Is there mold in your GYM?

3/9/2022 (Permalink)

When your Plymouth gym meets the conditions for mold growth, these situations can develop quickly and cause potential problems for your patrons.

With a humid continental climate for most of the year in Plymouth, structures like your gym can often battle the conditions necessary to support the growth and spread of mold colonies. Microbial threats can become a substantial concern for structures, especially high-traffic facilities like your gym. With the potential for volatile organic compounds circulating in the environment from growing and thriving colonies, gym patrons can become directly impacted by these potential health hazards.

While there are many mold removal companies in Plymouth, this term can be misleading to the work that occurs. Our SERVPRO team has experienced Applied Microbial Remediation Technicians (AMRT) on our roster to address mold concerns by removing active colonization and not quite entirely removing mold spores from the facility. Despite proper ventilation, as you would expect in your gym, these humid conditions of the environment or mismanaged water damages can result in facilitating mold growth, threatening both the structure, contents while causing possible health effects to its patrons simultaneously. Our responding remediators' objective is to first determine the severity of the current colonization to address it directly with cleaning and demolition strategies.

How Bad Is the Mold Colonization?

Moist surfaces and areas of your gym can support the development and growth of mold spores. Because mold colonization might not be visible on surface materials for up to 10 days from the onset of mold growth on agreeable materials, by the time property owners become aware of colonies, it is already a widespread concern. Even at this stage, where microbial organisms and fungi can be identified with the naked eye, environmental testing and moisture detection can help determine the full extent of this condition. Finding moisture pockets and damp materials beyond the surface can indicate other areas suitable for mold growth and spread. Some of the tools, technologies, and tactics for identifying these areas include:

• Moisture Meters
• Thermal Imagery
• Controlled Demolition
• Hygrometers

What Are the Main Concerns with Continued Mold Presence?

Understanding the impact that mold growth can have on your gym and its patrons can help you appreciate your need for professional mold remediation companies like our SERVPRO team. There are multiple significant concerns associated with the development, spread, and continued existence of mold in your training facility. The primary issues of microbial threats are:

• Structural Deterioration – Despite much of the framework in your gym being metal studs and tracks installed to the subflooring, materials like flooring, drywall, and ceiling tiles can deteriorate from hosting mold colonies and providing a food source for their growth. 
• Health Hazards – Proximity to active colonization puts your gym patrons in contact with volatile organic compounds produced by the organism. As stated earlier, health effects can result.
• Health Code Violations – The presence of mold in your business can not only harm your reputation but can force your doors closed through edicts from local governing offices until the situation gets resolved. Containment happening quickly can prevent this temporary closure at times. 
• We suggest, if not mandated, that an independent IH industrial hygienist sample the air, if not before treatment, then awards to ensure that the remediation was successful.

What Can SERVPRO Remediators Do to Help?

The removal of colonies from your business requires a combination of tactics and equipment. Remediating seeks to remove the organism without impacting the hosting material, if possible. In severe exposures, removing and discarding the damaged structural elements is often the only suitable solution to efficiently return the gym to preloss condition. Remediation strategies include:

• Sanding
• Air scrubbers with HEPA filters
• Soda Blasting
• Surface Cleaning
• Controlled Demolition

Does the Gym Have to Close?

Whenever decisions are made about keeping the business going throughout restoration or remediation services, the customer and staff safety and well-being must remain top priorities. For isolated mold developments, appropriate containment barriers and immediate remediation work can allow the business to keep functioning in a limited capacity. When mold and microbial threats are more widespread, containment might not be feasible in communal areas used most heavily by your members. With experienced remediation technicians and in-house contractors, we can complete colony removal and repairs more efficiently to reduce profits lost with your business closed.

The presence of mold colonies on susceptible surfaces and equipment in your gym can threaten the structure, staff, and members using the facility. Remediation is a sound solution to address both the presence of mold in the building as well as its impact on contents and structural elements to make it "Like it never even happened." Give our SERVPRO of Plymouth/Wareham team a call today at (508) 746-9500.