The battle against moisture wages on in the humid climate of the southeast. Property owners preoccupy themselves with the humidity levels of their interior living spaces. It’s understandable, but leaves the “out of sight, out of mind” areas, like basements and parking garages, from getting the attention they need.
Since these spaces are particularly vulnerable to mold and fungal growth, this is often where the problems start. Here’s a comprehensive look at what makes these areas high-risk for mold and how to introduce effective mold prevention strategies.
Focus on Drainage and Grading
Preventing water damage and humidity inside starts outside. If water is pooling around the outside of your building, it’s only a matter of time before it gets into your basement or garage.
Exterior Grading
The ground should slope away from your foundation. Proper grading enables gravity to do the work, automatically protecting your space by diverting rainwater away from the structure’s base.
Sump Pumps
If you have a basement below the water table, sump pumps are excellent solutions and arguably essential. You should test these pumps regularly, especially before hurricane season or after long periods of heavy rainfall.
Interior Drains
Floor drains are vital for parking garages. Ensure these don’t clog with debris. Standing water becomes a petri dish for mold and bacteria.
Address Ventilation and Airflow
Mold and fungus also rely on stagnant air. While many parking garages have ventilation systems, they’re more to address exhaust and not humidity control. Many property owners consider airflow in basements an afterthought, especially if they aren’t actively using it.
Proper ventilation means moist air doesn’t settle on cool surfaces and create condensation to further feed mold colonies.
Dehumidification
An effective and clear way to address high humidity in areas with inadequate airflow is through a dehumidifier. These machines can pull in massive amounts of moisture, helping keep it below the 60% humidity threshold.
HVAC systems can help, but they are nowhere near as efficient at managing humidity alone, especially for commercial spaces.
Air Circulation
Fans keep the air moving. This facilitates evaporation and prevents condensation. HVACs are also useful for circulating air. Considering how much you have to manage humidity in a place like South Carolina, using dedicated fans to keep air moving is always a good idea.
Waterproofing
Moisture can make its way into a space unless you treat the surfaces inside, creating a waterproof barrier through methods like encapsulation with a vapor barrier. It’s the most effective way to protect a building from moisture coming from the soil, which is a primary perpetrator for moisture problems in basements and parking garages.
Many commercial buildings are also built over dirt crawl spaces that connect to basements. Even if you don’t use these spaces, they can generate a lot of moisture.
This is why waterproofing efforts are best done through commercial mold prevention; it’s not nearly as simple as the other preventive measures to do yourself, but it’s highly effective for long-term protection.
Create Better Storage Habits
Basements are perfect for storage. However, many property owners make mold problems worse by storing things in the wrong places.
Cardboard is often a go-to choice for storage, but it also happens to be one of the worst options if you worry about mold. Use plastic bins instead whenever possible; they don’t absorb moisture like cardboard does.
Even if you’re using plastic bins, elevating stored items is best practice. This allows air to travel underneath them and keep things dry. It’s also smart because it protects your goods from water damage in the event of minor flooding or leaks.
Can Mold Grow on Concrete?
There’s a common myth that mold doesn’t grow on concrete. However, even though mold needs organic matter to feed on, concrete is porous. This means it can absorb and hold moisture. Other organic materials settle on the concrete, which act as food for the mold. So not only can mold grow on concrete, it often thrives on it.
In coastal areas and throughout the Carolinas, the water table is high. The groundwater can then push against concrete foundation walls and floors. Without the right approach to waterproofing, the humidity in concrete spaces can get exceedingly high, even if there isn’t any notable water damage.
Protect Your Property With Proactive Commercial Mold Services
Maintaining a mold-free environment starts with taking care of the baseline structure, including your basements and parking garages. Handle moisture at the source before it becomes a problem for the rest of your space. This will protect not only the foundation of your property, but also the air quality for everyone passing through.
A mold remediation company can confirm the presence of mold and pinpoint its exact location. This makes it easier to confine mold remediation to affected areas, so you can restore your commercial building’s normal routine. Contact our mold remediation specialists for the expert help your commercial property needs.
