When it comes to preventing mold in your home, you have a number of options. One of those is mold-resistant paint.
But does it really work?
The short answer is yes, but there are some caveats.
These paints are designed to be resistant to mold growth, but they’re not a cure-all for preventing or stopping mold in your home.
The product is applied to the walls of your home or business and helps block moisture from getting into your walls. The idea is to help prevent mold from growing on the surface, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t still have problems in your home that need to be addressed.
For example, it doesn’t prevent mold growth on surfaces that already have it.
Also, if you have leaks or water damage in your home and don’t fix them, it increases the risk of building up moisture inside your walls and ceilings, which could lead to serious mold growth if left unchecked for too long.
But it can slow down future growth by making them less hospitable for spores to take root.
Here are the top 3 mold-resistant paint brands:
1. Rust-Oleum Zinsser paint brands like the Perma-White 1-gallon Semi Gloss Paint
Enhance and protect moisture-prone areas in your home or business with Rust-Oleum® paints. It is a self-priming, water-based paint that prevents mold and mildew. It contains an EPA registered fungicidal protective coating.
This paint is great for use on exterior siding, fences, and even your garage door. It’s also great for interior walls and ceilings because it has excellent adhesion properties. If you’re looking for a paint that will last for years without any signs of mold or mildew, then this is the one for you.
2. KILZ paint brands such as the Adhesion Primer, Interior/Exterior
The name may be misleading because KILZ paint and primers do not actually ‘kill’ mold. It helps prevent mold and covers stains and smells.
3. Mix Paint-Guard Mold and Mildew Defense Paint Additive with any good semi-gloss or gloss paint
You basically mix the liquid with the water-based paints and floor treatments of your choice to prevent mold growth without impacting the color or texture.
For example, Behr Premium Plus Ultra Paint and Stain Blockage is a great paint because it has some of the most effective natural mold resistance available and it dries in just 2 hours and is suitable for interior and exterior surfaces.
BONUS TIP: In addition to these paints, you should also consider using latex primer on any bare wood or drywall before you apply the paint.
This will help seal up any gaps or cracks in your walls that might allow moisture to get inside them. It will also help improve the adhesion of the paint so that it doesn’t peel off as easily over time.
How does mold resistant paint work
As I mentioned above, mold-resistant paint is designed to help prevent mold from growing on surfaces. These paints use different types of ingredients to make them more waterproof, durable and less likely to absorb moisture from the air or from water leaking into the walls and ceilings of your home.
They are made with antimicrobial additives that inhibit the growth of mold, bacteria and mildew. The main ingredient is boric acid. This substance has been used for many years to kill molds and bacteria in the laboratory. Boric acid is also found in some household products like toothpaste, mouthwash and shampoo.
They also have a common waterproofing feature found in many paints — latex and oil-based — as well as some stains and finishes. Some of these ingredients include silica and acrylics that help seal off tiny cracks and crevices in your walls so they’re less susceptible to water damage and subsequent mildew growth.
But it is important to understand that mold-resistant paints aren’t 100% waterproof.
Some allow moisture vapor to escape through tiny holes in their surface, which prevents condensation from forming on the inside surface of walls and roofs. This helps prevent water from seeping into cracks in exterior surfaces, which can lead to growth if left unchecked for several days or weeks.
Today, there are several different kinds of mold-resistant paint available for homeowners who want to protect their homes.
Why would you need mold-resistant paint?
Mold grows when there are high levels of moisture in the air or on surfaces like walls, ceilings, and floors. Bathrooms, kitchens and basements are more humid than other rooms, so its a good product to use on the walls.
Also, if you live in a humid climate, this can be particularly problematic because there is more moisture in the air to feed the growth of mold spores.
Mold-resistant paint will help the moisture and mold from penetrating into the porous drywall by acting as a barrier. But one mold starts to grow on the paint, it needs to be cleaned off quickly before its hyphae penetrate into the drywall.
This would mean that you have a humidity problem that needs to be addressed as well. Meaning you may want to purchase a dehumidifier and air purifier to help combat humidity and spores.
Conclusion
Despite the recurring mold issues in recent years, paints will continue to play an important role in society. In some cases, however, these paints will also lead to significant health and safety concerns due to prolonged exposure or improper handling.
In the end, it makes sense to do the due diligence and find out which paints are the most effective for mold resistance.
This list of paints could be your first step towards preventing mold growth and improving the air quality in your home or office.
Just make sure you understand what is toxic and what isn’t when it comes to paint. Additionally, it’s also worth understanding how to handle these types of paints for both personal health and property protection.
By doing this along with other preventative measures such as using a dehumidifier and HEPA air purifier, you can help preserve your property and your health.
For more tips on how to prevent mold, please check out the rest of our website for more information
Moe Bedard is the founder of Mold Safe Inspections and manager at Mold Safe Solutions. A full-service Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) company specializing in property water damage, mold inspections, consultations, and mold remediation.
If you need help with a project, please call 760-818-6830.
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