Mold spores are everywhere. You can’t see them. They just float around in the air, whether you are indoors or outside. When these invisible spores land on a wet or moist material, they can begin to grow. In nature, mold serves the function of breaking down dead organic matter, such as leaves or fallen trees. Without a wet surface, the spores remain dormant.
Mold growth on paper application tape is extremely rare, but it can happen. If the adhesive system has not been completely cured, the remaining moisture can promote mold growth. Usually the problem of mold growth is not a result of the tape manufacturing process.
Instead, mold typically occurs when the tape is stored in a cool, damp environment, such as in a basement. Humidity that condenses on a surface of the paper tape, provides an excellent medium, upon which spores can sprout.
So what do you need to do, if you experience mold growing on rolls of application tape. The first step is to discard any moldy tape. That’s the easy part. The next step is to evaluate your storage conditions. Do not remove rolls of application tape from its packaging, until you are ready to use it. If the tape is stored in a cool, damp space, you will need to relocate it to an environment with humidity control.
Indoors you can only control mold growth by controlling moisture. Dehumidifiers and air conditioning can help control excessive humidity. Remember, without water, mold cannot grow .