A mold, cold Catch-22

So here’s something interesting: a house needs to be well-ventilated, or it will grow mold like that’s its dirty business.

Last November, the three of us were concerned with our heating bills, so we went out and bought plastic for our windows, new door sweeps, etc. to seal up our house.

Sealing the house definitely helped: it was noticeably warmer, and our energy bills were much lower than the previous occupants.

But since then, it’s been a constant battle against mold.

This wasn’t a problem at the old house, but here’s the difference: the last house had forced-air, gas heating. Which means that furnace brought in fresh air from outside (which, until just now, seemed terribly inefficient), heated it, and pushed it throughout the house.

The current house has electric base-board heaters. Moog rigged the fireplace with a thermostat, so the fireplace provides most of our heating–but it heats air from inside the house.

So it’s a kinda funny, and under recognized Catch-22. A house needs fresh air. But if your house isn’t sealed tight in the winter, your heating bills are going to be astronomical. But if you’re not getting fresh air in, like through a forced-air system, you’re going to subject yourself to the ill health effects of living in a moldy environment.

What’s the solution? It’s hard to say. But here’s my best guess: insist on living in a house with forced-air heating. And, baring that, plan on regularly airing out your house. Baring that, stock up on the antibiotics–‘cuz you’re going to need them!