IAQ Testing

Orlando, Florida, February 13, 2023

Last month, the University of Florida (UF) announced sections of the Humanities and Social Sciences Library would be temporarily closed following water damage on three floors of the building. According to a UF news release, an estimated 60,000 gallons of water flooded the building when a frozen water line burst during the holiday break. The water reportedly damaged building materials, furniture, electronics, and thousands of books.

Many large libraries house hundreds of thousands to several million books made of paper, which is why libraries or any place that stores books and manuscripts needs to be especially vigilant of water damage and indoor air quality (IAQ) conditions to protect printed materials from mold and other forms of decay. In addition to the catastrophic damage a flooding event can cause, a vital component of IAQ that is particularly crucial in these types of facilities is indoor humidity. Humidity levels can rapidly increase if there has been water damage or if the facility’s HVAC system is not working correctly.

“Mold will quickly grow on paper or other cellulose materials, not to mention many building materials and furnishing,” said Jason Dobranic, Ph.D., Vice President of Microbiology and Life Sciences at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “If moisture or elevated humidity levels are not quickly addressed, mold typically does not take long to become a significant problem. Not only can the mold destroy books and printed materials, people exposed to the mold can have a myriad of reactions to it. Mold is a known allergen, respiratory irritant and can even trigger an asthma attack in some people with the condition.” 

Available to assist libraries and places that store books and paper products are the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) experts at EMSL Analytical, Inc. EMSL’s laboratories not only provides mold testing services, sampling supplies and easy-to-use test kits, they also offer humidity sensors, air monitors, moisture meters and other tools to detect conditions conducive for mold growth.

To learn more about mold or other indoor environmental quality testing services and resources, please visit www.EMSL.com, call (800) 220-3675 or email info@EMSL.com. To access IEQ test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories with locations throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP <797>, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOCs, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA LAP, LLC. (AIHA EMLAP, AIHA IHLAP, AIHA ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories with locations throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP <797>, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOCs, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA LAP, LLC. (AIHA EMLAP, AIHA IHLAP, AIHA ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.