the cause and effect of mould growth
Mould is a serious threat to our indoor air quality, and toxic mould can cause severe respiratory problems or worse. Whether it’s a pipe leak, water intrusion, or condensation from humidity, a timely response is essential to prevent toxic mould from invading your room.
Water damage and humid conditions can negatively impact your property, creating an atmosphere that can promote mould growth within 24 to 48 hours of an event and potentially endangering the lives of occupants. While surface mould is identified visually, water that has made its way into porous materials creates conditions for mould to form within walls and insulation. Treating what you see on the surface may only solve part of the problem.
ASSESSING & DETECTING MOULD AND CONDENSATION BUILD-UP
If you suspect mould within your facility, it’s important to assess your property and find the source of the problem. If you lack the tools and experience to assess areas of concern properly, it’s time to call a professional to assist you in your efforts.
Mould Detection – Mould commonly appears as black, greenish, or gray, but it can also appear brown, purple, white, orange, yellow, pink, red, or a mixture. When it comes to identifying mould types, the color of the mould won’t tell you anything. No matter what you’ll read about white mould vs. black mould vs. green mould. Mould can be fuzzy or slimy in texture. Mould may be visibly undetectable. Keep this in mind when there are noticeable odors in areas where
moisture may have collected, including drywall, paint, wood, insulation, carpet, fabric, upholstery, and wallpaper. Nothing Is Undetectable
With The Right Tools – First Onsite’s mould remediation specialists can check for hidden pockets of moisture within insulation and wall cavities using professional moisture detection equipment. Sources of mould often involve ground level flooding, sewage backups, roof leaks, broken pipes, moisture from condensation, humidity, window leaks, wall cracks, or standing water, and these issues should be dealt with immediately.
do’s and dont’s of mould
DO’S
DON’TS
PREVENTING THE GROWTH OF MOULD
First Onsite believes in reacting fast after water damage. Here, we’ll describe a few actions we will take to assist you in avoiding mould and provide you with prevention tips that you can actively do to reduce risk. Starting the drying process within 24 hours is critical.
Dehumidification – First Onsite provides commercial dehumidification for your property when excessive moisture is present. Prevention tip: Consider installing an electronic moisture detector or hygrometer to monitor humidity levels.
Drying – First Onsite can apply the correct drying measures to prevent mould growth, and if mould is already present, prevent the cross contamination of spores into non affected areas. The drying process is verified and documented through daily moisture and humidity readings.
Cleaning – Water damage gets messy. First Onsite can respond to your water damage event with recovery operations to salvage furnishings, documents, and other valuable contents damaged by water. Prevention Tip: Regularly inspect walls, floors, ceilings, and other surfaces for dampness and wet patches. Target areas of the building that are known to collect moisture or dampness. Conduct an annual inspection of HVAC equipment, such as air handling units, including coils, filter boxes, and drain pans.
FIRST ONSITE IS HERE TO HELP
The First Onsite Property Restoration team of skilled tradespeople and certified technicians have received special training for commercial disaster emergencies of all kinds. Our teams have the resources, experience, and solutions to handle any disaster your business faces. Call First Onsite to learn what a professional restoration company can do to help keep your property safe.
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