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JUNE 2015 | THE SOURCE MAGAZINE | WWW.SUPERRESTORATION.COM
JUNE 2015 | THE SOURCE MAGAZINE | WWW.SUPERRESTORATION.COM
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HEALTHY AIR EQUALS
HAPPY GUESTS
Chronic water sources can cause
mold growth in hidden spaces.
A strange, musty smell or unusual, unpleasant odor is often the initial indicator of unseen mold present in hotels and motels where
excessive, unabated humidity and dampness prevail. Lost public
patronage, suspended business licenses, and exposure to financially ruinous legal liability have ensued from hotel/motel mold infiltration. Fortunately, proper training of maintenance employees can
prevent these dire consequences, which can occur at not only lower-grade hotels, but also at neglectful five-stars.
Hotel/Motel Vulnerabilities to Water Damage
Common sources of mold problems in hotels are temperature
changes, water mains, and water damage. Hotel rooms change
temperatures frequently. When rooms are vacant and staff turn off
air-conditioning units to save costs, these temperature changes can
stimulate mold growth by causing condensation of moisture on organic materials that become mold nutrients.
The presence of big water mains throughout large buildings is always a potential problem for water damage from leaks or even for
flooding from ruptures. An occasional actual problem is mold growth
on surfaces near condensation around pipes improperly insulated.
tion or renovation, a scan for hidden moisture can find any mold
present. If it is, the drywall should be replaced.
In hot, humid climates, many guests on arrival set their thermostats
as low as they can. Then they leave and when they return their rooms
are chilly and damp, perfect for mold. Each time a door or window
opens, moist, warm air entering the room may condense and add
moisture. Digital thermostats can offset these effects by providing a
limited range of available temperature settings.
Air conditioning removes some moisture but only during the actual
cooling time until the room temperature reaches the thermostatic
setting. Then no more moisture reduction occurs. The ideal size for
an ordinary guest room air conditioning unit is 6,000 British thermal units. Any larger unit runs only half the time with less effect on
moisture control.
Window or roof leaks add more excess moisture.
Inappropriate cleaning and short sojourns may aggravate mold
problems by keeping them invisible. Hotel/motel room attendants
may think they are doing their jobs by wiping mold away and not
reporting it. While they improve the appearance of the room, the
indoor air quality still suffers and gets only worse so long as the
mold remains. Maintenance staff should know how to look for mold
growth so they can help management cope with it effectively.
Hotel/motel guests for only a day or two sometimes tolerate conditions they normally would not over longer times. They would do
better by not accepting but reporting mold problems so they can be
fixed for the next guests.
ANTI-MOLD MAINTENANCE POINTERS
Water damage anywhere from whatever source can cause mold
growth. Professional water damage restor ation technicians with
proper skills and equipment should always respond to any extensive water damage problem to mitigate immediate harm and prevent
future mold growth.
Mold needs air, food, and moisture. Elimination of any of these
needs suppresses the mold. Hotels can’t eliminate the air or food,
but the moisture is another
matter.
Hotel guestrooms harbor breeding grounds for mold. Walls with vinyl
covers are ideal. With air conditioning running, the vinyl wallpaper
gets cold, moisture condenses on it, and mold spores sprout. Drywall
cellulose backing and wallpaper glue are favorite mold meals. Paint
over interior drywall traps moisture, and spores grow there as well.
During hotel construction or
renovation, moisture in the
sheetrock can become trapped
behind paint or vinyl wallpaper.
About a year after the construc-
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Keeping Your
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Occupancy sensors also can help control moisture in guest rooms.
In unoccupied rooms, the sensors can run the circulating fans periodically to maintain ventilation and deny mold a suitably moist
environment.
According to a scientific study at the University of Florida at Gainesville, the most favorable mold growth conditions are temperatures
over 72˚F and relative humidities over 60 percent. Cooler temperatures and lower relative humidities are good guidelines for hotel/
motel mold control.
LOST PATRONAGE
In the age of the Internet, adverse reviews viewed by millions on
travel websites can hit hospitality businesses very hard, very quickly, and for long times. An unfavorable TripAdvisor rating based on a
complaint about, for example, “Tattered Blanket & Moldy Bathroom”
can keep many customers away long
after management fixes the offense.
“IN HOT, HUMID CLIMATES, MANY GUESTS
ON ARRIVAL SET THEIR THERMOSTATS AS
LOW AS THEY CAN. THEN THEY LEAVE AND
WHEN THEY RETURN THEIR ROOMS ARE
CHILLY AND DAMP, PERFECT FOR MOLD. “
When Seconds Matter SM
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