Did Mold Move Into Your Office?

For many Salt Lake City businesses, the past few months have marked a steady return to offices and commercial buildings after more than a year of working remotely. And while those offices may have sat empty as employees observed pandemic safety protocols, something else may have moved in while you were away.

Damp, stagnant environments left alone for weeks at a time are a surefire recipe for mold breakouts. If you’re concerned about mold in your office, wondering how to quickly identify the signs of spreading mold, or seeking a mold test or mold removal in Salt Lake City, read on:

How Does Mold Form?

Mold requires damp conditions to form and spread. Temperature and humidity play a major role in mold growth, as mold spores — too tiny for the naked eye to notice — float through the air in search of moist environments. Once mold begins to take shape, it grows by breaking down and digesting organic material — including dust, wood, paint, and just about any other surface.

Since these tiny mold spores need to touch down on wet surfaces in order to grow, it’s important to pay attention to any potential weak points within your office that allow unwanted moisture to sit undisturbed. This can include leaky roofs or appliances, areas near doors and windows that aren’t properly sealed, and any space enduring consistently humid conditions.

How Do You Spot Telltale Signs of Mold?

It’s critical to catch mold growth in its early stages — the longer it sticks around, the more of a health risk it becomes and the more difficult it will be to eradicate. There are several ways to identify mold growth, the simplest being its telltale discolored appearance in moist areas of your office. Though it’s easy to spot mold growth thanks to its obvious appearance in either green or black splotches (though many other variations exist), waiting until you can actually see mold might mean you’re missing other signs of its presence in your workplace.

If your office smells musty, take note: before ever spotting mold, you may notice a damp, musty smell in especially humid or consistently moist spaces. Respiratory issues in the form of common allergy symptoms can sometimes accompany the smell, including sneezing, nasal congestion, watery or itchy eyes, and in some cases even nosebleeds and headaches.

Pay attention to musty or mildewy odors and the damp areas of your office, particularly after incidents of flooding or other events that might introduce moisture to your office’s environment (like a leak in the roof). If mold is the odor culprit, the only way to get rid of a musty smell in an office is to locate and remove the source.

Why You Should Act Fast to Erase Mold

As mentioned above, mold growth within your home or office can cause health concerns if not properly addressed. Mold can spread quickly if the conditions are right, which means dampness or moisture sitting undisturbed in office buildings while employees worked from home for weeks or months at a time could have given rise to a significant problem. Side effects from office mold can be more than risky for you and your employees — they can also force costly repairs if left unchecked.

There may also be legal ramifications for businesses that fail to provide a safe work environment for their employees. While the Department of Labor’s current official stance is that “there are no federal standards or recommendations, (e.g., OSHA, NIOSH, EPA) for airborne concentrations of mold or mold spores,” poor air quality in the workplace can cause allergy-like symptoms and pose a more serious threat to those with pre-existing conditions like asthma.

When it comes to mold in the workplace, it’s best to eradicate it before disgruntled employees take action or file an employee rights lawsuit. Fortunately, air quality tests for mold are simple to do, relatively affordable, and are highly effective at detecting the presence of mold in an office.

For Mold Testing and Removal in Utah, Contact Bull Matrix

Mold spreads quickly and will continue spreading unless eradicated, which means the problem will only get worse until it is properly addressed. Taking swift action to eliminate mold from the premises benefits your employees, your physical workplace, and your bottom line. If you think your workplace might have a mold problem, it’s time to schedule a test for your office or commercial building.

Luckily, Salt Lake City mold removal is easy with Bull Matrix. Call our team of experts today to schedule a mold test so you can find and remove any trace of mold and get back to business as usual at the office.