Mold… the silent enemy of your maintenance budget

Hurricane season has just started here in Florida. Cue the torrential downpours that can sometimes last a week straight, leading to unbearably humid weather conditions. And while humidity may seem harmless, facility and maintenance managers may disagree.

In addition to general discomfort, the presence of high humidity tends to create the perfect breeding grounds for mold. If you’ve ever had to deal with the repercussions of this unpleasant fungus taking up residence in your home, you’re likely aware of how it only takes a very small amount of it to cause significant, often irreversible, damage to property. Not to mention the multitude of health problems it can potentially bring.

In most cases mold conditions come as a result of high indoor humidity, which can be caused by something as simple as turning off the thermostat in an effort to save on energy consumption. And once it appears, it grows rapidly and can spread like wildfire. Being that student housing properties experience frequent high-vacancy periods throughout the year, we often hear of mold conditions being a common pain point for this industry in particular. Residents leaving their apartments empty for extended periods of time means that mold growth can go undetected for weeks, allowing it to run rampant while they’re away.

Rehab costs that result from mold destruction are without a doubt one of the most expensive repairs to hit any maintenance budget – especially when mold conditions strike in multiple residences. So as a property manager, how can this kind of damage be prevented? Being able to catch and eliminate conditions that present a risk for mold growth in the first place is key, as opposed to reactively attempting to intercept mold that has already made an appearance.

Installation of TrustHab is an effective way for property staff to control the presence of humidity within residences. At the first instance of high humidity being detected in any unit, an alert is sent to management that notifies them to proactively dispatch the maintenance team. Whether the residence is vacant or not, the potential for mold conditions is identified and can be eliminated before it becomes a costly problem.

No matter what the weather, TrustHab is designed to detect conditions within residences that present a high risk for maintenance malfunctions. Empowering property managers with the tools to be able to diagnose these issues prior to entering a residence saves time, cuts costs, and increases NOI. Contact us today to learn more.

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