What Mold is doing in your Office Space?
Mold is a common problem in many office spaces. It’s not always easy to know if you have mold, because it can be hidden and out of sight. This means that your employees could be breathing in spores without even knowing it! In this blog post, we will discuss the signs of mold, causes of mold, how to treat it and more!
What is mold?
Mold is a type of fungus that grows in damp or wet environments. It can be found indoors and outdoors, but prefers warm, dark spots like bathrooms and basements.
What causes Mold?
Water Leakage and Floods are the main reasons for mold growth. Flooding can cause water damage in your office, but this is just the appearance of “black mold.” Black Mold or Toxic Mold grows from a different type of fungus that prefers to grow in wet environments and has been linked to many respiratory illnesses such as asthma, allergies and even cancer!
What are the Signs of Mold in Office Space?
The color, shape and texture of your office space could be an indication that you have a problem with mold!
-Odors like musty or earthy smells often indicate if there is moisture in the air which can lead to mold growth.
-Severe carpet stains
-Water leaking from walls and floors (especially near vents)
-Fuzzy, white mold grows on the surface of items such as carpets, curtains, furniture or other porous materials.
-Stains on furniture
-Water leak stains in the floors near vents and ceiling tiles. (especially if there is a musty odor)
What can Mold Do to Your Health?
Mold has been linked with many respiratory illnesses including allergies, asthma and even cancer! Serious enough health effects occur when mold spores are inhaled by people who have low immunity levels due to age or illness. This includes children under six years old, pregnant women, senior citizens aged 65+, persons living with HIV/AIDS or those undergoing chemotherapy treatments for cancer.
How Do You Keep Mold Out of Your Office?
-Keep the area dry and ventilated by running your fan or air conditioner, even when it is not in use.
-Do not let any water leaks go untreated for long periods of time; call a plumber if you suspect there might be an issue with pipes under sinks, toilets or tubs as these are prime locations for mold growth. If this does happen make sure to clean up first so as to avoid making things worse! If possible cover with plastic before getting rid of the toxic material which could potentially lead us back into danger zone
-Wipe down your desk and chair with a damp cloth to avoid any buildup of mold spores. You can also consider using an anti-fungal spray on the chairs or desks, but it would be best not to have moisture in the area for too long before spraying; you’d want everything dry when treating this way.
How to treat Mold in Office Space?
Lets discuss treatment of Mold in office space or to be specific Mold Remediation.
The first step of Mold remediation is to call the inspector, so that he can access the level of mold spread in the premises. That is a major factor to decide on Treatment for mold.
The inspector will also help you with the different types of mold in office, how to remove them and which treatment is best for your situation.
There are three major ways to treat Mold:
- Using a chemical agent like chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide;
- Using an antimicrobial spray which would be sprayed on any surfaces that are contaminated by molds; or
- Treating it through heating processes where hot air would kill all the spores present in the area…
How do I get rid of toxic mold?
-Your computer equipment should not sit directly on carpeted floors as they tend to hold onto moisture better than other flooring options. They need more ventilation so make sure your computers are placed on height, so that air can flow all around them.
-Wipe off any surface that is wet, with a disposable towel and make sure to clean the area thoroughly after you have dried it out…
-Workers should always take their shoes off before entering the work space to avoid tracking in dirt from outside.
-The use of dehumidifiers will help keep moisture levels down since they are natural air conditioners which remove water vapour from the atmosphere as well as prevent mold growth by encouraging ventilation within an enclosed environment….
Safety Tips While Investigating and Evaluating Mold and Moisture Problems
Here is a list of tips to help you with your investigation and evaluation of mold or moisture problems.
-Always wear protective gear, such as a mask to avoid inhaling any harmful organisms that may be present in the environment…
-Do not touch anything without first taking precautions because it will make it more difficult to identify what needs treatment….
Many people have allergies which can cause them breathing difficulties when they are exposed to certain substances like mold spores. This is why precautionary measures should always be taken before entering an area where there might be potential exposure hazards. When possible sanding materials down, removing porous surfaces or at least covering these areas up makes for a much safer work space while cleaning takes place.”
“If you believe that health has been affected by mold infection, then immediately visit the doctor and get yourself checked out.”
How Do You Know When You Have Finished Remediation/Cleanup?
This is a very important thing to understand. Else there could be a scenario, where you think that you have cleaned all the mold, but in reality you haven’t. And when it is later discovered that there was more hidden behind one of those walls or under a carpet, and then remediation needs to be done again.
-check the air quality meters for Airborne Mold spores,
-put up anti mold sprays and do not remove them until you are done with your remediation or cleanup of office space.
-look at all the rooms in that area to see if any have water leakage problems.”
-“leave an emergency number where someone can be reached 24/hours a day”
If You Want To Prevent Future Problems: “To prevent future issues from happening (for example, black spots on ceiling tiles), take care of any leaks as soon as possible. If there is a leak present, make sure it has been repaired well before moving back into the room.”
Conclusion
Mold is a fungus that can grow in humid areas and it can be found anywhere, but the office space seems to be one of its favorite places. It enjoys growing in moist spots like beneath carpets or behind baseboards where there are plenty of food sources for mold growth such as paper shreds from computers, wood products used around furniture or wallpaper pastes. If left unchecked this subtle intruder will cause significant health problems which means you should not ignore the signs-such as sneezing, coughing or headaches when these symptoms come on suddenly…. The best way to treat mold would be by using an anti fungicide because they kill off bacterial colonies…
