Does your bathroom in Gaithersburg or Rockville smell musty, even after you clean it? Do you see tiny black spots appearing on the ceiling or grout lines? If so, you have a humidity problem.
In Maryland, our humid summers make moisture control a battle. But often, the root cause isn’t just the weather—it’s your plumbing. Mold needs moisture to survive, and a few small plumbing tweaks can cut off its water supply.
At Quince Orchard Plumbing, we help homeowners protect their families from mold by fixing the hidden moisture sources others miss. Here are 5 simple fixes to keep your bathroom dry and healthy.
1. Upgrade Your Exhaust Fan (And Use It!)
Ideally, your bathroom humidity should stay below 50%. If your mirror stays fogged for 10 minutes after a shower, your fan isn’t doing its job.
The Fix:
1. Clean the vent: Dust bunnies often clog the motor.
2. Upgrade the fan: Older homes in Montgomery Village often have weak, noisy fans. Install a modern, high-CFM (cubic feet per minute) fan that moves air quietly.
3. Install a timer switch: The fan should run for 20 minutes after you leave the shower. A timer switch makes this automatic so you don’t forget.
2. Stop “Sweating” Pipes and Toilets
Have you ever noticed water droplets on the outside of your toilet tank or the cold water pipes under the sink? This is condensation (or “sweating”), caused when cold WSSC water enters your warm, humid bathroom.
The Fix:
1. Insulate Pipes: Wrap exposed cold water pipes with foam insulation to stop the sweating.
2. Insulate the Toilet Tank: You can install an insulation liner kit inside the tank to create a barrier between the cold water and the porcelain.
3. Re-Caulk and Re-Grout Immediately
Cracked caulk around the tub or missing grout in the shower allows water to seep behind the tile. This hidden water wets the drywall/greenboard, creating a perfect mold farm that you can’t clean because it’s inside the wall.
The Fix: Inspect your caulk lines annually. If you see peeling or cracks, scrape it out and apply fresh, mold-resistant 100% silicone caulk.
4. Fix the “Micro-Leaks”
A faucet that drips once a minute creates constant moisture in the sink basin. A toilet wax ring that leaks slightly might not flood the floor, but it keeps the subfloor damp enough for mold to thrive.
The Fix: Don’t ignore the small stuff. Fix dripping faucets and wobbly toilets immediately. If you suspect a hidden leak, check our Water Line Repair services.
5. Clear Slow Drains
If you take a shower and end up standing in 2 inches of water, that standing water increases the surface area for evaporation, adding tons of unnecessary humidity to the room.
The Fix: clear hair clogs regularly. If the drain remains slow, it might be a deeper venting issue or blockage requiring professional Drain Cleaning.
Service Area: Serving Gaithersburg (20878), Rockville, Germantown, North Potomac, Darnestown, Montgomery Village, Potomac, Derwood, Kentlands, and Washington Grove.