Mold in your home can cause anything from a stuffy nose to a serious infection. Here, mold experts let you know how to prevent it — or fight it:

Watch the water

"The key to preventing or controlling mold is moisture control," says Tom Schultz, who owns Certified Mold Inspection & Remediation Services in Minnetonka, Minn. "You can't avoid it in the bathroom, so you have to ventilate, and we find mold regularly in attics that don't have good ventilation. To control it, use a properly designed rain gutter system and landscape grading, which should slope away from the house."

Keep it clean

"Clean your gutters regularly, typically twice a year, and keep all your vegetation trimmed away from the siding," says Tyler Mittendorf, owner of highly rated First Choice Home Inspection in Bothell, Wash. "Otherwise, these things will trap moisture against your house and block your gutters, and it may cause excessive moisture around the foundation."

Location, location, location

"If your home is situated near a wetland, you could run into some chronic problems with moisture intrusion," Schultz says. "You'll need to take additional measures, like adding drain tile and a sump pump system in your basement."

Catch it early

Mold tests are often separate from regular home inspections. Mittendorf says he finds mold in more than half the homes he inspects, but doesn't always do mold tests. "I give [the client] the option to do additional testing," he says. "They may sign a waiver saying I offered it and they chose not to do it."