Mold and mildew in a commercial building do not just look and smell bad. Some types of fungal growths can cause serious health effects and cause damage to the structure and materials of the building as well. With the significant factors of rising insurance, performing repairs and employee sickness, the costs of failing to re-mediate mold can be significant. Mold can be successfully controlled in any commercial building so that employee complaints are reduced and money is saved. Professional mold remediation and removal in commercial buildings can reduce insurance liability and premiums and help make workers more productive due to improved health and indoor air quality.
Mold is the growth of fungus that occurs on moist organic matter such as wood and fabric. The fungal growth causes the organic material to decay. There are many species of mold, each one of which has a different appearance in the form of color and texture. Fungi grow in any environment, indoors and out, throughout the entire year. Inside of a commercial building, all molds need is a source of moisture plus a source of carbon to grow. The source of carbon could be paper, drywall, fabric and other materials. The source of moisture could be condensation, a leaky faucet or HVAC system. The excess amount of indoor moisture allows molds to release spores, which are their means of reproduction. The spores can travel throughout the building thanks to centralized heating and air conditioning systems. This allows fungal growth to occur throughout the entire structure so long as the environmental conditions are ideal.
When it comes to the health effects of fungal growth in the workplace, there are many. Some types of fungi produce mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are poisons released by molds. These poisons cause serious health effects on people who are exposed to them. Some of the health effects of mycotoxin exposure include allergic responses such as sneezing; irritation of the nose, eyes and throat; stuffy and runny nose; itchy or tearing eyes; headaches; and itchy skin. People who already have asthma might experience a worsening of their symptoms. Daily exposure to mycotoxins can result in hypersensitivity pneumonitis. The symptoms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis include difficulty breathing, sore chest, coughing, fever, chills, sweating at night and profound fatigue. In workers, the symptoms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis may be relieved while on vacation or after spending several days at home, only to return upon getting back to the commercial building workplace. No place in the world is free of mold spores, but with professional assistance the growth of fungi can be curtailed or even eliminated in commercial buildings.
If you suspect there is mold in your commercial building, the first thing to do is have testing performed by an experienced and trained professional. Our professional mold removal specialists can also evaluate the environment by performing a visual inspection to identify fungal growth and excessive moisture problems.
Once mold growth has been confirmed by testing, removal of the fungi is the next step. Professional repair of water leaks and removal and replacement of damaged materials help reduce the amount of spores and eliminate the environmental conditions that fungi need to grow. Employers should not try to perform mold removal themselves, as more spores may be released and the problem could worsen. Building managers should communicate actions taken so that employees feel confident in their occupational safety and health. Employees should communicate their symptoms and medical care needed to resolve symptoms caused by mycotoxins.
Our certified and experienced technicians at IAC- Moldbusters can help you safely and effectively remediate mold, using best-in-class protocols and guidelines. We provide free of charge commercial mold inspections, as well as mold testing and mold remediation.
