Bathroom Mold Types: What Landlords Need to Know

When you think of household mold, you probably imagine dilapidated buildings and bad tenants. However, estimates provided by the National Institute for Occupational Safety suggest that 47% of all US households have at least some amount of mold or dampness. 

Mold is a serious issue, as buildup can cause a range of long-lasting health issues for your tenants. Some forms of mold can worsen conditions like asthma and trigger allergic responses. 

Preventing mold can minimize the risk of damp-related damage, too. Simple steps to improve ventilation can greatly improve airflow, reduce the risk of mold or mildew, and make for a healthier living space. Ventilation is particularly important in bathrooms, where wetness and warm temperatures provide the perfect breeding ground for mold. 

Mold Health Risks 

If you’ve never lived with mold, you may be forgiven for overlooking the potential side effects of mold, dampness, and mildew. However, as a landlord, it’s your responsibility to provide a safe, mold-free living environment for your tenants. The impact of poor air quality on health can be severe and includes: 

• Coughing, wheezing, irritated sinuses, and colds;
• Worsened conditions like asthma, COPD, or other breathing issues; 
• Increased risk of sleep apnea.

Left unchecked, black mold can also cause shortness of breath and chest tightness. In some tragic circumstances, black mold has led to the death of tenants.

Unfortunately, black mold can spread quickly and may be missed. That means that, as a landlord, it’s your responsibility to check behind lavatories, test air quality, and check in on tenants who may not be able to identify the signs of mold, dampness, and mildew.  

Identifying and Measuring Mold 

Mold is more challenging to identify than you might think. While large mold patches are easy to see, many tenants live with mold without ever knowing that mildew and dampness have built up in their bathrooms. As a landlord, you can take responsibility and learn to identify the most common types of mold in bathrooms, including: 

• Toxic black mold;
• Non-toxic black mold;
• Green mold;
• Mucor; 
• Penicillium;
• Alternaria.

These molds are common in bathrooms and pose a risk to tenant health and the structural integrity of your property. As such, you’ll need to take swift action if you find any cause for concern. Acting quickly is essential, as mold types like toxic black mold can spread from bathrooms and grow under wallpaper or carpets. When mold spreads, it is a much more serious issue and will be costly to deal with, requiring a great deal of time and money to fix.

You can identify and  measure your home’s air quality and identify the signs of mold by paying attention to the following:

• Unpleasant odors;
• Responding quickly if tenants report respiratory issues or fatigue; 
• Signs of visible mold/mildew;
• Excessive dust. 

These are sure signs that mold is present in the home. You can then follow up by using an air quality monitor to objectively test the quality of the air and spot volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Once you’ve identified the source of the problem, you can begin to make proactive changes to your bathroom plumbing and ventilation. 

Home Maintenence and Modifications 

Proactively modifying your rental property to prevent mold build-up and improve bathroom ventilation is the best way to manage mold. However, for it to be effective, you’ll need to outline the maintenance responsibility for you and your tenants. This will include details like: 

• Ensuring that tenants use fixtures like plumbing, HVAC units, and ventilation fans correctly;
• Keeping air-quality testing systems on and notifying you, the landlord, if any faults occur; 
• Making use of ventilation properly and ensuring that windows and fans are kept open or on when taking baths and showers; 
• Maintaining a sanctuary environment around toilets and plumbing fixtures to minimize waste-related mold buildup. 

You also have specific responsibilities as a landlord. You can’t afford to fall foul of common plumbing myths — like the idea that leaky faucets are “ok” — and should take swift action if you identify any risks of mold buildup in the bathroom. 

Proactively managing mold may require an initial layout before your tenants move in. You can prepare your property for rent by checking every nook and cranny of the property for toxins like mold and mildew. This means you’ll need to get behind the bath fixtures and may need to inspect underneath and around toilet bowls, tanks, and sinks. Being proactive will give you peace of mind and minimize the risk of illness. 

Conclusion

Bathroom mold is a common, if unwanted, feature of many homes. As a landlord, you can mitigate the risk of mold growing in your rental property by testing the air quality and addressing any signs of mildew swiftly. This will keep your tenants safe, protect your property from damage, and ensure that you can continue to rent your space.