Ohio University is located in Athens, Ohio and year round we can experience humidity. Mold and fungal spores exist outdoors and are part of the natural environment. It is impossible to completely eliminate mold spores, but students can take proactive measures to maintain a healthy living environment on campus.
As part of Ohio University’s response to mold and mildew performed by the department of Facilities Maintenance and Safety, Housing and Residence Life provides the following information about the potential for mold and mildew in the residence halls.
As part of our commitment to providing a clean and healthy living environment, our residence halls are subject to regular maintenance and inspections. Housing and Facilities staff perform thorough checks multiple times a year to prevent and address any mold and mildew concerns.
If you do suspect mold or mildew growth in your room, contact Facilities Management and Safety 24/7 at 740.593.2911. For residents residing in River Park, River Gate, and River's Edge contact maintenance at 740.593.7783.
In the upcoming FAQ section, we'll delve into what mold and mildew is, what steps can be taken to manage and prevent mold growth, and what you can do to help maintain a healthy room.
"Molds are microorganisms that are found virtually everywhere, indoors and outdoors."
Mold is a naturally occurring fungus that is generally considered an indoor air allergen similar to pollen, animal dander, dust, and dust mites. Mold produces tiny spores, which act similarly as seeds to plants, to spread the growth of the mold colony.
According to the EPA, “Molds can be found almost anywhere; they can grow on virtually any organic substance, as long as moisture and oxygen are present. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, foods, and insulation. When excessive moisture accumulates in buildings or on building materials, mold growth will often occur, particularly if the moisture problem remains undiscovered or unaddressed. It is impossible to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment. However, mold growth can be controlled indoors by controlling moisture indoors.”
There are thousands of species of mold, most of which occur naturally outside and have some spores present within buildings. Mold is typically white, green, black, yellow, brown, or orange. The texture can vary between appearing like powder, cotton, velvet, or tar-like.
If mold is suspected on any indoor surface, it should be reported to Facilities Management and Safety to be cleaned as soon as possible to prevent further growth.
Below are proactive steps to reduce growth:
In some cases, mold growth is due to poor cleaning habits and are the responsibility of occupants. Examples of this include the following:
Facilities Management and Safety staff will respond to all suspected mold and mildew calls. They will investigate and determine if there are any mechanical issues that need to be addressed and enter the necessary work orders to make repairs. Surface mold is typically cleaned with the appropriate fungicide during the initial investigation. If not during the initial investigation the area will be cleaned within 24 hours. The student and Housing and Residence Life will be notified once the cleaning is complete.
Our Facilities Management and Safety staff provide routine maintenance of all buildings and carefully maintains the cooling and heating systems. This includes cleaning, maintaining, updating, and repairing HVAC equipment. All residence halls are cleaned by our trained custodians before the beginning of every academic year and when a room becomes completely vacant.
Any time there are concerns about the level of moisture in a space (typically seasonal), Facilities Management and Safety will investigate and offer solutions to mitigate.
Housing and Residence Life staff complete Health and Safety inspections to ensure that each room meets health and safety standards. Any suspected area of mold or mildew growth observed is reported and remediated by Facilities Management and Safety.
According to federal health and safety agencies, mold growth is commonly found in both indoor and outdoor environments. Some people are sensitive to mold and may experience short-term reactions in the presence of mold. Symptoms associated with mold exposure are not unique and cannot be readily distinguished from symptoms caused by other medical conditions, such as the common cold or seasonal environmental allergies. Since some individuals may have more intense reactions, those with medical conditions or who experience symptoms should consult with medical personnel regarding their risk to mold exposure.
To facilitate a move to another space on campus, we ask that you visit the Health Center or your doctor to assess your situation and the likelihood that the symptoms you are experiencing may be related to a mold or mildew allergy. If that is the case, please contact Housing and Residence Life at 740.593.4090 to learn more about options for temporary or permanent relocation to another on-campus residence hall location.
Mold is present in the indoor and outdoor air and on surfaces all around us each day. It requires moisture and a food source to colonize mold. The University does not routinely conduct air sampling for mold and instead follows federal agency guidance:
From the CDC: "Standards for judging what is an acceptable, tolerable, or normal quantity of mold have not been established" and "Generally it is not necessary to identify the species of mold growth in a residence, and CDC does not recommend routine sampling for molds. Current evidence indicates that allergies are the type of diseases most often associated with molds. Since the susceptibility of individuals varies greatly either because of the amount or type of mold, sampling and culturing are not reliable in determining your health risk... therefore, no matter what kind of mold is present, you should arrange for its removal."
From the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): “In most cases, if visible mold growth is present, sampling is unnecessary. Since no EPA or other federal limits have been set for mold or mold spores, sampling cannot be used to check a building's compliance with federal mold standards.”
Mold and mildew remediation is not regulated by the EPA or CDC. According to the EPA, mold cannot be eliminated in the environment unless extreme measures are taken constantly, as would be the case in a “clean room” laboratory. The presence of visible mold on indoor building materials is generally agreed by professionals to be an unacceptable condition that should be remediated as quickly as possible. Anytime that mold or mildew is suspected Facilities Management and Safety should be contacted at 740.593.2911.
For additional information on environmental health and safety, please refer to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. These resources offer valuable insights and guidelines relevant to your studies.