Common gardening mistake that creates 'perfect breeding ground' for mould in your home

With cooler weather drawing on, mould issues will start to rear their heads. If you want to keep your home warm and dry, there is one thing you need to make sure you're not guilty of.

According to Dale Smith, the founder of Fence Guru there are several common autumn habits that could actually spell trouble for your home. He said: "Most people don't realise that their well-intentioned autumn habits could actually create the perfect environment for mould to thrive.

"The combination of increased moisture and reduced airflow that comes with cooler weather means we need to be extra careful about how we manage our homes during this transition period."

One common autumn chore is raking the fallen leaves from your garden. However, if these are not properly disposed of, they can cause issues in your property.

If you frequently pile wet leaves against your home, it's important to find a different way to get rid of them. Dale said: "Wet leaves create a moisture barrier against your walls that never properly dries out.

"This constant dampness seeps through small cracks and gaps, to create the perfect breeding ground for mould inside wall cavities."

The decomposing leaves also generate heat and additional moisture, making the problem worse.

Rather than leaving the leaves up against your home, Dale recommends keeping leaf litter at least two metres away from your home's foundation. Better yet, compost them in a dedicated area away from the house.

Another common mistake is bringing wet weather gear into the house and storing it before it can dry out. Leaving things like wellington boots, rain jackets and umbrellas to drip-dry in enclosed spaces like hallways, closets, or mudrooms creates pockets of high humidity.

Dale said: "I've seen mould problems start in entrance areas where families consistently leave wet gear. It spreads from there into the rest of the home through air circulation."