Mold can be found all around us — both indoors and out — but it is particularly common in places where there is a significant amount of moisture, including bathrooms and basements. Shared living quarters such as residence halls are often susceptible.
When reports of mold are received at Kenyon, a custodial team immediately provides a thorough cleaning of the space and reports any issues that a maintenance team may need to address, such as excess condensation. If issues continue, an air sample test is conducted by an external, certified company to determine what mold types may be present and what their concentration might be. They then make a recommendation about what remediation, if any, may be necessary.
Close to 40 tests for mold have been conducted campuswide since the beginning of the past school year in August 2022. All but one have been resolved through normal cleaning methods. So far this academic year, professional testing for mold has been completed in five residential buildings. Results show that mold levels inside these buildings — Caples Hall, Gund Hall, Meadow Lane, North Campus Apartments and five units in the New Apartments — are at the same or just slightly higher levels than the surrounding outdoor environment. No remediation other than cleaning was recommended by third-party professionals.
Facilities and maintenance staff address moisture and humidity issues on an ongoing basis by ensuring that building systems are functioning properly and by making repairs. But everyone can do their part to reduce problems with mold. Since mold can’t grow without moisture, preventative measures include routinely using ventilation fans in bathrooms, keeping shower curtains inside shower enclosures, and drying wet floors after showering.
Working together to reduce mold exposure on campus is important. While mold does not generally pose a hazard to healthy individuals, it can worsen allergies and lead to more serious health consequences in sensitive populations such as immunocompromised individuals. Any issues should be reported to the Maintenance Department using an online facilities work order.