Duct Masters

Informative Articles About MOLD:

DO YOU HAVE A MOLD PROBLEM? IMPORTANT THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW!

Terry Powell of DISASTER RECOVERY of Gillette is certified in water and mold remediation, using the latest techniques and equipment available in this field. Are you worried about MOLD in your home? As you may have discovered, there's a TON of information on the internet about mold, and some of it is contradictory! To help you separate "fact from fiction," we've taken the time to wade through many of these sites, and present the following articles addressing the challenges of mold in the home or workplace. Much of this information is provided by the American Industrial Hygiene Association. Please read the following interesting articles: THE FACTS ABOUT MOLD, MOLD: Exposing the BLEACH MYTH, and COMMON "MOLD Mistakes" TO AVOID:

THE FACTS ABOUT MOLD

All molds reproduce by making spores. Mold spores are microscopic and only become visible when individual spores accumulate. According to the United States EPA, these microscopic particles continuously move through indoor and outdoor air. When mold spores find moisture indoors, they may begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive. Molds gradually destroy whatever they are growing on.

What is MOLD? Molds are forms of fungi that are found everywhere, both indoors and outdoors, all year round. Outdoors, molds live in the soil, on plants, and on dead or decaying matter. Another common term for mold is mildew. There are thousands of species of molds and they can be in any color, including white, orange, green, brown, or black. Often mold can be detected by a musty odor. Most fungi, including molds, produce microscopic cells called spores that spread easily through the air. Live spores act like seeds, forming new mold growths (colonies) when they find the right conditions. All of us are exposed to fungal spores daily in the air we breathe, both outside and inside.

How does mold get into a house or building? Most, if not all, of the mold found indoors comes from outdoor sources. It seems likely to grow and become a problem only where there is water damage, high humidity, or dampness. All molds need moisture to grow. Common sources of indoor moisture that can cause mold problems include flooding, roof and plumbing leaks, damp basements or crawlspaces, or anywhere moist air condenses on cold surfaces. Bathroom showers and steam from cooking may also create problems if not well ventilated.

How can I prevent mold growth? Controlling excess moisture is the key to preventing and stopping indoor mold growth. Keeping susceptible areas in the home clean and dry is very important. Ventilate or use exhaust fans (to the outdoors) to remove moisture where it accumulates: bathrooms; kitchens; laundry areas. Be sure your clothes dryer vents to the outside of the house (but not into your crawlspace). Repair any water leaks promptly, and either dry out and clean or replace any water-damaged materials. Materials that stay wet for longer than 48 to 72 hours are susceptible to producing mold growth. Lowering the humidity in the home also helps prevent condensation problems. To lower humidity during humid weather, air conditioners and dehumidifiers may be used. Proper exterior wall and attic insulation helps prevent condensation inside the home during cold weather that could promote mold growth.

What is BLACK MOLD? The news media often refer to "black mold" or "toxic black mold". It has usually been associated with the mold Stachybotrys chartarum, a type of greenish-black mold commonly associated with heavy water damage. It has been inconclusively associated with severe health effects in some people. While there are only a few molds that are truly black, many can appear black. Not all mold that appears to be black is Stachybotrys.

Why should we be concerned about mold? Small amounts of mold growth in workplaces or homes (such as mildew on a shower curtain) are not a major concern, but no mold should be permitted to grow and multiply indoors. When molds are present in large quantities, they may cause nuisance odors and health problems for some people. Mold will damage building materials, finishes and home furnishings. Some molds will also cause structural damage to wood.

How do molds affect people? Some people will have no reaction at all when exposed to molds. However, allergic reactions (similar to common pollen or animal allergies), are the most common health effects for individuals sensitive to molds. Flu-like symptoms and skin rashes may occur. Molds may also aggravate asthma. Fungal infections from building-associated molds may occur in people with serious immune disease, but this is very rare. Most symptoms are temporary and can be eliminated by correcting the mold problem in the home.

Who is affected by exposure to mold? For those who are affected by mold exposure, there can be a wide variation in how they react. People who may be affected more severely and quickly than others include:

Infants and children

Elderly people

Pregnant women

Individuals with respiratory conditions, or allergies and asthma

Persons with weakened immune systems (For example: People with HIV infection, chemotherapy patients, organ or bone marrow transplant recipients, those with auto-immune diseases.)

Those with special health concerns should consult their doctor if they are concerned about mold exposure. The symptoms that may seem to occur from mold exposure can also be due to other causes, such as bacterial or viral infections, or other allergies.

What should I do if I see or smell mold in my home? The most important step in solving a mold problem is to identify and fix the moisture sources that caused the mold growth. For small mold problems, use detergent and water (NOT bleach!) to wash mold off hard surfaces, then dry the area completely. Porous or absorbent materials (such as ceiling tiles, drywall and carpeting) that become moldy should be completely removed and replaced. If you do not see mold growth, but notice a musty odor, mold may be growing behind water-damaged materials, such as walls, carpeting or wallpaper. Persons cleaning mold should wear gloves, eye protection and a respirator to protect against breathing in airborne spores. If you have health concerns, you should consult your doctor before attempting any mold cleanup yourself.

Should I test my home for mold? Your first step should be to inspect your home for any evidence of water damage and any visible mold growth. Testing for mold is expensive, and you should have a clear reason for doing so. However, the resulting lab report from air samplings and/or tape liftings will determine the spread of contaminants, establish the scope of work, and create a baseline. Terry Powell, of Disaster Recovery, now collects samples (air samples, tape lifts, etc.) for mold testing, which are sent to an independent testing lab in Arizona.

Who do I call to deal with extensive mold growth? It is important to correct large mold problems as soon as possible by first fixing the source of the moisture problem, then constructing containment barriers in the affected areas, removing the contaminated materials, cleaning the surfaces, and finally drying the area. Before our company, Disaster Recovery, proceeds with any mold remediation project, we will require that you obtain an inspection, air samples and/or tape lifts, and a lab report. This is for your protection, and ours. You will know if you truly have a problem, and we will know which mold species, if any, we are going to be dealing with. At the conclusion of the mold remediation project, Disaster Recovery will take another set of samples to document that the areas have been successfully remediated. A word of caution: Should you decide to hire another mold remediation company, be sure that you choose one that has extensive training in this area. There is a wrong way and a right way to safely remove mold. If done improperly, mold contamination could be spread throughout the entire building, putting the current occupants, and any future occupants, at risk.

Do not hire anyone who claims they can kill mold with ozone, flowers, bleach, sand blasting, or antimicrobial paint. These methods will NOT work.

Do not hire anyone who cannot thoroughly answer your questions, or who makes you feel uneasy.

How can I control mold growth in my home? Fix any and all moisture problems in your home: Stop all water leaks first. Repair leaking roofs and plumbing fixtures. Ventilate and insulate attic and crawlspaces. Increase air circulation within your home, especially along the inside of exterior walls, and ventilate with fresh air from outside. Provide warm air to all areas of the home. Move large objects away from the inside of exterior walls just a few inches to provide good air circulation. Install and use exhaust fans in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. Vent your clothes dryer to the outside. Vacuum and clean your home regularly. Clean and dry water-damaged carpets, clothing, bedding, and upholstered furniture within 48 to 72 hours, or consider removing and replacing damaged furnishings.

WORRIED about mold in your home or workplace? Contact us TODAY for an inspection and evaluation of your situation. BUT FIRST, you may want to go ahead and read the NEXT article: MOLD: Exposing the BLEACH MYTH!

MOLD: Exposing the BLEACH MYTH!

Lately, our office has received a flurry of phone calls concerning mold in the home or office. After explaining the health risks, as well as the proper procedures involved in removing mold, invariably the response is: "But can't I just spray it with bleach?

CHLORINE BLEACH, or laundry bleach, has long been considered an "accepted and answer-all" to mold cleanup. Well-intentioned recommendations of the EPA and other federal, state and local agencies are perpetuating that belief. The new mold and mildew household products on store shelves mostly contain diluted solutions of laundry bleach. But confusing the issue is one federal agency, OSHA, the first to take an opposing point of view by NOT recommending the use of chlorine bleach as a routine practice in mold remediation.

ALL molds reproduce by making "spores." Mold spores are microscopic and only become visible when individual spores accumulate. These microscopic particles continuously move through indoor and outdoor air. When mold spores find moisture indoors, they "begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive." Molds gradually destroy whatever they are growing on.

Chlorine Bleach Is Ineffective In Killing Mold For These Reasons: Bleach IS an effective sanitizing product that kills mold on hard surfaces, like countertops, tubs and shower glass. However, the object to killing mold is to kill its "roots." The strains now associated within Indoor Air Quality issues are resistant to the methods our grandmothers used to clean up mold. In most instances, mold remediation involves the need to disinfect porous and wood-based building materials, such as paneling, tack strip, baseboards, wall studs, drywall, ceiling tiles, carpeting, fabric, paper, etc. But consider this important point: Bleach is 99% water. And water is one of the main contributors of the growth of harmful bacteria and mold. Mold has enzyme roots growing inside porous construction materials, but the ionic structure of bleach itself prevents Chlorine from penetrating into these porous materials. It just stays on the outside surface! However, the water content penetrates and actually feeds the mold. That's why a few days later you'll notice darker, more concentrated mold growing (faster) on the bleached area.

What potential mold "killing" power chlorine bleach might have is diminished significantly as the bleach sits in warehouses, on grocery shelves or inside your home - 50% loss in strength in just the first 90 days inside a never-opened container! Chlorine constantly escapes through the plastic walls of its containers.

Chlorine bleach accelerates the deterioration of materials and wears down the fibers of porous materials.

Chlorine bleach off-gasses for a period of time. Chlorine off-gassing can be harmful to humans and animals. It has been known to cause pulmonary embolisms in low-resistant and susceptible people.

BOTTOM LINE: The most effective method to get rid of visible mold is by removing the affected areas. That means you need to remove and replace any contaminated porous and wood-based materials, including paneling, tack strip, baseboards, drywall, ceiling tiles, carpeting, upholstered furniture, clothing, paper, etc.

WARNING! Unfortunately, the time you are most likely to stir up spores and be exposed is the very time you are trying to clean up your mold problem. That's when you need to be the most careful. If the area is small and well defined, clean up can be done by you, as long as you are free of any health symptoms or allergies, and as long as you take measures to protect yourself (and the rest of your home) during the cleaning process. However, if the mold problem is extensive, such as between the walls, under the floors, or covering large areas, you should leave clean up to a professional company, with technicians properly trained in mold remediation. In the Gillette area, call Terry Powell of DISASTER RECOVERY at 686-0078.

Common "MOLD Mistakes" to AVOID!

MOLD in the home or workplace is fast becoming an issue for homeowners and employers alike in the Gillette area. Why? An unusally wet season, faulty construction, lack of routine maintenance, and misconceptions about mold itself all add up to a potential health risk that could end up costing you thousands of dollars!

DON'T IGNORE possible mold health symptoms. Be concerned about possible mold problems if one or more occupants are suffering from unexplained health problems, such as: Ongoing itchy eyes, bloody nose, sinus problems, headaches, nose congestion, skin rashes or sores, coughing, breathing difficulties, difficulty in remembering things or in thinking clearly, feeling disconnected from the world around you, and/or chronic fatigue. Please remember, though, that people differ significantly in their sensitivity to mold. The very young, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems are at a higher risk of experiencing adverse reactions to mold.

DON'T IGNORE home maintenance problems and mold "clues." YOU increase the odds of becoming a mold victim when you ignore roof leaks, plumbing leaks, sewer line leaks, water stains on ceilings, the indoor smell of mold, visible mold growth, high humidity in the home, a wet or damp basement, and a wet or damp crawlspace.

DON'T ASSUME that there is no mold problem because you can't SEE any visible mold growth. The worse mold infestation problems are often the ones you cannot see inside floors, ceilings, walls, attics, basements, crawlspaces and your heating/cooling system. Airborne mold spores are invisible to the eye, very light, and are easily carried in air current movements or through your heating/cooling system. Just one hidden mold problem could cross-contaminate your entire house. If you suspect a problem, be sure to have an airborne mold test done inside your home, and compare it with the levels outside your home. Moisture meters can be used to detect any hidden damp areas, and fiber-optics inspection devices can check for mold growth inside wall, floor and ceiling cavities.

DON'T ASSUME that a new home is mold free. Today's new homes often come with built-in mold infestation problems for a number of reasons. All too often, moldy building materials are received from the builder's suppliers. Today's timbers are not kiln-dried as in earlier times, and thus contain a high internal moisture content that makes mold growth possible. Often the building materials are not covered when they are stored outside to protect them from rain, or the structure itself is not protected from the elements during construction until the entire roof, siding, windows and doors are totally installed to seal out the rain. And the use of modern building materials, like chip wafer boards, drywall and plywood, are all potential food sources for mold if allowed to become wet during construction.

DON'T ASSUME that after a wet, moldy area has dried, that it is then "safe." All that mold spores need to get started is moisture, a food source, and the right temperature. But when mold spores and mold colony growth run out of moisture, they do NOT die. Instead, they become dormant, and wait YEARS for access to high humidity or a future water intrusion. Then they reactivate, exploding with new growth. Even dormant mold can make mold-sensitive persons sick.

DON'T USE Chlorine bleach to kill mold. Contrary to popular belief, bleach is too weak to effectively kill the roots of mold growth and mold spores. Bleach is not even an EPA-registered fungicide. If you would like to learn even more reasons why bleach is ineffective in killing mold, READ the article above: MOLD: Exposing the BLEACH MYTH!

DON'T USE other ineffective products to "kill" mold such as Kilz, regular paint, paint containing a mildicide element, Lysol, ammonia or other household cleaners and disinfectants. Painting over a mold problem does not solve it. It only hides the problem temporarily, and gives the mold something delicious to eat: The paint itself! And just spraying something on the mold will NOT take care of the problem. Mold growth and moldy building materials MUST be removed to effectively address mold problems.

DON'T ASSUME that all Mold Remediation Contractors know what they're doing. Many mold remediation companies cause and leave more mold problems AFTER the alleged remediation than before their work, because of: (a) failure to find and fix all of the mold infestation locations due to incomplete mold inspection and mold testing; (b) poor and inadequate training; (c) failure to utilize proper mold containment procedures; (d) taking shortcuts; and (e) sometimes fraud and dishonesty on the part of the contractor.

WORRIED about mold in your home or workplace? Contact us TODAY for an inspection and evaluation of your situation.