It is impossible to talk about indoor air quality in a commercial building without discussing mold. Mold is one of those things that occurs in all kinds of indoor environments when there’s excess water and it has a food source. As a commercial property manager, that tells you two things. One, don’t let water leak. And two, when construction materials become saturated, they should be immediately dried or removed and replaced.
In general terms, mold requires three things to grow. A surface conducive to growth (like gypsum wallboard, acoustical tile, or even wood products), oxygen, and moisture. Removing any one of those three can prevent the growth of mold. Since we are unlikely to remove the oxygen, it appears that you can remove either the moisture or the surface materials that support the growth of mold. And of those two, the moisture is appears the easiest to anticipate.
Experience has shown that it is much easier to address the potential for mold to occur before it does. When you do notice it though, you want to find out the source of the moisture. Fixing or eliminating that source must be done before you choose to remove and repair the surfaces.
In areas where you have large amounts of mold due to a plumbing leak or heavy rain, a full-blown remediation may be required. Depending on what state you live in, remediation may be required when you have 10 ft.² or 25 ft.². Who can perform the remediation and how it is managed are also issues that are regulated by several states.
In Texas, building owners and managers can address mold themselves as long as the affected areas is less than 25 ft.² of contiguous mold. If the area affected is greater than 25 ft.², Texas law requires that a mold assessment consultant be hired. The building owner also has to use a State-licensed remediator for removal.
Mold remediation can be expensive to fix when it does occur. For that reason alone, finding a moisture problem and fixing it before mold has a chance to grow, can save you time and money, as well as reduce tenant concerns and your liability.
We simply say “find those leaks early, and mold won’t have a chance to grow!”
More soon!