drywall has become widely available in different forms from several leading drywall manufacturers. It's important to note that "mold-resistant" does not mean "mold-proof". Mold can grow almost anywhere given the right conditions. But by treating or eliminating paper, mold-resistant wallboards make your walls and ceilings much less inviting places for mold to reside.
If mold hasn't been a problem in your bathroom and you're not remodeling, it probably doesn't make sense to tear out all the old drywall and replace it with mold-resistant panels. Standard drywall won't promote mold growth unless there's too much moisture to begin with and the panels don't get a chance to dry out. But if you're planning a remodel that involves some surface changes, it's well worth the minor additional expense of using a mold-resistant product. Mold-resistant drywall typically installs and finishes just like standard drywall panels. Just be sure to check with the panel manufacturer for recommendations for taping and finishing materials.
Autor: Ky Cheah
Cheah has been writing articles online for quite sometimes. His newest interest is in kitchen/bathroom renovation. Please visit his latest website that discusses kitchen/bathroom renovation products such as Bathroom Floor Tile and Vinyl Floor Tile that most of the house will need it during renovation.
Added: September 25, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
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