A strata building is a shared property between separate owners, who share responsibility for the common areas of the building, such as hallways or stairwells. Shared responsibility can sometimes mean shared neglect, which is where dangers such as mould and Legionella can emerge and pose serious risks to health. Mould can trigger respiratory symptoms and infections, while Legionnaire’s disease can prove fatal.
Proactive cleaning of shared spaces is a vital part of maintaining health and safety in the workplace, as well as having a part to play in the aesthetics of the building. Matthews Cleaning Company takes a transparent and prevention-first approach to maintaining strata buildings to ensure the safety of all users.
Identifying High-Risk Areas in Strata Common Areas
All areas should be regularly inspected for visible evidence of mould, as early detection can prevent escalation, which may prove dangerous. These key areas are critically important for inspection:
- Bathrooms, changing rooms and laundry areas are constantly moist and rarely dry out completely.
- Basement care parks and small storage places have poor ventilation and can harbour moisture and mould.
- Rooftop areas and plant rooms with water tanks can become a breeding ground for Legionella, increasing the risk of Legionnaire’s transmission.
- Gyms, pools and spa areas are warm and humid, perfect for mould to reproduce if they are not kept clean.
- Window tracks, skirting boards and carpets can trap moisture, especially close to walls, which may hold dampness over time and develop mould.
- Commonly touched communal surfaces can easily spread mould spores, and through these, issues may spread between units in a Strata building.
Specific Cleaning Protocols for Water Damage and Condensation
When a cleaner identifies water ingress, it is important that action is immediate. Leaving it for longer increases the chances of mould developing and increases the damage done to the structure of the building. The area must be dried out as soon as possible and monitored for humidity and returning moisture afterwards, to ensure that water damage cannot creep back in.
Having already outlined the damage that mould can do to human health, it is evident that antimicrobial treatments should be rapidly applied to areas where water ingress is identified. Condensation over time leads to mould, which can be devastating for the health of strata building users. When treating mould, it is important that cleaners first address the underlying source of the moisture, or the problem will simply recur.
During active treatment, appropriate PPE must be worn to protect cleaners from the chemicals used, and a small area should be used to test cleaning materials before applying them to a larger area.
Water-damaged materials must be handled properly. Carpets, plasterboard and insulation are all prone to being damaged beyond repair by extended periods of moisture, and once mould has set in, it is often not possible to salvage certain materials. These must be disposed of according to local regulations, keeping the safety of cleaners and building users at the forefront of every action.
Strata building managers have to treat leaks as the urgent WHS compliance issue that they are. They cannot be left as minor maintenance issues that drag on. At Matthews Cleaning Company, we operate a structured reporting policy to ensure our clients are notified early of any water ingress we spot, to prevent long-term structural damage to their premises wherever possible.
HVAC System Cleaning: A Critical Step in Mould Prevention
A common way for mould to spread throughout units in a strata building is through a little-considered shared area: the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Contamination in your ducts can spread mould quickly, so it is essential to keep them clean as a matter of collective responsibility. Legionella is a risk anywhere that warm water remains still. In a strata building, this includes cooling towers, evaporative systems linked to HVAC and stagnant water components such as drainage.
The small parts that make up an HVAC system can harbour mould spores or legionella, so it is important that your contract cleaning or HVAC maintenance includes filters, coils, drip trays and vents to ensure the health of building users.
These signs may indicate that your HVAC system is contributing to poor air quality in your building and may need a deep clean or maintenance check:
- Excessive dust in different parts of the building.
- Unusual or musty odours spreading in more than one unit, with no other obvious source.
- Inconsistent humidity in different units.
- Reported uptick in allergy or respiratory symptoms among building occupants – as a manager, get in touch with the different units and check in about this if you are concerned for the health of your HVAC system.
Some commercial HVAC systems require professional cleaning every year, while others can go three to five years between full-scale cleans. It is best to check with your manufacturer for guidance on this, but if you are noticing any of the signs above and you would like more frequent cleaning, contact your manufacturer for more information.
Matthews Cleaning Company works alongside HVAC contractors and technicians to ensure a whole-system safe approach. There are limits to what cleaners can safely do where HVAC systems are concerned, and some tasks need a licensed specialist. Professional cleaners from Matthews will always be transparent about tasks they are not able to complete safely.
When to Call a Specialist: Remediation vs. Routine Cleaning
Routine mould cleaning is exactly that: a routine part of contract cleaning. It is surface-level and deals with the early stages of mould development to stay on top of matters for our clients. When there are deeper, more structural issues that may present a more serious hazard, remedial cleaning may be required. These indicators suggest a need for remediation:
- Mould that keeps coming back rapidly after cleaning.
- Visible black mould in large patches.
- Water damage that has been present for longer than 48 hours.
- Strong mouldy/musty odours or reported respiratory responses to mould.
There are also Legionella-specific triggers that mean you must call a specialist licensed in commercial water systems.
At Matthews Cleaning Company, our role is to recognise risk in its early stages and escalate this appropriately to clients, as well as supporting the remediation process.
Conclusion
Mould and Legionella are shared responsibilities in strata buildings. The risk can be dramatically reduced with proper, thorough cleaning and regular, informed inspections of facilities, including HVAC systems. As the manager of a strata building, you must regularly review your cleaning programs – it could be time for you to contact Matthews Cleaning Company for a preventative hygiene assessment of your strata units.