What To Do If You Suspect Mold Growth In Your Commercial Building

2/9/2018 (Permalink)

As commercial buildings are become more energy efficient often these energy efficient buildings do not have proper ventilation or air exchanges. Poor air quality then becomes a perfect breeding ground for mold and other contaminants. Even as you’re HVAC systems become more energy efficient, costly, and with the addition air filters exposure to indoor mold has become a major hindrance. Fortunately, there are several different solutions to this issue. When mold growth does occur, it is very important to know the right steps for properly removing it from an indoor environment, and ensuring that it doesn't re-occur.

Any area that contains the right levels of water has lack of light, and no exposure to fresh air can cause mold to begin growing in as little as 48 hours. Since mold tends to grow in cramped, closed, and damp spaces, the reality is that for every visible colony of mold that you see, there could be several more square feet (millions of spores) of mold in areas that you do not. Simply put; an area that can hold moisture and no easy access is vulnerable, especially in commercial buildings where there are numerous places mold can grow, and are often difficult to locate.

If you suspect that your building has mold growth you should call a licensed professional

It’s a task which should be firmly limited to qualified professionals who have the proper knowledge and equipment to safely remove mold and mold contaminated materials. Just inhalation or exposure to mold could cause significant health problems.

The Steps for Removing Mold:

 Plan and Prepare. Contact a licensed mold remediation company such as SERVPRO to safely remove mold and mold contaminated materials. Just inhalation or exposure to mold could cause significant health problems.

Identify, and Protect. When remediation is performed, take special care in inspecting “unseen” areas where mold could potentially grow, and have them cleaned accordingly. Protect your building by having any water damage completely remediated by a water mitigation company such as SERVPRO of South Frisco/The Colony and by having air inspections to detect spores that could cause resurgence in mold growth.

Act Quickly. Mold begins growing within 48 hours, but some can begin colonizing a surface even sooner, so don’t wait when it comes to contacting a mold remediation professional such as SERVPRO. If you have had an area flood with water, water removal and potential remediation needs to begin as soon as it is detected or mold is a real possibility.

Turn Off the HVAC. Mold is spread through airborne spores, and your HVAC can transport those spores throughout a building. It can also grow in any ventilation shaft where there's condensation to feed growth. Until the mold has been properly removed, don’t give the mold potential routes of access throughout your building, or you could be dealing with a much more extensive growth.