Student Housing Mold Issues Solved

We often think of mold as affecting the basements and bathrooms of houses, but dormitories also present a risk. After the building sits empty over a summer of high temperatures and humidity, which may include heavy rainfall, the ideal environment for mold growth develops. Student housing mold presents a problem for facilities managers of colleges and universities. However, testing and remediation is a cost-effective and efficient way to deal with it.

Student Housing Mold Issues

A recent example of student housing mold is Villanova University in Villanova, PA. In October, the number of calls about student housing mold went from the usual five to ten calls per week up to 50 in one week. In this instance, hot weather combined with humidity and heavy rain caused a spike in mold growth. The arrival of incoming freshmen also intensified the situation. As new students moved into the dorms, they propped open doors. With doors open for most of the day, humid air moved in as well. This air became trapped inside providing the ideal environment for mold colonies to form.

Mold Exposure Symptoms

Exposure to student housing mold leads to symptoms of headaches, nosebleeds, aches, and pains. For those suffering from allergies, mold triggers symptoms that include:

• Runny nose
• Congestion
• Red, watery eyes
• Dry cough
• Sore throat
• Skin rash

How to Spot School Mold Issues

Some mold is easy to see. It appears as spots on walls and floors. You see it around windows and doors as well as baseboards. In dorms, it forms in bathrooms and shower areas as well as in air conditioning units. In certain cases, a musty odor is present as well, however, mold colonies are sometimes more difficult to detect. 

A serious student housing mold problem requires professional mold remediation, however, prevention is key to stopping a mold problem before it starts. Keeping windows closed prevents the spread of mold as this draws in humid air from outside. Keeping furniture away from vents and AC units is also a good idea. Damp items such as towels and workout clothes should not be kept in the room.

Pure Air Control Services Solutions to School Mold Issues

The use of a mold screening kit is one way to test for the presence of mold, but for bigger issues testing and monitoring is the solution. Pure Air Control Service’s Building Sciences Team is staffed with highly-trained professionals with experience in environmental consulting and remedial strategies.

To deal with student housing mold our team is made of certified:

• Indoor Air Quality Professionals (CIAQP)
• Indoor Environmental Consultants (CIEC)
• Mold Assessors/Remediators
• Air-Conditioning Contractors
• as well as Industrial Hygienists and Engineers

Our services include a Building Health Check to test the indoor environment, an HVAC Hygiene Assessment to inform campus facilities managers of the impact of HVAC systems, and IAQ Guard to monitor conditions. These services help colleges and universities, as well as K-12 classrooms, avoid mold issues.

In addition, our EDLab has expertise in both aerobiology and mycology. Mycotoxins present an especially dangerous threat to the health of students living in dormitories as they can cause serious illness. 

Student Housing Mold Remediation

Our Building Remediation efforts include HVAC New Life hygienic restoration to improve performance and lengthen the lifespan of HVAC equipment and PURE-Steam HVAC hygienic cleaning to clean the entire air handling unit. Our PURE-Duct duct cleaning service is an indoor air quality-driven cleaning method that removes dust and debris and PURE-Decon is an EPA-certified room disinfection service that reaches areas topicals cleaners cannot.

Get the Pure Air Controls Air Solution Today

In conclusion, if you have student housing mold issues in the buildings you manage, contact us today at 1-800-422-7873 or email us here.