Preventing Mold Growth in Your Apartment Buildings

12/26/2018 (Permalink)

Mold can take hold in 24-48 hours if the conditions are right. Once it begins a colony, it is impossible to remove completely, and the best you can hope for is remediation. As an apartment building owner, you are responsible for a lot of people and a lot of living spaces. A mold infestation is one of those things you really don’t ever want to see. Here are a few ways you can stay on top of it:

• Educate your tenants. When a new tenant signs their lease, provide them with literature about mold and how it starts. Make sure the information is written in such a way that anyone can understand it, and make sure all their questions are answered sufficiently. Post this information in all public spaces, especially laundry and pool areas. You can include this information again in monthly emails to all tenants, and post it on your website.
• Schedule inspections. Schedule mold inspections; they can correspond with pest control to make sure your tenants aren’t overly inconvenienced. Engage a professional to check the places where mold is most often found. A person or company with mold remediation experience will know what to look for and what information to provide you with when it comes to problem areas or tenants.
• Regular cleaning. Schedule regular deep cleaning of all laundry areas and pool-related spaces such as public bathrooms and showers. If you have a clubhouse, you will want to include it in this schedule as well. Any place where your property experiences a lot of foot traffic and involves water is a prime place for mold to take hold.
• Patio rules. Institute rules for patio, deck, and balcony areas. This is where people have a tendency to store things, and it isn’t going to help you keep an eye on mold if spots such as these are cluttered and inaccessible.

Being proactive will go a long way towards preventing the outbreak of mold in your apartment buildings. If a mold problem begins, don’t hesitate to call us here at SERVPRO of Belle Meade / West Nashville. We are mold remediation experts!