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Key Takeaways

  • Moisture control is the entire mold strategy. Shawn Morgan, KPost’s Director of Waterproofing, frames it directly: preventing water infiltration is what keeps mold from becoming an expensive problem that also affects tenants. Mold exists everywhere in the environment already, so the goal is denying it water, not eliminating the spores.
  • In commercial buildings it favors four places. Ceiling tile, insulation, HVAC ducts, and wallboard. All four are porous, all four sit where condensation collects, and none of them are checked during a normal walkthrough.
  • The health effects fall into three categories. Allergic reactions, which can hit immediately as dermatitis or show up later resembling hay fever. Asthma attacks, since mold is a common trigger. Opportunistic infections in people with weakened immune systems, usually respiratory. Mold is one of the contributors to sick building syndrome.
  • You’ll smell it before you see it. A persistent musty odor is typically the first sign, often alongside peeling paint, soft or rotting wood, and visible water damage. By the time patches are visible on a surface, the moisture source has been active for a while.
  • Five checks catch most of it. Look for water leaks on a routine schedule. Verify seals around doors and windows. Keep drains clear. Inspect exterior walls and roofing membranes for cracks. Check HVAC systems for excess condensation and leaks.

Typically when we think about mold it’s throwing out a partial loaf of bread or that nasty looking take home bag of food. The truth is that mold is everywhere in our environment, including the soil, on plants and any dead or decaying matter you might see, including plant matter. It serves an important function in keeping our environment balanced, yet when unchecked, can wreak havoc on your building or home.

“Moisture control is the key to ensuring that mold does not create problems in your building. It’s important to prevent water infiltration,” said Shawn Morgan, KPost Company Director of Waterproofing. “Otherwise you could potentially have an expensive problem to fix that may also negatively impact your tenants.”

Mold is Bad for Your Health

Even though mold performs important functions in our ecosystem, when mold grows inside a building it may negatively impact the tenants. There are known health issues associated with mold, including:

  • Allergic Reactions – some people are sensitive to mold and mold spores. The reactions can occur immediately such as in the case of dermatitis, or delayed and show up as hay fever type symptoms.
  • Asthma – folks who suffer from asthma are aware that many items in the environment can trigger an attack – mold is no exception.
  • Opportunistic Infections – there are plenty of people who simply have a weakened immune system. For these people, mold can cause infections not seen in a healthier person. These infections typically show up as respiratory illnesses. In addition, molds can cause common skin diseases such as athlete’s foot.

If your building has mold, you typically notice the musty smell first. There may be water damage in the area, including peeling paint, soft or rotting wood, and signs of leakage. If you think you have mold, it is important to have the area checked and appropriate steps taken for remediation.

“Mold is one of the environmental factors that can contribute to ‘sick building’ syndrome,” said Shawn. “The good news is there are plenty of ways to ensure waterproofing of your building envelope to keep mold at bay.”

An Ounce of Prevention

Molds can grow on just about any surface that allows for moisture and oxygen. When excessive moisture accumulates in buildings, or on building materials, you often find mold. Areas common for mold including ceiling tile, insulation, HVAC ducts and wallboards. While it is impossible to eliminate mold, taking steps to control moisture will reduce mold growth.

Steps to prevent mold include:

“One of the best ways building owners and property managers can reduce the likelihood of mold occurring is to invest in a building maintenance program,” said Shawn. “The best program will provide expertise in waterproofing and an understanding of various manufacturers’ products. Keeping buildings well maintained via routine inspections keep water out of the building, thereby keeping mold from developing.”

Building materials have a life span, so investing in routine inspections and maintenance keep the materials in better shape. Waterproofing at Steamatic mold removal services will provide a barrier to moisture, keeping mold out and tenants happy and healthy!

FAQs

Roof leaks are the obvious source, but the ones that persist usually come from the envelope: failed sealant at joints and windows, missing or discontinuous air and vapor barriers, below-grade water intrusion, and condensation where warm humid air meets a cold surface inside a wall or deck. Mechanical issues such as building pressurization and oversized cooling equipment contribute as well. Chasing the roof alone often leaves the real source running.

Yes, and this is one of the harder problems to diagnose. Warm humid air moving through gaps in the envelope condenses when it reaches a cooler surface inside the assembly, which wets insulation and sheathing without a drop ever appearing on a ceiling. A continuous air and vapor barrier is what prevents it. Buildings with no visible leak and a recurring musty complaint are frequently in this category.

That depends on the lease and on the cause, which is exactly why documentation carries so much weight. Structural and envelope issues generally sit with ownership while tenant operations and interior maintenance often sit with the tenant. Where those lines fall in a specific lease is worth knowing before a complaint arrives rather than after, since the dispute usually starts with who pays for the investigation.

Document the complaint with a date, inspect promptly, and find the moisture source before discussing remediation, because remediation without a source correction guarantees a repeat. Keep a written record of every step including inspection findings, photographs, and the corrective work. That file protects ownership if the complaint escalates and it shortens the next investigation considerably.

Only if the roof is the source. Water entering through walls, joints, windows, or below grade produces the same symptoms inside, and buildings that have had the roof replaced twice with no improvement are usually dealing with something else. An envelope-wide assessment covering the roof, walls, joints, and below-grade areas identifies where water is actually entering. KPost handles air and vapor barrier systems as part of that envelope work.
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