Low humidity but foods mold faster?

No idea for the reason ww? but my wife says the same thing with our food and likes to keep a pot of water on the stove.

 

I would vent the clothes dryer outside. That moisture is different. I don't know how to explain it. I would also try the pot of water on the stove and keep filling it. It will evaporate quickly and help keep things more even. Maybe get one of those ones that are meant for that specifically. We almost always had a pot of water on the stove in the basement.



http://www.fireplacemall.com/Kettles/kettles.html#Steamers
http://www.fireplacemall.com/Kettles/kettles.html#PorcelainKettles

Do I Need a Wood Stove Kettle or Steamer?
Wood stoves give off dry heat and remove water from the air, leading to problems like dry skin and cracked lips. Dry air also attacks the glue that holds your furniture together and can even crack wood by removing too much moisture. Houseplants, too, can suffer from an environment without enough humidity. Putting water vapor back into the air can make your home much more pleasant.
A variety of kettles and steamers are available to do just that. All of them work the same way: filled with water and placed on your woodstove or fireplace insert, they emit water vapor to replace the moisture the wood stove is taking away.
Woodstove Kettles
Kettles come in different styles and colors, with black and brass models being the most popular. Capacity ranges from one quart to 2 1/2 quarts. For wood stoves and fireplace inserts with narrow top surfaces there are half-kettles that look like a regular kettle from the front, but are only 4 inches deep.
Kettles are not designed to keep water safe for drinking or for making tea.
Woodstove Steamers
Steamers come in plain and whimsical designs. Steamers with a lattice top have the advantage of allowing you to see the water level so you know when to refill. Other steamers, in ceramics or metals, come in the form of animals such as ducks, dragons, and even an Orca whale.
Use Tips

• Don't let your kettle or steamer run out of water, lest it be damaged by overheating.
• If the water is boiling instead of simmering, place your kettle or steamer on a trivet designed for use with woodstoves.
• Never refill a hot kettle or steamer with cold water . Use very hot tap water or hot water from the microwave or stove.
• Do not drink the water from a woodstove kettle.
• If you are having wood stove odors, some night when you will not be using the stove, add a cup of vinegar to the steamer's water. Leave it out overnight, and refill the steamer with fresh water the next day.

Removing Calcium Deposits
Most household water contains the mineral calcium. As water boils away, the calcium is left behind in the form of crusty white deposits.
You can remove these deposits with plain old vinegar, a mild acid. Heating the vinegar in the kettle or steamer will speed up the chemical reaction that removes the calcium deposits.

 

I use the "pot on the stove" method as well.

There were a couple pots in a auction box lot; kind of bent up and dented. There's a 2 qt and a 1 qt. When the FPI and the box stove are running at the same time, I can go through 2.5- 3 gallon of water a day. With out them, the humidity is 20%- 25%. With them, I can get it up to 45%. And it's cheaper than using an electric humidifier.

 

Fridge is actually a good breeding ground for bread mold.
It's not cold enough and likely the same thing happens as with frozen bread.
Freeze it and take out the slices as you need them.

If you take the whole loaf of bread out of the freezer and leave it on the counter in the bag , water will condense on the inside of the bag providing a prime breeding ground and environment for mold growth.

Mold spores are everywhere, provide a medium to culture them and they will multiply.
They could even be coated on that loaf of bread as it comes out of the oven at the bread factory and most certainly the count increases the first time you open the bag and let nice fresh spore laden air in at home.

Living near a lake you might have a higher percentage of mold spores in the air.



If the air here gets too dry and I'm not drinking enough water I get nose bleeds.
Another indication of dehydration is headaches.

 

My guess is that the mold spores, which are nesting somewhere (perhaps in a wall, where water pipes are), will drift through dry air quite easily until they find a moist host, such as bread, cheese, etc.
A good air purifier might be able to "catch" them, thus reducing their numbers.
If you think the mold is forming at a substantial rate, it might be worth a peek behind the walls. In my neck of the woods, a sure sign of a water leak can be persistent ant invasions in the spring and summer. I had a contractor tell me that every time someone had a tiny leak in a pipe (sometimes these are unnoticable, as they do no damage), they seemed to complain of an ant problem. Just my 2cents.

 

Disagree with the dryer/moisture statement,wnless you use any dryer additives(dryer sheets,softeners) then you are putting chemicals into the air.A dryer will put an immense amount of moisture in the air.It also puts a lot of fine lint in air,I use nylon stockings to trap quite a bit of it.Montana has lower humidity than where I am from,noticed same thing,bread and other foods mold faster.Bread goes in freezer,then fridge,use from fridge.Also keep fridge slightly above freezing,colder than normal.Works well for me.Fruits normally left out also go in fridge.You may want to check humidity in different areas of house.Also consider the fact you are remodeling,stirring up all kinds of things that may have been dormant.Air house out whenever you can.Just a few days ago opened doors and windows while breese was blowing(was fairly warm).I also suspect part of the problem is the high temps you keep house.