Can We Actually Stop Mold From Growing On Drywall?

Drywall is a cost-effective and lightweight building material that is widely used for interior walls and ceilings due to its ease of installation. However, despite its many benefits, it is susceptible to mold and mildew growth. Its high organic content and moisture retention capabilities provide an ideal environment for mold spores to thrive.

To address this issue, many manufacturers have begun marketing mold-resistant products that claim to prevent the formation of mold and mildew on drywall. It is essential to determine whether these claims are valid and whether investing in mold-resistant drywall is worthwhile.

To save you time, we have conducted extensive research on the topic of drywall and mold. Keep reading for a comprehensive overview of everything you need to know.

Why Drywall is Susceptible to Mold Growth?

Drywall is recognized as an ideal environment for mold to grow. This is primarily attributed to its high organic content, which provides an abundant source of nutrients for mold spores to flourish. Molds are known to feed on carbon-based materials and organic matter such as wood, fabrics, skin cells, food, carpets, paper, and others, which are commonly found in drywall.

What is drywall?

A standard drywall panel is composed of gypsum sandwiched between two paper layers. While the gypsum core itself is non-organic, the paper layers are organic, which makes them a prime target for mold spores seeking organic matter to feed on.

Furthermore, the soft and lightweight texture of drywall contributes to its susceptibility to mold growth. The combination of gypsum and paper creates a cost-effective and easily installable building material but also makes drywall highly absorbent to moisture and water vapor, creating a favorable environment for mold spores to thrive.

Water and moisture leaks can easily penetrate the porous surface of drywall, leading to extensive mold damage that can be challenging to remove. The microscopic pores in drywall trap moisture and mold, making it almost impossible to cure mold-infected drywall. In such cases, replacing the affected boards with new ones is often the most effective solution.

To learn more about the effects of mold on drywall, continue reading.

What Sets Mold-Resistant Drywall Apart?

So, what makes mold-resistant drywall effective in preventing mold growth? The answer lies in the absence of paper.

As mentioned earlier, paper is the primary source of organic material in drywall, making it an ideal breeding ground for mold. The soft texture of paper also contributes to moisture retention and quick mold spread.

Mold-resistant drywall eliminates paper facing, significantly reducing the material’s ability to promote mold growth. This is the primary concept behind mold-resistant drywall, which typically comes in two types.

Homogeneous Drywall

Homogeneous or faceless drywall is a type of drywall that does not have any facing and is made solely of gypsum material. Unlike traditional drywall, it does not have sheets of paper covering the gypsum core and has a consistent composition throughout the panel. As a result, mold spores land directly on the gypsum material, which does not contain organic material, and cannot serve as a food source for mold.

Fibreglass Drywall

Fiberglass facing drywall is named so because it uses fiberglass covers instead of paper. Fiberglass is not carbon-based and therefore does not provide mold with any organic material to feed on.

Can Mold Resistant Drywall Effectively Prevent Mold Growth?

Both types of mold-resistant drywall, which use inorganic materials that mold cannot digest and do not include paper, effectively reduce the likelihood of mold buildup. While mold-resistant drywall has a lower chance of developing mold than standard drywall, manufacturers do not guarantee that their products are entirely immune to mold growth. They only claim that their drywall provides better resistance to mold problems. This suggests that certain conditions may still allow mold to grow on mold-resistant drywall.

What Type Of Conditions?

It is essential to remember that although mold cannot grow on non-organic surfaces, it can still thrive on the accumulation of dust, dirt, dead skin cells, hair, and other minuscule carbon-based substances that accumulate on these surfaces.

This indicates that it is almost impossible to prevent mold spores from infiltrating an organic material that provides a food source.

Even with mold-resistant drywall, mold can still obtain the necessary sustenance to promote its growth and expansion. The growth may be slower, but it will occur eventually.

The most effective way to prevent or reduce mold growth is by addressing the moisture concerns in your home and decreasing the amount of moisture that penetrates your drywall.

Similar to any living organism, mold spores require water, oxygen, food, and light (or darkness) to survive. Since it is impossible to stop mold from acquiring food, light, and oxygen, the only thing that can be managed is water and the amount of moisture that penetrates your drywall.

Therefore, manufacturers do not advertise their products as impervious to mold but only resistant to it. In the end, it all depends on your actions.

If you place drywall in a damp and humid environment, mold will grow even if the drywall provides minimal organic food. However, if you keep your drywall dry and protected from moisture, mold-resistant drywall can further reduce the chances of mold accumulation.

Determining the Value of Mold-Resistant Drywall: Is it Worth the Investment?

Many homeowners wonder if investing in mold-resistant drywall is really worth the extra cost, especially since regular drywall can also grow mold when exposed to humid air. What makes mold-resistant drywall different and justifies its higher price?

While it may not be necessary to replace all gypsum boards with mold-resistant drywall, it can be a wise investment to use it in rooms that are most prone to moisture and mold issues, such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, kitchens, basements, and crawl spaces. These areas have more water condensation and thus create ideal conditions for mold growth.

Mold-resistant drywall provides an extra layer of protection that makes it more difficult for molds to form on the gypsum boards. With the same moisture level, regular drywall will get moldy much faster than mold-resistant drywall, and the mold damage will be more severe and costly to repair.

However, it is important to note that simply choosing mold-resistant drywall is not enough to prevent mold growth. Homeowners must still take measures to reduce moisture levels in their homes, especially in moisture-prone rooms. This means fixing any sources of leaks or water damage and ensuring proper ventilation and dehumidification.

Investing in mold-resistant drywall can be a good choice in certain areas of the home, but it is not a complete solution to mold prevention. Homeowners must still take an active role in reducing the conditions that promote mold growth.

If you are unsure whether mold-resistant drywall is the right choice for your home, it is always best to consult a professional for advice.