HOT TOPICS
MOLD
If you Google "mold", you get over 32 millions results, which is a testament to the attention paid to this issue, not just for Facility Managers, but to people from all walks of life that have a concern or interest in this important topic. There is no doubt that the recent Hurricane Katrina event will only heighten interest in this Indoor Air Quality issue, as homeowners across the Gulf Coast and Federal agencies seek to determine what can be saved and what is irretrievably lost as a result of water damage to structures.
The most basic fact about mold is that although there are thousands of types of mold, the spores are literally around us everywhere we go and are found both inside and outside of dwellings on an every day basis. Mold is a naturally occurring organism that actually has positive benefits for the environment as it is a basic building block in the break down of organic material in the environment. The obvious difficulty with mold is that some people are highly allergic to mold and it's growth can also cause minor to severe damage to the infrastructure of a building.
The most basic way to avoid mold indoors is to keep your indoor environment at a temperature and humidity level that prevents spores from activating and reproducing. In the simplest sense, mold looks for wet spots, as these create the ideal environment to nurture and spread the organism. Mold problems become more severe during the summer months in this area, as air conditioning inside, and hot humid weather outside, create the necessary temperature differentials to spawn colonies. When you see condensation on a window, it means that cold conditioned air inside is clashing with hot humid air on the exterior of the glass. If this condensation is allowed to run or drip across surfaces in the room, there's little doubt that mold will follow.
Although many Facility Managers are already aware of the liability and challenges inherent in the creation of mold, looking for solutions can be tricky. At the University of Delaware, FMs are experimenting with several approaches to containing the mold epidemic. One solution tried this summer was to actually shut off the air conditioning in two residential complexes that would not be occupied during the summer, and had been problems in the past. The results were very favorable, in that mold creation dropped to virtually zero, and the conditioned air was only re-introduced to the buildings just prior to Fall Opening in late August. Other solutions that are available in buildings that will be occupied include raising the temperature of the chilled water to reduce overall indoor humidity, and the constant monitoring of fan coil temperature settings, to keep customers and workers alike from causing "ice box" rooms thereby creating that wide differential. Once mold is found, solutions vary depending upon the amount of infestation, ranging from the use of bleach all the way up to removing drywall and reinsulating pipes.
As noted on the Environmental Protection Agency's website, "moisture control is the key to mold control". If you would like to read more information on mold control, check out the EPA site at www.epa.gov/iaq/molds, or go through the other 31.9 million other sites on the internet to get your fill! Good luck.
Mark Mankin, Assistant Manager for Structural Services, University of Delaware
