Although mold is naturally found in environments everywhere, indoors and out, it can become a genuine and challenging problem when it starts growing in homes, offices and other occupational settings.
This is critical because mold growth can cause or worsen acute and chronic health conditions affecting the health and well-being of anyone who spends time in the workplace environment, from employees to customers to suppliers.
We’ve mentioned this before but it bears repeating: mold can grow on just about any surface provided it has water/moisture, a nutrient source and its preferred temperature. It stands to reason then that mold growth is hindered or eliminated when excess water or moisture is eliminated.
If your goal is to prevent mold growth in your industrial or commercial property, your first steps should focus on eliminating ALL excess moisture and water.
We offer some additional tips as they relate to your industrial or commercial property.
- Identify and address any areas of existing mold growth on building finishes, furnishings and other materials. We recommend calling mold testing and remediation professionals immediately to determine exactly what you’re dealing with and to discuss potential remediation options.
- Identify any existing dampness, condensation or other moisture, and correct the source of the problem immediately so that it does not reoccur.
- Repair all plumbing and other leaks immediately, as well as any related damage caused by them.
- In warm weather, ensure HVAC pans are clean and able to work efficiently.
- Maintain a relative humidity (RH) level of 50% or less. According to the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation, a relative humidity of 30% or less may be required in winter to prevent window condensation and the RH should never exceed 45% during winter [source].
- Ensure that any heat-producing equipment, such as stoves or dryers, is vented to the outdoors according to applicable and governing building codes.
- Ensure that bathrooms and kitchens are vented properly according to applicable and governing building codes.
- To reduce indoor moisture levels, consider taking corrective action, such as improving ventilation, repairing leaks or operating a dehumidifier (depending on your objective).
- Ensure that any reports of musty or moldy odours are investigated and remediated as quickly as possible.
- Ensure the entire building envelope, including door and window access, is thoroughly sealed against potential water infiltration.
- Ensure adequate drainage, including ensuring backfill is sloped away from the foundation of the commercial or industrial property.
- Follow the regular preventive maintenance schedule of the HVAC system and its major components, including for building inspections and maintenance.
- Ensure that any HVAC system components exposed to water, including the coils, cooling apparatus, humidifiers and drain pans, are kept scrupulously clean and follow appropriate maintenance. Your equipment manufacturer should provide a recommended maintenance schedule.
Have a question about mold inspection or remediation services in your Toronto commercial, industrial or residential building? Contact the Toronto remediation professionals today! Free consult when you call us at 416-575-6111.
Like bathrooms, kitchens can be a tremendously good breeding ground for mold. They offer three things that mold just loves: warmth, various sources of food (including dirt and dust), and humidity.
If you’re looking for a quick and helpful checklist you can print off to help identify potential sources of mold in your kitchen, consider this it!
#1 Look under the sink
Leaky pipe? Spilled cleaning products? Kitchen garbage? The space under your kitchen sink is the first place in your kitchen you should check for mold. If you spot a leaky pipe, first fix the problem and then consider laying vinyl tile on the bottom of the cabinet to protect it from any potential water damage in the future.
#2 Look around the sink
Check your taps and all around your sink for mold growing on or underneath. All seams and corners around the sink should be properly caulked to prevent water damage to your countertops and of course mold growth.
#3 Check your exterior walls
In your kitchen, check all of the walls that face the outdoors to identify potential areas of mold.
#4 Check your windows
We recently mentioned that window condensation in the home can be a warning sign of possible mold growth, and mold can be especially active in kitchens due to high humidity levels. Mold can grow on all types of windows, including wood-framed, metal-framed and even vinyl, so it’s important to check yours for mold or any evidence that mold may be present.
#5 Check your garbage and/or garbage disposal
As handy as they are, garbage disposals can offer mold a lot of potential sources of food. Rinse your garbage containers and/or garbage disposal with undiluted vinegar or another favourite antibacterial cleaner. Run the garbage disposal a minimum of once a day to help keep mold growth at bay.
#6 Check your compost
Like the garbage and garbage disposal, our compost bin can be easy prey for mold. Don’t allow it to sit out, especially in hot, humid summer weather, and dump it as often as you possibly can throughout the day.
#7 Check pantry items
If you’ve ever smelt a rotting potato, it’s likely a smell you won’t soon forget. Regularly check onions, potatoes and other stored food for mold and immediately toss any foods that look like their best days are behind them.
#8 Check your dishwasher
We recommend checking both inside the dishwasher as well as around the entire casing of the dishwasher. This is especially important if you have wood cabinets (as many of us do) because mold can grow productively on all of these surfaces. From professional experience, I can tell you that a small leak may go unnoticed for a long time!
#9 Check your fridge and freezer
The same advice for dishwashers also applies to your refrigerator and freezer: check inside the appliance for food sources of mold, as well as around the appliance. In addition, be sure to check the drip tray. It’s usually located at the front of the fridge and underneath. Check it several times a year or you may find something growing in there that would put monsters under the bed to shame!
#10 Check your ice maker
Bonus tip: if you have an ice maker built into your refrigerator, check in and around it for mold too.
Have you inspected your kitchen from top to bottom for potential sources of mold and still can’t find the culprit behind that musty or mildewy smell that’s driving you crazy? Contact us and we’ll be glad to make a visit to your home or office to track down and identify the source and type of your kitchen mold.
If you’re Canadian and have any interest in home renovation or inspection, you probably know the name Mike Holmes. He’s the man behind the hit HGTV show Holmes on Holmes and Holmes Magazine, known across the country as a trusted authority on everything handyman-related.
When Mike Holmes enlists another company for help in a given home-related area, it’s a major compliment to that company. That’s why MoldInspections.ca is so honored to be featured in the latest issue of Holmes Magazine as the authority on mold detection and prevention.
In a feature article, “Let’s Clean House,” Holmes Magazine turns to MoldInspections.ca owner Tara Valley for help on solving common problems that foster mold growth.
Valley provides expertise in numerous areas, quoted on three key mold tips:
1. Grout/caulking. Valley explains that any grout or caulking that becomes cracked is no longer watertight and no longer doing its job. It needs to be replaced before it allows moisture in and creates a comfy environment for mold.
2. Mold in large surface areas. Valley explains that, while certain growths are small enough for the average homeowner to clean, mold covering large surface areas should be handled by a certified mold inspection company. The proper experts know how to dispose of mold-ridden objects and clean up wet zones without spreading spores. She adds coughing and feeling unexplained respiratory problems even after cleaning up mold yourself may suggest the mold growth is bigger and deeper than you thought.
3. Flashing. Valley explains that “if exterior flashing doesn’t lie flush against a seam, water seeps in. This can breed mold and cause structural damage.”
This isn’t the first time MoldInspections has been listed as a trusted Canadian mold expert, as the company has been featured on HGTV, and it won’t be the last. Kudos to Mike Holmes for knowing a good mold inspection company when he sees one!
MoldInspections.ca is the trusted leader for mold-free homes and breathable indoor air spaces in Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and beyond. Providing certified mold inspection, detection and testing since 2005, we service home owners, real-estate agents, landlords, property managers, insurance companies and businesses. Featured on CTV, Global TV and Holmes on Homes Magazine, we regularly serve as expert witnesses in court proceeding relating to Mold and Indoor Air Quality issues. Do you have mold? Call us today for a free quote at (416) 575-6111.