What Commercial Buildings are Most Susceptible to Mold

5/9/2022 (Permalink)

Several factors, environments, and building components impact the susceptibility and speed in which mold grows. There are three aspects of a property that could indicate a high chance of mold growth. 

• Building Age 

• Ventilation Systems

• Building Materials 

While these three indicators don’t mean that mold is an inevitability — they do influence the severity and likelihood of mold. 

Building Age

Older buildings are indeed more likely to have mold — but it’s not always a guarantee. Aging buildings have simply been around longer and therefore have been defending against the elements for extended periods of time. There are also time periods where certain building practices made ventilation and air circulation a mess. 

Commercial buildings built during the 70s are notorious for poor ventilation practices — so mold in these properties is not uncommon. 

Ventilation Systems 

No matter how old a building is, poor ventilation can lead to condensation. As we’ve mentioned, moisture is what mold feeds off of, and poor air circulation equates to stagnant air and condensation buildup — which in turn leads to mold. 

Building Materials 

The final indicator that a building may be susceptible to mold growth is right in front of you — the building materials. Certain walls provide ideal food for mold, while others are far less likely to trap moisture. So, what are these building materials that hold water more than others? 

• Paper-faced drywall is a popular choice for many homes and commercial buildings, and for a good reason. It doesn’t hold hardly any moisture and isn’t very susceptible to mold growth. 

• Solid lumber is pretty common in older buildings. It’s made from a part of the tree called heartwood and does a good job of holding moisture before releasing condensation. 

• Sheathing plywood comes from combining strips of sapwood. Compared to solid lumber, it doesn’t do nearly as well at combatting mold growth. 

• Particleboard & MDF are at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to fighting off mold growth. Fungi love to grow in the medium-density boards and underlayment. 

• Brick is probably the best building material for preventing mold growth, but only if it’s done correctly. How brick is laid ultimately determines if wood framing gets water damage.

for more info visit zotapro.com