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Familiarity with mold in the workplace and how to address it is important to the health and safety of anyone who becomes exposed to it. Adherence to OSHA guidelines, some of which are in this article (as well as other federal and state regulations) increases likelihood of the best possible outcome:
Updated 11/8/2013 on https://www.osha.gov
Adelaide’s staff is Mold Certified. In accordance with the new New York State 2016 mold licensing requirements, our staff has been NYS Department of Labor certified. While Adelaide has always made sure our staff was trained in the latest techniques and testing procedures, we now have the paperwork to prove it. The reason for the new law is “to ensure the safety of the general public by ensuring that only licensed professionals are performing mold assessment, abatement, and remediation.” For the complete new licensing requirements, please visit the NYS website https://labor.ny.gov/workerprotection/safetyhealth/mold/mold-program.shtm
This past winter was especially brutal for property managers in the New York-New Jersey area. Not only were there more snow events but a number of them were ice-related.
That means a lot of wet ground, and as temperatures have quickly risen this spring, the perfect breeding conditions for mold.
To compound the challenges of being a property manager, you may also be contending with the after-effects of a rash of burst pipes after an exceptionally cold winter – burst pipes that mean water, which can lead quickly to mold if the water is not properly dried and the pipes sealed and repaired.
Sometimes you may not know there’s mold in any of your units until it’s already manifested and become a concern but if you inspect early and get ahead of the problem, you can avoid some of the dangers and liabilities.
Here are a few of the challenges that property managers face when it comes to dealing with mold so that you can be prepared to tackle them effectively.
Mold is a dangerous and devious villain. It can certainly be recognized by its blue, black, green, or even white and gray colors, but that doesn’t mean it’s always visible.
In fact, obvious signs of mold are good – that means you know where to start tackling the problem and what areas to address. The bigger problem is mold that lurks in walls, ductwork and air conditioning units. Left to its own devices, this type of mold will proliferate quickly. It may not be until you hear reports of other side effects – bad smells and even health issues – that you know you have a mold problem.
It’s a good idea to keep homeowners and tenants educated about mold – where it thrives and what to look for, including the obvious visible signs, and even the subtler effects on air quality that can cause serious reactions like allergies, breathing difficulties, headaches, fatigue and other symptoms.
The sooner your tenants or homeowners report their concerns to you, the sooner you can take action, eliminating health risks and reducing your liability.
It’s important to recognize that while some molds pose health risks, others do not. So before your residents panic, be sure they understand that the mold that results from a leaking air conditioning unit is not the same as the ugly, slimy stuff that grows in the corners of their shower stalls.
One can be handled with a bit of bleach. The other requires remediation, repairs and proper drying to not only clean the area but to make it inhospitable to future growth.
Unfortunately, there is no reliable way to tell the difference between harmful and benign mold unless you hire a mold inspector. So when any instance of mold is reported to you, it would be wise to seek the advice of a professional.
Remember, not all mold can be seen – and even mold that is visible may still conceal more mold behind walls or within ducts or other parts of the home’s structure.
Residents are not the only ones affected by mold. In fact, anyone who spends time in an affected space can feel the side effects. Often utility workers from telecom providers to internet providers, electrical utility workers and more will refuse to work in a space where mold is present.
That means delays in projects and perhaps cost overruns – none of which any property manager wants to contend with.
Your best bet is to act quickly on reports of mold and even take precautions to prevent mold from forming in the first place by inspecting building elements, repairing pipes and leaks quickly and taking appropriate drying measures where water and moisture are discovered.
We mentioned earlier that a bit of bleach could remedy some common household mold problems. But that’s not the case for other types of mold, which can quickly spread from a wall near a leaky pipe to infect surrounding sheetrock, insulation and even grow on pipes deep within walls.
Once mold has become this rooted in a home, it becomes difficult and expensive to remove.
In addition, removing visible mold – or even deep rooted mold – may still not be enough if the area remains wet or damp. A perfectly cleaned area can still see quickly returning mold unless the underlying issue is addressed.
If mold is either recognized or suspected, it requires professional remediation to ensure that the area is both properly cleaned and effectively dried.
Neither the residents, management company or general contractors should attempt to remediate mold.
Beyond the health hazards of inhaling mold, spores can also be spread inadvertently through air vents to land in other parts of the home, in carpets or upholstery, where they can live to wreck havoc another day.
The management and removal of contaminated materials is as important as the cleanup process itself.
Remember, mold is tenacious and prolific. It can easily spread, grow and create problems where none were found before. Call in a professional inspector and abatement team to deal with the problem thoroughly.
As a property manager, insurance may be your largest budget item and costs keep rising every year.
Part of your responsibility includes property maintenance, and insurance companies can be very unforgiving if they suspect that a failure to properly maintain your property has resulted in mold.
That means your mold costs may not be covered, or if they are you may see untenable rises in insurance costs or worse – your policy provider may drop you entirely.
Avoid insurance disasters by preventing mold in the first place – repair leaks, properly and professionally clean and dry wet spaces, and act quickly when mold is reported.
Property managers have challenging jobs. The properties themselves require maintenance, upkeep and repairs, and residents require information and the peace of mind knowing that their needs are attended.
One of the most frightening things to homeowners and tenants is mold. It makes news, it becomes a topic of conversation during doctor visits and people are aware of its dangers and side effects.
That means that as a property manager you need to be proactive about preventing mold and immediate in your response to it. Now that you understand more about the dangers and challenges of mold you can be better prepared. And if you need help with mold remediation, let us know how we can make your job as a property manager easier.
Mold may be visible or concealed, detected or only suspected. Whether you’ve got obvious mold or water spots, or you’re noticing possible side effects of mold including allergies, coughing and sore throats, it’s time to call in an environmental consultant who can help you determine the source and cause of your trouble.
But how do you know who to call and more importantly, who to trust? When it comes to mold you don’t want to take any chances. It can be dangerous and detrimental to your health and to those who share your space. So it’s important to find a reputable company to help with inspections and remediation.
Use these tips to help you select a company that will root out your mold problem at the source and help prevent it from recurring.
Before you hire an environmental consultant, check their company history. Have they been around the block a few times or is this their first foray into mold remediation?
It’s a good idea to know not only how long the company has been in business but how long they’ve been handling mold.
And while experience doesn’t always guarantee quality, it can be a good first sign that the company you’re dealing with understands your needs and what to do about problems that arise.
Check to see that their experience matches your needs, too. Some mold remediation companies focus on residential services and have extensive experience dealing with mold in homes. Others are known for their experience in the public sector, in schools, government buildings and historical sites or even commercial sites like retail and other corporate or industrial locations.
Be sure that the experience and qualifications of the company you’re considering match your own needs and expectations.
Check with the company you’re considering hiring to see which professionals they have on staff and which are outsourced or contracted.
Ideally, look for a company with on-staff certified safety professionals, including an industrial hygienist.
An industrial hygienist will use an exacting methodology to determine the potential for hazards and assess the risk in your particular situation. The hygienist will also implement controls to minimize risk and ensure the safety of those involved.
On-staff safety professionals create a more streamlined experience with a clear chain of command, designated responsibilities and a team-oriented approach to addressing your needs.
When you’re already dealing with the challenge of mold, you want a reasonable assurance that the company you hire will be accountable and make the remediation experience smooth.
Whether on-staff or outsourced, relatively new to the field or long entrenched, you want to be sure that you’re dealing with certified professionals.
Hygienists should be certified by the American Industrial Hygienists Association (AIHA) and other professionals should be certified by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP).
These organizations set quality standards and provide members with the training and resources that they need to protect your space from the ravages of environmental hazards.
Beyond certification, check to see whether the professionals you’ll be dealing with keep their training current and skills refreshed. Experience is one part of the equation; continuing education is the other.
As tools, techniques, technologies and even scientific understandings of mold and hazardous materials change, your professionals must continue to learn and to stay abreast of new information, changes in the industry and even regulatory requirements.
Ongoing education can reassure you that you’re dealing with people who are dedicated to providing you with the best service possible.
You may also want to ask whether technicians and safety professionals hold multiple certifications. This can help make for more efficient use of staff on a project and result in not only a quality result but also a lower cost to you.
Reputation in any industry is important and arguably none more so than when dealing with health and safety.
Even if all other signs look positive – an experienced company, staff that is engaged in ongoing education, certified professionals – few things are as powerful as a good reference.
Ask the company that you’re considering hiring to provide you with references and then follow through by checking those references and asking questions about the quality of the company’s work, their responsiveness, accountability and expectations.
A reputable company will be happy to provide you with multiple references to support their services.
It may seem like a small detail and it often goes overlooked as you consider your options, but a reputable company will carry insurance and can provide you with their certificate of insurance on request.
Having insurance provides you with the peace of mind that should something go awry, you have a fallback. It also lets you know that the company you’re considering takes their business and responsibilities seriously and has taken measures to protect themselves and you as their client.
You probably won’t be able to judge their workmanship before you hire them, but even after you hire a company it’s still a good idea to keep an eye on what’s happening in your space so that you can be assured that the job is being done properly.
It’s also a good question to ask as you check references: does this company contain the work area so mold isn’t inadvertently spread throughout the space?
Mold comes with many dangers, from mild to deadly. And removing it requires care, not only to ensure the safety of those contending with the mold but to prevent it from becoming airborne or contaminating other spaces.
Any work space should be carefully contained, affected materials should be properly sealed and removed, and specialized filtration and cleaning processes should be used to eliminate spores and purify the air.
When in doubt, ask questions. Your health and safety is worth the time it takes to qualify the company you intend to hire, to understand the process and to obtain a reasonable assurance that the results will meet your expectations.
Mold. Whether black, green, orange, or some other color in the spectrum, it’s never a pleasant sight.
Visible mold can have you running for a remediation specialist but the effects of mold can be felt even when it’s not visible – including allergies, coughing, sore throat or respiratory ailments.
Mold can arise from a variety of sources, from water damage to old food, wet paint and excessive moisture and it can stick around even after you think it’s been cleaned up. Perhaps one of the most frustrating aspects of mold is how resistant it can be and how quietly it can slip under the radar and out of view until it becomes a bigger problem than you might expect.
The good news is that with the right inspection and remediation team you can tackle the problem at its core and ensure that your space is mold-free – and stays that way.
When it comes to mold inspection and remediation, there is no federal, state or local regulation, which means that it’s much easier to ignore an issue with mold even when it’s suspected.
But a neglected mold issue can easily turn into a gigantic headache because mold can spread quickly and root deeply, making removal more invasive, time consuming and ultimately expensive.
By the time you see visible mold it may already be too late, which is why it’s important to be aware of other signs of mold.
On the visible spectrum, if you see water damage, even if you don’t see water, it may be a good time to get an inspection done. Those dirty-ringed water spots on walls or ceilings, even after they appear dry, can indicate a deeper issue.
Less visible are the health effects of mold which can also disguise themselves as common, everyday ailments that most of us ignore – stuffy noses, scratchy throats, even sneezing.
But if these health effects occur systematically and regularly in certain areas of a building or space, then that’s a good sign that there’s more to it than something fleeting or seasonal.
On the more serious side, mold can exacerbate asthma and cause other respiratory problems. If people begin to complain of breathing issues then it’s more likely that the air quality in your building has been seriously compromised.
These are all signs that it’s time to call someone in for an inspection. Don’t delay – mold doesn’t just disappear on its own and you’ll want help conducting an effective cleanup.
If you see what appears to be mold, an inspector should always begin by determining whether your problem is really mold.
After all, you don’t want to go through the hassle and expense of mold remediation for the more benign concerns of soot, mineral deposits or rust, all of which can be mistaken visually for mold.
When mold is suspected, an inspector will take surface samples with a swab to test and identify whether the substance is, in fact, mold.
If it’s determined to be mold, the next step is to determine its type, which can vary from relatively benign strains to highly toxic black varieties.
Surface tests are non-invasive and non-destructive and should be taken as a first step in identifying the problem and mapping out next steps.
When no mold is visible in an area that is the source of complaints about respiratory problems, air samples should be taken to test the air quality. A good inspection will compare indoor air quality to outdoor air quality to test for consistency. Elevated mold levels on the interior compared to the exterior is a sign that you’ve got an invisible problem, which means an inspection will need to dig deeper to uncover its roots.
A thorough visual inspection can not only help to spot troublesome mold but it can also identify mold’s likely breeding grounds.
There are a number of culprits when it comes to mold and each of these should be visually inspected. Drainage locations around the exterior of a building, roof vents and dislodged flashing, basements, bathrooms, kitchens and ductwork should all be on the list.
Inspections should include walls, ceilings, closets and carpets, all of which can harbor mold, both seen and unseen.
Sometimes mold can hide out of view. When visual and surface tests fail, a last option is destructive testing, in which layers of a structure are removed and tested until a source is found.
But even destructive testing doesn’t have to be a nightmare if it’s done properly. Mold likes to hide in certain dark, moist spots, such as behind walls and in crawl spaces. An inspector can carefully and strategically remove part of a wall, ceiling or floor space to inspect beneath, minimizing destructive effects and building upon an inspection until the source and the extent of the problem is found.
It’s important to conduct destructive inspections with extreme care, not only from the standpoint of protecting a building structure but to protect the people around it. Careless destructive testing can stir up dangerous levels of airborne mold and bacteria so it should only be done by a seasoned professional with precautions for containment and air quality control.
You’ve confirmed that there’s mold in your building. The visual, surface or other means of inspection has most certainly identified that this persistent fungus is affecting your space. Now what?
Unfortunately, simply cleaning up a patch of mold won’t necessarily solve the problem. You’ve got to get to the source of the problem and eliminate it, and sometimes that’s easier said than done.
In some situations – where old paint has been left improperly sealed or food has been left unheeded, you may easily be able to remove those breeding grounds, clean up the mold, and with more care in the future, prevent the problem from recurring.
However, in areas of poor drainage, damp basements, water leaks or other systemic issues, mold will return unless the conditions in which it thrives are eliminated. That may mean tearing down and resealing walls or roofing, repairing damaged ductwork or plumbing, or otherwise correcting and eliminating the source of the problem.
Remember, the goal of mold remediation is not just to put it “out of sight out of mind”. It’s to cut the mold problem out at its roots so that the health and safety of your building is restored. A quality inspection can help you identify the root cause of mold so that a good plan can be built around its removal and it can be addressed effectively during remediation.
Mold can be persistent and cause a multitude of problems, from the cosmetically ugly splotches we’re all familiar with to more serious health conditions. If you see mold or find yourself fielding complaints about air quality, start with a good inspection as your first line of defense. It will provide the right foundation for a remediation plan and a positive result.