Mold Guides · Room-Specific & Commercial Mold

Mold in Schools: What Administrators Should Know

A school is a large, complex building, used by hundreds of people every day, and it has all the moisture sources that a large building has: a big roof, a lot of plumbing, a large HVAC system, and rooms that are used hard and ventilated variably. When mold is found in a school, the questions are not only about the building, but about the people in it, and about the responsibility to act promptly and to communicate clearly.

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This guide gives general information for school administrators: the moisture sources to look for, the inspection process, and the professional assessment that follows. It is general information only, not advice about any particular school or situation. Our commercial mold remediation page covers the service, and schools in New Orleans and across Louisiana face the same building conditions.

Moisture sources in school buildings

School buildings have the same moisture sources as any large building, but on a larger scale. A roof that covers a large area has more places to leak, and a leak in a school roof can affect several classrooms at once. Plumbing that serves many restrooms and kitchens has more joints and more places to fail. An HVAC system that serves a whole building has a large condensate drain, large drain pans, and long runs of ductwork, any of which can become a moisture source if it is not maintained.

The age of the building matters too. Many Louisiana schools are older buildings, and older buildings have older roofs, older plumbing, and older ventilation. Past flooding is another factor: a school that has been flooded, even once, may carry moisture in the walls and the floors long after the water is gone, and the growth that follows can appear in rooms that were not obviously affected. A school's moisture history is worth knowing, and it is worth keeping on record.

Signs to look for in a school

The signs in a school are the same as in any large building, but they are often noticed by teachers and staff before they are noticed by the administration. A musty smell in a classroom, especially in the morning. Stains on the ceiling tiles, especially below a roof or a bathroom. In a school, damp patches on classroom walls, paint peeling near the floor, or a carpet that stays wet are signs worth reporting. A classroom that stays clammy, or windows that fog up every morning, can be the first sign that moisture is building up in the building. Any of these can point to moisture in the building, and they are worth reporting promptly.

A reporting habit is the most useful thing a school can have. Teachers and staff who know what to look for, and who know who to report it to, will catch a problem in its first weeks. A problem that is reported early is a small repair; a problem that is not reported for a year can be a large remediation job. Make the reporting route clear, and make it easy to use.

Mold in Schools: What Administrators Should Know — Louisiana mold guide

Inspection and professional assessment

The next step for a school is an inspection, followed by professional assessment. The inspection covers the building, not just the room with the visible growth: the roof, the plumbing, the HVAC system, the restrooms and kitchens, and the rooms around the affected area. The inspector maps the problem with moisture readings, identifies the source, and explains what the next steps are. The findings should be documented, because the records are useful for the school board, the maintenance team, and any future work.

Professional assessment is needed because the work in a school is larger and more complex than in a home. The affected area may span several rooms, the work may need to be planned around the school day, and the building may need to be checked in stages. The assessment should explain the scope in plain terms, so that the administration can plan the work, the timing and the communication with staff and parents.

Planning work around the school

Planning the work around a school means thinking about timing, access and communication. The work area needs to be contained, the rooms around it need to be usable, and the timing needs to be agreed so that the disruption to teaching is kept to a minimum. That may mean working during holidays, or outside school hours, or in stages, or moving classes out of the affected area while the work is under way. These are practical arrangements, and they should be agreed before the work starts.

How the school tells staff and parents what is happening matters as much as the work itself. Staff and parents should be told what is happening, in plain terms, without alarm and without detail that is not yet known. A clear, factual message, that the problem has been found, that it is being assessed, and that the work will be done properly, is more reassuring than silence. The school should also keep the records of the work, so that the history of the building is clear for the future.

Keeping the building dry afterwards

After the work is done, the habits that keep a school dry are the same as in any large building: a regular check of the roof, the plumbing and the HVAC system, a clear reporting route for staff, and a routine for dealing with leaks promptly. A roof that is inspected after every storm, a drain that is cleared before the wet season, and a leak that is fixed in its first week rather than its first year are the habits that keep a school from needing a second remediation job.

Schools in Baton Rouge and Shreveport keep the same habits, and the mold inspection and testing page explains the first stage. A school is a building that serves a community, and keeping it dry is part of serving that community well.

The summer break as a time to check the building

The summer break is the best time to check a school building, because the building is empty, the rooms are accessible, and the work can be done without disrupting teaching. A thorough check during the break, covering the roof, the plumbing, the HVAC system, and the rooms that have shown signs of damp, is the most useful thing a school can do for its building. The check should include moisture readings in the walls and the floors, and a look at the places that are hardest to reach during term time, such as the attic, the crawl space, and the rooms that are always in use.

The break is also the best time to do the work that the check finds. A roof repair, a plumbing fix, or a remediation job that would disrupt teaching during term time can be done during the break, when the building is empty and the work can proceed without interruption. A school that uses its summer break to check and to fix is a school whose building starts the new term dry, and whose staff and pupils return to a building that has been cared for.

Key Takeaways

School buildings have the same moisture sources as any large building, but on a larger scale.
The signs in a school are the same as in any large building, but they are often noticed by teachers and staff before they are noticed by the administration.
The next step for a school is an inspection, followed by professional assessment.
Planning the work around a school means thinking about timing, access and communication.
After the work is done, the habits that keep a school dry are the same as in any large building: a regular check of the roof, the plumbing and the HVAC system, a clear reporting route for staff, and a routine for dealing with leaks promptly.
The summer break is the best time to check a school building, because the building is empty, the rooms are accessible, and the work can be done without disrupting teaching.

Questions About Mold in Schools: What Administrators Should Know

What are the main moisture sources in a school building?

A large roof with many places to leak, plumbing serving many restrooms and kitchens, a large HVAC system with condensate drains and ductwork, and past flooding that may have left moisture in walls and floors. Older buildings add older roofs, plumbing and ventilation.

What signs should school staff look for?

A musty smell in a classroom, especially in the morning, stains on ceiling tiles, damp patches on walls, peeling paint, a carpet that feels damp, or a room that always feels humid. Staff should know who to report these signs to, and the route should be easy to use.

Why does a school need professional assessment for mold?

Because the work is larger and more complex than in a home: the affected area may span several rooms, the work must be planned around the school day, and the building needs to be checked in stages. The assessment explains the scope in plain terms so the work can be planned.

How should mold work be planned around a school?

By agreeing on timing, access and communication before the work starts. That may mean working during holidays or outside school hours, moving classes out of the affected area, and telling staff and parents what is happening in plain, factual terms.

Your Next Step

If this guide matches what you found at home, the next step is a visit — not a guess. Call and describe what you found, and the visit is arranged from what you describe. The Mold Removal page explains what that service covers, and the mold remediation page explains how the full sequence works when mold has spread to more than one room.

Do not enter flooded rooms while you wait, and if water is leaking, turn off the shut-off valve for that fixture where you can reach it safely from dry ground.

Keep the guides on this site bookmarked: the first guide, the signs guide, and the preparation guide cover the checks worth repeating — after moving in, and after bringing used fixtures home.

Mold help is available across Louisiana. See mold remediation in Baldwin, LA for one local example, or find your town on the service areas page.