Mold is an ever-present enemy that sneaks up and takes hold indiscriminately. Especially in a tropical country, mold growth is not limited to particularly dark, wet, dirty or neglected corners – it can be found almost anywhere, simply because the warm, humid environment nurtures and encourages its healthy flourish. It can be found in your home, out of your home. It can be staring at you everyday, right in your office.
Molds start their lives as airborne spores, floating in an environment. When these spores land in the perfect breeding environment, they develop into mold and start to colonize the space that they have landed on. The breeding environment that enables mold to grow must have three elements: Air (oxygen), Water (in the form of liquid or humidity), and Food (any type of organic matter). So, wherever there is air, some form of dampness, moisture or water and any organic material such as wood, paper, fibers, fabric, foam, mold can thrive. If one casts their mind to an office space, it can be easy to see how mold can grow there. There is carpeting, wallpaper, paper, files, curtains, chairs, sofas in work areas. There is water, food, damp towels in pantries. There is water, paper, cleaning materials in washrooms. To top things off, if there is bad ventilation, stagnant air, inadequate sunlight, moisture-creating or leaking sources, and even aircon filters that are not cleaned diligently, then voila: Mold Heaven.
And the biggest issue with mold is not that it smells disgusting and looks gross – it can make you very sick. It is widely known that mold can damage the human respiratory system, cause crippling asthma and trigger allergies. Some symptoms to indicate that one is suffering from mold are sneezing, coughing, runny and/or itching nose, wheezing or difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, red, watery or itchy eyes, skin irritations, itch or rash. Mold is often pointed to as one common element that causes Sick Building Syndrome, an increasingly common problem where occupants of a building or office space frequently report suffering from such symptoms or illnesses, mainly while only in said building space. If your business is suffering from low productivity, sick leave, high medical costs, or if you are having to spend time, money and manpower on cleaning or fixing mold damage, then this could mean that mold is starting to literally eat into your bottom line as well.
There are some basic precautions one can follow to try to avoid the rampant spread of mold. The first rule of thumb would be to make sure offices spaces are thoroughly and frequently cleaned – including not only basic vacuuming and wiping but attention to the nitty gritty details such as curtains, furniture/fabrics, carpet deep cleans, corners in pantries and the replacement of common cleaning materials such as towels and rags etc. (Expert Tip: if your office has wallpaper, you may want to check for any mold growth behind the wallpaper in some areas as this is a favorite hidden breeding ground). It is also important to identify any water leakage issues in any pipes, drains and also aircons because where there is unwanted seeping or leaking water, there will be mold. Installing a very good ventilation system as well as dehumidifiers could prove to be very critical as well. Opening windows to have better air circulation can also be helpful, but this must be done carefully with the particular office environment and outdoor environment in mind. If the outside air is hot and humid, and the indoor environment is highly airconditioned, constant opening and closing of windows and changing the temperature can often just result in additional condensation within the office space, resulting in further feeding of mold.
The singularly best solution to fight the battle against mold is to continuously sterilize the air as well as all surfaces within an office space.
How can this be done?
With Medklinn’s Air+Surface Sterilizers.
Medklinn’s entirely unique and patented Cerafusion technology works by emitting Active Oxygen into an indoor environment continuously – effectively and efficiently destroying all forms of pollutants including gasses, Volatile organic compounds, viruses, bacteria, allergens and bad odors – and yes, it has been clinically proven to destroy molds and spores, not only in the air but on surfaces as well, all at a molecular level. With a Medklinn, mold is continuously being destroyed and will not be able to take root, grow or spread.