Recently we were called to assess the indoor air quality of a dentistry in South Brent. The dentistry was located in a two-storey building with a history of dampness. After conducting our investigation on the general state of the building, we identified that there was a considerable damp problem. Surgery 1, had the poorest indoor air quality of the property which was classified as moderate. In addition, there was visible fungal contamination in the PM’s office, surgery 1, and surgery 2. Penicillium/Aspergillus spores dominated the spore trap samples we collected in Surgery 2 and the reception area. These two moulds have been historically associated with water damage.
Finding the Source of the Dampness – Conducting a Damp Inspection
Through moisture mapping we started to understand how the damp had manifested itself within the premises. In the Practice Manager’s office we found evidence of penetrative damp in the corner of the room, with fungal contamination on the bottom corner of the wall and the window. Strangely, the root cause of the penetrative damp appears to be plant growth on the outside of the building envelope. This plant has also caused problems in the first floor atrium corridor.
In the first-floor staff room, there was a high amount of condensation due to the malfunction of an extractor fan used to control humidity. The non-operational extractor fan was one of the root causes of the mould problems within the building. In addition, we identified that Surgery 1 was suffering from a service leak. There was evidence of standing water under a polystyrene layer in the corner of the room. The distribution of moisture indicated a service leak as a cause of dampness. Despite our efforts, it was not possible to identify the root cause of the standing water. Unfortunately, there is a need for destructive investigation in order to fully identify the water source. At the time of our assessment, the room was affected by a strong odour of damp.
Improving the Indoor Air Quality
Moisture mapping and investigation showed that the property is suffering from penetrative rising damp and an active service leak in several of the rooms in the property. In response to the damp in the manager’s office we recommended that all plant growth be removed from the building, and that all mould contamination be removed as well. After the removing the plant growth and the mould contamination we advised the owners to redecorate.
In the staff office, we suggested that the extractor fan be repaired immediately. In addition, we advised the owners to remove the fungal contamination on the window frame and to insulate window surroundings. Again we suggested that redecoration might be a good idea. With regards to the rest of the property we recommended that areas affected by rising damp be treated with water resistant coating.
Overall we found that fungal spores had only marginally affected the overall air quality in the property. The extent of fungal contamination was moderate but the likelihood of regular disturbance was quite low. In spite of this, none of the employees working in the practice were considered to be at an increased risk to health due to personal circumstances. In order to prevent future outbreaks we recommended that the necessary building maintenance be carried out and to remove the existing fungal contamination using appropriate measures such as localized containment air filtration.
