As more and more commercial businesses are returning to their physical office buildings, health and safety considerations for all building occupants should be at the forefront of building and facilities managers’ minds.

Even for healthy individuals, breathing in air that contains mold spores can have a dramatic impact on human health and longevity.

Because mold spores produce harmful allergens that can cause uncomfortable conditions such as sore throats, headaches, and even respiratory system problems, it’s essential to remove the spores from commercial HVAC units as soon as their presence is detected within the system components. 

Contents

• The Importance of Combating the Spread of Mold in Your Commercial Building
• Commercial HVAC Mold Remediation
• Removing Mold in Commercial Buildings with NYC’s Leading HVAC Expert

The Importance of Combating the Spread of Mold in Your Commercial Building

The growth and spread of mold in commercial buildings can often be attributed to the cold and moist environment maintained by air conditioning units, especially those with components housed outdoors or near other areas of high moisture, such as underground levels.

For spaces with smaller-scale commercial equipment, such as portable or back-up air conditioning units, mold can quickly overwhelm a unit, posing serious problems for commercial building and facilities managers preparing their spaces for the cooler months ahead.

In order to maintain building-wide productivity and, more importantly, protect building occupants from a variety of respiratory disorders caused by the inhalation of mold spore of any type, it’s critical for building and facilities managers to educate themselves on the proper way to identify mold in commercial buildings, as well as when to call in for professional assistance when needed. 

Commercial HVAC Mold Remediation

The first step in ensuring all traces of mold have been removed from a commercial HVAC system is to promptly power down the unit to prevent further spread of spores to building occupants. 

Perform a Thorough Inspection of the Unit 

In order to determine the severity of the mold growth in your commercial building, inspect accessible units for mold growth visually. With a flashlight, look for signs of mold, which appear as clusters or lines of multi-colored staining. The spores may also appear to have a fuzzy surface—a telltale sign of mold. 

Ensure Proper HVAC Ventilation and Appropriate Filtration Levels

According to the EPA, installing effective ventilation and filtration systems are essential to avoiding the spread of mold and mold-contaminated substances. Throughout the year, these systems should be routinely inspected and cleaned to ensure contaminated porous materials do not linger in the HVAC system. Building and facilities managers should also ensure all interior system surfaces and parts have been cleaned with an HVAC detergent solution and that all drain pans and other potential reservoirs remain clean and dry. Remember: Where there is moisture, there is often mold. 

As part of regular preventive maintenance, arrange for regular duct cleanings for your commercial building, as well. 

Discuss Removal Options with a Professional HVAC Contractor for Mold in Commercial Buildings

Because the success of mold removal in commercial buildings is often dependent on the location of the mold within the system, it’s important to understand whether a job is too complicated for non-professional removal.

If the mold is visible and accessible, an effective cleaning procedure should enable you to remove the spores. If the spores are growing in a hard-to-reach area, you may need to replace the entire unit. Discuss your options with a trusted commercial HVAC partner to ensure the implementation of the right solution for your unique space. 

Removing Mold in Commercial Buildings with NYC’s Leading HVAC Expert 

Clearing mold in commercial buildings requires patience, but with the proper knowledge and tools, the task can be done. For more information on how to effectively and properly remove mold in commercial buildings, contact the Donnelly team today to arrange for a consultation for your space.