Did You Know that Most Commercial Mold Removal West Palm Beach Services Discover Outbreaks Originating from Office Kitchens? Learn How to Prevent Kitchen Mold at Work

Mold is a toxic fungus that grows in high moisture areas and it poses serious health risks to people. According to a 2021 Quora Report, more than 80 percent of all commercial mold outbreaks originated in kitchens due to a moisture problem, and the majority of these were related to plumbing and appliance leaks. Whether you run a restaurant, manage a large office building, or you oversee operations at a factory, regularly checking high moisture areas in the workplace is critical to preventing mold growth. Unfortunately, many mold problems surface before the signs become clear, such as a pipe leak within your wall, or slab leak under the kitchen where pressure caused the pipes to expand creating holes. If you suspect you might have a problem with moisture in your workplace kitchen, and given the climate in South Florida which is humid and has a high moisture index to begin with, it is critical to call for the best mold removal West Palm Beach company to remediate your business location and establish a healthy environment for employees and customers.

This article provides some tips and steps you can take to help reduce your chances of having a mold outbreak in your workplace by focusing on kitchen health.

Simple Respect Can Decrease Your Chance of Having to Rely on Commercial Mold Removal West Palm Beach Service Providers

According to a 2020 publication in the “Journal of Intellectual Propertyâ€, more than 60 percent of employees don’t treat work physical property with the same care they show for their own property at home. A survey revealed that office kitchens take on the most misguided care levels because evidence of abuse is not as apparent as potential abuse occurring in larger common areas where there are more people grouped together at a single time, such as a sales floor. Putting inappropriate things down kitchen sink drains, allowing faucets to drip, and not wiping down areas where moisture can get trapped are some common types of abuse in workplace kitchens that can lead to mold growth. When pipes get clogged with grease build up or other debris, pipes can become damaged and leak into the floor and walls.

As a leader, one thing you can do in your next team meeting is to remind people to treat the kitchen with respect. Post clear signage outlining the things that are okay, and not okay, to put down the drain. This will help to heighten awareness and reduce the chance of mold growing in your kitchen.

Understand the Causes of Mold Growth in Commercial Kitchens, and Inspect those Areas Regularly

In order for mold spores to germinate and spread, they need warmth and moisture to drive a colony. By understanding what causes commercial mold problems in workplace kitchens, you can help to prevent any toxic invasion. You will need to understand just where to look for the signs of mold, take a proactive approach to preventing it, and if you do find water damage or moisture with a funky small, you will need to call for commercial mold removal West Palm Beach services without delay. For now, start by routinely checking these areas:

• Windowsills – It is very easy for water to splash from a sink or other sources, and droplets find their way into window sills–an area that is hardly ever wiped down, even by cleaning staff. Also, West Palm Beach gets a fair amount of rain, and the moisture index is always above the country’s average, so be sure to check window sills.
• Woodwork, Molding and Trim – If your office kitchen has any woodworking in its aesthetics, or if you have crown molding, trim, or wainscotting (any architectural or aesthetic design feature that has cracks or crevices), be sure to inspect these for any trapped moisture.
• Oven Hood – Oven hoods have crevices where moisture can be trapped, and the oven hood is located directly above a direct heat source. That said, inspect and wipe down your oven hood regularly.
• Sink Backsplashes – Check the cracks in between backsplash tiles for any trapped moisture.
• Other Areas Where Water is Present – If you have a water cooler, ice machine, fish aquarium, a washing machine or anything else connected to a water line or that has water present, check these surrounding areas for any water accumulation.

You can instruct your cleaning crew to perform these tasks and let them know to be cognizant of any condition where mold could be present.

Have Your Kitchen Plumbing Routinely Inspected by A Certified Plumber

According to commercial plumbing professionals, you should have your kitchen’s plumbing inspected on a quarterly basis. Commercial kitchens are regularly used by a large number of people, and most people are not as gentle with the kitchen’s features as they are at home. That said, a quarterly inspection should be frequent enough to catch a potential mold problem before it becomes a dangerous problem, and an expensive one to remediate.

Reduce Moisture Levels in Your Workplace Kitchen

You can reduce moisture levels in your kitchen by maintaining and making small repairs around the building where the kitchen is located, and, of course, in the kitchen itself. This can include things such as:

• Replace any broken shingles on the roof directly above the kitchen
• Fix drain leaks
• Fix slow drains
• Run your garbage disposal to flush anything out that might be trapped
• Wipe down the backsplash, counters, floors and small places where water could pool
• If the hood vents outside, check for gaps and leaks in the ductwork
• Keep the gutters clear to prevent rainwater from pooling and potentially finding its way into a crack in the building and settle in the kitchen.

Being proactive is key when it comes to preventing mold growth in your commercial space. By following these tips, you can stay vigilant and help to protect your work environment.

Call Titan Remediation for the Best Commercial Mold Removal that West Palm Beach Offers

Do you detect a musty odor in your kitchen? Have you had plumbing leaks? Titan Remediation is a family owned and operated commercial mold removal company in West Palm Beach that has been protecting offices and buildings of all sizes for more than a decade. We are also the only expert mold removal company to use dry fogging–the only mold removal service guaranteed to kill 100% of all mold spores. In addition, we are also a full water damage restoration service provider, and since mold often reveals water damage, you will be in good professional hands when you call our experts. Don’t run the risk of a lawsuit filed by employees who get sick; call Titan Remediation for fast commercial mold removal services in West Palm Beach and let us ensure your building and team members are in perfect health.