Finding and Treating Mold in Your Commercial Property

7/30/2020 (Permalink)

Significant mold growth can occur in 48-72 hours

Did you know that your commercial building could have a mold problem without you even knowing it? Unfortunately, mold can grow in places that are not visible in a casual walk-through. Knowing what enables mold growth and common places it occurs can help you keep your business mold-free.

Where Mold Grows

Mold can grow anywhere it is warm and wet, but there are certain places that are more prone to mold infestations than others. Make sure you check the following areas in your building for mold:

• Ductwork
• Carpet
• Electrical equipment
• Paper-storage areas
• HVAC units (particularly drainage pans and terminal units)
• Ceiling tiles
• Masonry
• Walls (wallboards and inside cavity walls)
  
  

Mold can also result from high humidity, so be sure to keep the inside humidity low, ideally below 45%.

Mold Growth From Water Damage

Mold can begin growing as quickly as 24 hours after flooding, leaking or any other event that causes water damage to your property. Therefore, it is important to dry the water as soon as possible. Wet/dry vacuums, dehumidifiers and fans can all help with this process. Anything that cannot be fully dried should be removed from the area.

Treating Mold

Often the first indication of a mold problem is a musty smell. If you cannot see any mold, it may be best to call mold remediation experts to help you find the source of the mold. After the mold has been found and the water source addressed, it is important to contain the mold. This can be accomplished by turning off fans and the heating or air conditioning in the area. Professionals may use more advanced methods. Then an antimicrobial or antifungal cleaning solution should be used to clean the mold. Anything that cannot be fully cleaned of mold should be thrown out. After the mold has been brought back to normal levels, any needed reconstruction or repairs can begin.

Mold in your Holopaw, FL, business can be a serious problem. However, routinely checking for mold growth and addressing it quickly can prevent a minor issue from becoming a disaster.