Indoor air quality issues and the threat of indoor mold contamination continues to draw an ever-larger spotlight in the news. It’s not that mold is a new threat. In fact, as a basic fungi mold spores live everywhere in nature, and float microscopically through the air.
When they find a wet, warm, or overly humid environment those microscopic mold spores start to germinate. Some strains of mold can even reproduce new spores within one to two days of establishing themselves.
As mold spore density in the air starts to increase, it becomes increasingly likely for new colonies to start to develop. Some types of spores like Stachybotrys chartarum, or “Toxic Black Mold” can release environmental mycotoxins into the air, which can make the occupants very sick.
There are even some individuals with genetic conditions that can suffer from severe inflammation problems when they are in the persistent presence of black mold spores. Even if the mold occupying a space isn’t of the “Toxic” variety the spores themselves can cause respiratory distress, trigger asthma attacks, and even cause severe reactions in people with respiratory allergies.
Can Mold Be A Liability Issue?
Most commercial properties carry additional liability concerns. Especially those that are open to the general public. A mold problem in these places can even lead to things like “Sick Building Syndrome.”
As public awareness continues to grow, many local, state and federal agencies are considering or have already approved mold regulations. This can include things like notifying new tenants and prospective real estate buyers of material facts, such as a past mold problem. Failing to note a past or current mold problem could lead to costly litigation.
What Are The Signs Of An Indoor Mold Problem?
Different strains of mold can take on different colors. Visibly most start out as small specks or splotches of discoloration. Mold is more likely to affect porous materials in warm locations where high humidity or moisture is present. This includes places like washrooms, on-site laundry facilities, food preparation areas, basement storage areas, and poorly ventilated attic spaces.
As a colony starts to develop, you might also notice a musty odor. Some describe it as “Smelling like a wet basement.” Individuals with respiratory conditions, allergies, and those with a compromised immune system are also more likely to have adverse reactions in a mold-infested environment. This is especially true for small children and the elderly.
Professional Mold Remediation
If you suspect that a mold problem has started to affect your commercial property, you need to act fast. It’s best not to try to handle it yourself, as disturbing an active mold colony can cause it to spread mycotoxins and spores to other parts of the building.
Thankfully, Building Services Inc. has a team of certified mold remediation specialists with the training, experience, and state of the art equipment to handle any size mold problem.
The process starts with careful evaluation and site inspection. This allows us to accurately assess the severity of the mold problem. We can also factor the specific characteristics of your building into the mold remediation strategy.
In many of these cases, an indoor mold problem simply can’t be handled by the kind of cleaning products you find at the retail level. Even the most potent bleach lacks the ability to kill mold down to its microscopic roots!
The Mold Remediation Process
The process of mold remediation starts with safety. This might include sealing off affected areas and air ducts to prevent disturbing spores and potentially infesting another part of the property. It also includes all our personnel wearing the necessary protective clothing, respirators, and equipment.
With all safety protocols firmly in place, our experienced technicians will then start the process of cleaning and eliminating all active mold colonies. The extent of the process might vary depending on the severity of the mold problem.
Most mold colonies can be remediated by our professional-strength cleaning agents and commercial grade equipment. In the event that degraded materials need to be removed, we will make sure that they are properly disposed of according to all pertinent regulations.
We can then affect any necessary minor repairs, or the account manager assigned to your project will coordinate with maintenance personnel and contractors.
Afterward, we will provide you with all the necessary documentation to prove that the mold problem was professionally remediated. If necessary, we can also schedule a follow-up inspection for a month or two down the road. Taking basic air and surface samples will further help validate the mold problem has been eliminated.
We Use Advanced Mold Remediation Techniques & Equipment
Mold Prevention
Preventing mold from returning, requires a proactive approach. Many mold problems in a commercial property are the result of a water intrusion event. This could come in the form of a local flood, storm damage, a failure in the roof’s water management system, or a ruptured pipe. Repairing the original fault will go a long way toward preventing mold from affecting your commercial property again.
Yet it’s also worth bearing in mind that mold problems don’t need a major incident to get started. Microscopic mold spores will always be in the air in trace amounts.
There are indeed minor things that can provide mold spores with the moisture and micro-environment they need to establish a new colony.
This includes things like:
Fortunately, our mold remediation experts have a trained eye for these things. As part of our mold inspection and remediation service, we can also help you understand the things you can do to reduce the chances of mold affecting your commercial space again.
This might include things like:
Restoration, Rebuild & Repairs
Once the threat of mold and flooding has been eradicated, the time has come to put things back to how they were, better than before. Our construction team are compromised of skilled and experienced technicians who will restore the area completely. From drywall repairs from tear-downs, to painting, wallpapering, trim, floors, lightning and more; our team will perform any major repair or construction work in the various areas of your business or home.
