Is Heat Good Enough To Get Rid of Mold? An Expert Explains

Whether caused by a flood or a slow leak under the kitchen sink, mold can quickly take root in your home. Mold not only looks bad but can quickly degrade the air quality of your living space. While it’s always a good idea to remove any mold growing in your home, it’s especially critical if you or a loved one has asthma, mold allergies or a compromised immune system. Common removal methods include vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and fungicides, as well as replacing molded materials like drywall.

But, given the fact that mold does not survive in extreme hot or cold temperatures, is it possible to kill mold in your home with heat? The short answer is yes, but important factors must be considered before using this method. Mike Sacenti from American Healthy Homes and Bill Carroll from Indiana University weigh in on the effectiveness of this method.

Can Heat Kill Mold In My Home?

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), mold dies when exposed to temperatures between 140 and 160 degrees. So, in principle, yes, you can kill mold in your home with heat.

Can I Kill Mold With Heat In My Home?

Killing mold with heat is not an ideal method in homes, especially for DIYers. Just attaining air temperatures of 140 to 160 degrees is no easy task. “It’s not something that you can crank the heat up in a room and get rid of mold,” Sacenti says. Most home thermostats typically only go up to 90 degrees, so you’d have to generate heat with an alternate source, like a space heater. There is risk involved in heating a room to such high temperatures that experienced professionals should manage.

Even if you could heat your home or a room in your home to 140 degrees, mold does not instantly die when exposed to these temperatures. A sustained treatment, from one to several hours, is often needed to thoroughly kill all live mold and mold spores. “The risk is if you don’t heat it enough, you may not kill it all and kill all the mold spores,” Carroll says.

When professionals use heat to kill mold in a home, they also encapsulate the area to avoid contaminating the entire house. Mold spores killed with heat are dry, light and no longer rooted to a surface, so they are more prone to becoming airborne. Without proper encapsulation, these mold spores can circulate throughout the home, worsening the problem.

When space heaters with fans are used to generate the heat to kill mold, this is a particular concern. Dead mold spores are just as detrimental to air quality as live ones, so it’s important to keep them contained in the treated area.

What Materials Can Heat Kill Mold On?

Heat is most effective at killing surface mold, so it works best on non-porous materials like tile, glass and metal. It’s also possible to kill mold on non-structural wood and plastic, although exposing these materials to high temperatures can warp them.

Fabric-based products like upholstery, clothes, and carpeting can be treated with steam, which penetrates the fibers deeply. “This will get to the source of the mold spores that are there, and the root system of those mold spores,” Sacenti says.

How to Kill Mold in Your Home With Heat

While it’s best to consult a professional to kill mold in your home with heat, an exception can be very small areas of mold that could be treated with a steam cleaner. Mold on upholstery, carpet and non-porous surfaces like tile, can be killed using steam, which can reach temperatures up to 200 degrees.

This method is safe, easy to manage and produces a controlled, high heat. “If you have mold growth on an old carpet, start with a good steam cleaning,” Sacenti says. Treat molds with a steam cleaner for 15 to 30 minutes to kill it. The combination of the high heat and moisture speeds up the treatment process.

However, after killing mold with heat, you’ll still need to scrub the surface clean and address any humidity or moisture issues that initially caused the mold. “The heat degradation products of mold don’t just go away,” Carroll says. “So you’re [still] left with a cleanup.”

FAQ

Can a heat gun be used to kill mold?

Heat guns can reach temperatures of 200 to 600 degrees, so could technically kill mold in your home. However, it’s not recommended. “You’d fry the mold for sure, but you also run the risk of starting a fire,” Sacenti says. Instead of using heat, he recommends calling a professional to assess and safely remove mold in your home.

Does dryer heat kill mold?

Residential dryers have a typical temperature range of 120 to 160 degrees. So, if you run your dryer at its highest temperature setting, there’s a good chance it can kill mold on clothing or bedding. However, Sacenti points out that the washing machine will likely be more effective than the dryer. “If you wash the molded items with a good detergent, the mold spores will be gone once they come out of the washer.” Combined with the heat of the dryer, this should kill any remaining spores. This process may not remove mold stains, however.

About the Experts

• Bill Carroll, Ph.D., is an adjunct professor of chemistry at Indiana University. The former vice president of industry issues for Occidental Chemical Corporation, he’s currently principal of Carroll Applied Science in Dallas, Texas.
• Michael Sacenti owns American Healthy Homes. He has 10 years of experience in the mold remediation industry and 40 years experience in real estate maintenance.

Sources

USDA Food Safety Publications, Processing and Safety (2004)