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Home Painting Alamo – Preventing Mold with Paint


One typical pet peeve homeowners have when home painting in Alamo is dealing with mold and mildew. This is a common issue, especially when painting in specific areas where moisture is present.

In every painting job, cleaning and preparation of the surface are essential. Doing so allows for surface inspection for any problems so they can be fixed and prepared for the finishing topcoat. When mold is present on the surface, you cannot paint on it. When you try to apply paint on the surface with mold, the paint cannot stick to it properly, making everything worse.

Mold is typically present in bathrooms and sometimes in kitchens, especially near or around the sink. It can pose health hazards, especially to people whose immune systems are compromised. Mold spores are microscopic, which means the naked eye cannot see them. When these spores are released, they float in the air and eventually settle on every surface of the room. For people with weak immune systems, the effects of breathing in mold can be a lot worse and potentially lead to more severe consequences.

Before you proceed to the painting part, you must remove the mold first. The most common mold-removing method is a solution consisting of regular bleach and water. Another household cleaner, sodium borate or borax, might do a better job in killing mold without the toxic fumes. After cleaning the surface, make sure to let the surface dry completely – mold loves moist environments – before proceeding to the next step. If the area is small and doesn’t have enough air circulation, open the window, or turn on the exhaust fan to help dry the surface faster.

It’s also important to check the cause of excessive moisture in the room, such as faulty plumbing that might cause leaks, and fix it. Once again, mold loves moist environments, so targeting and addressing the root cause will prevent mold from growing and spreading.

You may not prime the surface if you don’t want to or if the surface doesn’t need it. But priming the surface has benefits. The primer seals pores in new and unpainted surfaces (such as wood and drywall), covers imperfections, blocks stains and odors, and helps the topcoat adhere better to the surface. Some paints are specially made primers – in this case, you can use mold-killing primers (such as Zinsser Mold Killing Primer) that typically contain fungicidal properties and are ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.

As for paints, you have to do some research first before buying the right product. There are paints that are formulated explicitly for high-humidity environments that repel water stains and streaking. However, they may not have mold-killing properties or a glossy finish that’s supposedly easy to clean. Look for paints that can kill and prevent mold, plus repel water and moisture. Mold-killing paints with glossy finish – mainly satin, semi-gloss, or high gloss (or glossy) do the job better in repelling water and moisture than flat (matte) and eggshell. They are also easy to clean. However, many people do not like high gloss or glossy paints because of their highly reflective appearance, especially when painted across a large, flat surface. So, most people choose satin or semi-gloss.

If you don’t want to bother guessing which paints are best suited for high-humidity areas, hiring a professional interior painting contractor will save you from all the trouble. They will have access to specific products and techniques that you may not know, such as professional-grade paints and primers with powerful mold and mildew-resistant additives. They also know which paint finish is the best to use depending on the type or condition of the surface. And most importantly, these professionals are aware of the importance of cleaning and priming the surface. Sixty to seventy percent of the paint job goes to prep work, and that’s especially the case of the bathroom or kitchen, especially when there is already mold present.

Have you found mold damage in your home? Don’t hesitate to call a home painting in Alamo contractors. They will come to assess and address the damage and keep your family safe.

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