R. Dixon Associates - Management Resources for Health, Safety and Environment

WHY DOES MOULD CONTAMINATION OCCUR?

 Quite simply, moisture accumulation creates mould growth.

 Moisture problems can have many causes. Some have been linked to changes in building construction practices since the 1970s. These practices led to buildings that are tightly sealed and therefore lacking adequate ventilation, thus causing areas of condensation often difficult to pin-point. Without adequate ventilation moisture will build up indoors, causing favourable conditions for mould growth.   Inadequate building maintenance can lead to moisture problems. Undiscovered or ignored residual moisture and areas of prolonged dampness can create an environment in which mould can grow. Moisture accumulation in so-called temporary structures, such as portable classrooms, frequently create mould growth.

 Typical moisture sources include:

 -         Leaking roofs,

-         Leaking or condensing water pipes, especially pipes inside wall cavities or pipe chases,

-         Leaking fire-protection sprinkler systems,

-         Landscaping, gutters, and down spouts that direct water into or under a building,

-         High humidity (> 60% relative humidity,)

-         Unvented combustion appliances such as clothes dryers vented into a garage. Clothes dryers and other combustion appliances should be vented to the outside.

 Some moisture sources are not easy to identify. For example, the inside of walls where pipes and wires are run (pipe chases and utility tunnels) are common sites of mould growth. Mould is frequently found on walls in cold corners behind furniture where condensation forms. Other possible moisture sources are:-

-         Poorly draining condensate drain pains inside air handling units,

-         Porous thermal or acoustic liners inside duct work,

-         Roof materials above ceiling tiles,

-         The back side of drywall (also known as gypsum board, wallboard, or SHEETROCK®, paneling, and wallpaper, and

-         The underside of carpets and pads.

 You may suspect mould even if you can't see it, if a building smells mouldy. You may also suspect hidden mould if you know there has been a water problem in the building and its occupants are reporting health problems.

When remediating a mould-contaminated premises, great care must be taken not to allow mould spores to be released and to enter otherwise uncontaminated parts of the structure. The COMMHEALTH-RDA one-day training programme is carefully designed to provide building managers and contractors with the knowledge and ability to correctly identify and safely remove mould contamination. An outline of the programme can be downloaded below.

For further information, contact us at:-

 http://www.commhealth.net/contact/

 Or call us at:-

 613-476-3141 (Roger Dixon) or

 613-921-1479 (David Greer)