Summer poses additional threats for mold to impact your home and health, according to international mold expert Michael Rubino, president of All American Restoration and author of “The Mold Medic: An Expert’s Guide on Mold Removal.” He offers three ways to protect yourself against mold this summer:

1. Check your house plants. “Water is essential for a plant’s life, but it’s also essential for mold growth,” Rubino said. Make sure to periodically check underneath your pots. Leaky pots are a common place for mold to grow and could be detrimental to the home. Have a basin underneath the pot to catch any potential water spills.”
2. Clean your car. Mold can be found in cars, and especially can grow during the summer when wet beach towels or iced coffee, etc. are left.
3. Don’t open the windows of your house when the air conditioning is on. “It may seem innocent or convenient to leave doors or windows open and let fresh air in, but when you do so, you’re also letting excess heat and humidity into your chilly home,” he said. “And whenever there’s a big temperature differential like this, excess moisture builds. It could encourage the growth of allergenic species of mold, commonly known as aspergillus or cladosporium, which are still environmental irritants and can be dangerous in large quantities.”