My Buffalo Grove Gym Has A Sauna – How Can I Prevent Mold?

8/23/2020 (Permalink)

When mold damage affects your business, it needs to be taken care of fast. Contact SERVPRO to deal with the remediation process.

Understanding Mold Growth is the Key to Prevention in Your Buffalo Grove Gym

Buffalo Grove is a beautiful town with over 45,000 residents. And like towns and cities all over the US, many of these people enjoy going to the gym. Once the workout is finished, there is nothing like relaxing in a hot sauna, as long as it is mold-free.

Why Are Gyms  & Saunas Susceptible to Mold?

Saunas are a fabulous way to relax and get rid of toxins in your body. Many gyms have either dry or wet saunas as part of the services they offer clients. A sauna is a perfect environment for mold. It has moisture, high humidity, and a food source. Most saunas have wood that mold loves. As a gym owner, you depend on steady clients for a reliable income. Discovering there is mold in either your equipment area, workout rooms, or steam rooms can impact that revenue if you have to shut down for cleaning and commercial mold remediation in Buffalo Grove.

What is Mold?

Mold is a fungus that develops as a multicellular thread-like structure known as hyphae. It reproduces through microscopic spores. These spores are in the air both inside and outside. There are over 1,000 different types of mold in the United States; many of them are harmless. What they all have in common is the need for a food source and moisture. 

Some mold is beneficial. If it grows in the wild, it can break down dead organic material. Penicillin is a form of mold and conventional medicine. But when mold spores enter a sauna that supplies all its needs, it can cause damage to the sauna. Mold can cause health effects as well. SERVPRO technicians are well-trained in understanding commercial mold damage. They have their Applied Microbial Remediation Certification (AMRT).

How to Prevent Mold in Your Sauna

The water spray, steam, and sweat in a sauna create a breeding ground for bacteria and mold. If not cleaned suitably, it can lead to mold damage. You want to keep your gym operating and pass any health inspection codes required. Being proactive in the care of the sauna or steam room is a critical part of that. Here are some things you can to prevent mold infestation:

•   Ensure proper ventilation – A cross-draft needs to flow steadily to make sure humidity is removed from one session to the next. Installing exhaust fans are suitable for this. Opening windows and doors helps too.
•   Install a drain – When you put a drain into the floor, excess water flows out of the room. Whenever this happens, the area is easier to dry.
•   Have towels available – Encourage clients to sit on towels and place them under their feet to absorb moisture.
•   Use the right cleaner – Clean your sauna regularly with the correct sauna detergent. The right cleaning agent kills mold and bacteria before it takes hold and helps prevent future growth.
•   Sunshine – if possible, place items like the benches in the sun periodically for thorough drying.

What if I have a Mold Problem?

If you see mold or smell it, you have a mold problem. In a sauna, you can not avoid future moisture, but you can prevent mold from coming back. SERVPRO has professional mold remediation technicians that can remediate the mold while maintaining your sauna’s integrity.  Mold is not something you want to handle on your own. As a commercial property, you may also need to work with an Industrial Hygienist.

Mold Remediation with SERVPRO

Our expert technicians know how crucial it is to keep your gym’s door open. The most important thing to do is to get help fast. The longer the predicament goes unattended, the more it spreads. This means damage to walls, floors, and, eventually, the entire gym. When our mitigation team arrives, they take care of:

• Containment – We use various containment procedures, so the mold does not spread deeper into the gym. The techniques include negative air chambers, physical barriers, and negative air pressure.
• Air Filtration – Our professionals use specialized filtration equipment to CAPTURE microscopic mold spores in the air. This involves:

• Air Scrubbers
• HEPA Vacuums
• HEPA Filters

• Mold-Infested Materials – Dependent upon the amount of mold growth and the surface type, the mold remediation process varies. Antifungal and antimicrobial agents eliminate colonies and prevent the return. Porous material may need to be removed. This can include:

• Drywall
• Carpeting
• Wood

• Cleaning & Restoration – SERVPRO cleans any restorable items affected by mold. Soda and dry ice blasting can remove mold from surfaces and substrate. Different cleaning and disinfecting products are employed depending on the material involved. Fogging equipment aids the removal of odors. 

This is just an example of what our mold remediation teams do when cleaning your sauna. Contact SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich at (847) 279 – 1940. Let us help your business keep doing business.