The Leaf-Raking Mistake That Creates The Perfect Environment For Mold Growth

As the colors of autumn bloom and then start to fall, the annual chore of raking leaves commences. Ford many homeowners, some resultant leaf piles can unintentionally become an unseen threat to the health and structural integrity of their home. In fact, piling leaves directly against your home's foundation or exterior walls is one of many fall yard maintenance mistakes that can lead to more than an untidy yard: it can lead to mold growth on (and even in) your house.

Those leaves aren't just an innocent pile. In truth, that pile creates an insulating blanket that traps moisture right up against surfaces that are designed to breathe and dry out. This constant dampness provides the ideal environment for mold and mildew to thrive, leading to more than just a surface-level problem. The dangers of this seemingly innocuous leaf pile can extend deep into your home's structure, paving the way for wood rot where any structural wood (like crawlspace supports) begins to decay. The leaves also saturate the soil right next to your foundation, which swells or heaves, putting pressure on your foundation walls and potentially causing cracks. Worse still, those cracks can offer easy entry points for moisture, mold, rodents, and a variety of large-scale, costly repairs, from structural issues to mold remediation. However, this problem is easy to thwart and can save you from all kinds of headaches.

Luckily, solutions to this potential hazard are fairly simple. The easiest and most important remedy is to keep all leaf piles, mulch beds, and compost bins at least a few feet away from your home's foundation. There are plenty of clever tips for making raking your leaves easier, instead of piling them up against your house. We recommend creating a dedicated compost pile far from your house where you can gather the leaves.

There are other, more indirect maintenance tasks you can do to prevent mold growth on your home's exterior walls or foundation, too. Tackle similar moisture traps, like gutters, for starters. Clogged gutters can overflow, dumping hundreds of gallons of water right at your foundation(and any leaf piles there, too), so find ways to keep your gutters unclogged, clear of falling leaves, and moving any water several feet away from your house.

Furthermore, you should inspect the ground around your home and check that it also slopes away from your foundation instead of pooling. And be mindful of your landscaping: trim back any shrubs or bushes that are too close to your exterior walls. Along with leaves, this foliage can also trap moisture, attract pests, block sunlight, and prevent your exterior wall from drying out. Your best bet against mold issues is to provide good ventilation, as well as maintain direct sunlight on the perimeter of your home. By ensuring no leaves sit within a few feet of your home, you can easily prevent the conditions that encourage mold growth. A quick raking routine now can spare you thousands of dollars later.