Mold Remeditation Request

I've not used them personally, but I have heard good things about AAA Standard Services http://www.aaastandardservices.com/

Disclaimer: I am not related to or associated with these folks in any way whatsoever.

First, chill a bit: human beings have coexisted with various molds for millions of years, and molds are relatively harmless unless you are immuo-compromised or spend 24 hours a day in a sealed room with the stuff. You are probably in greater danger of ulcers worrying about the molds than from the molds themselves. If you are still worried, wear an N95 mask that you can buy at home supply stores.

Anyway, you can do this yourself:

1. Get a dehumidifier.
2. Find the sources of any water entering room and fix them. No amount of cleaning will make any long term difference in you keep allowing water to seep/leak/drain in.
3. Open windows to room as much as possible.
4. Mist down the moldy area to limit dry spores getting loose.
5. Seal off area to be cleaned so you limit any spores you stir up.
6. Treat the mold with several disinfectants to increase likelihood that you will kill the species of mold you have (I recommend a chlorine bleach based treatment, a peroxide-based treatment, and a quaternary ammonium solution). Be sure to first completely remove disinfectants applied before going to the next disinfectant, as there can be chemical reactions by mixing disinfectants.
7. Throw away all materials used to clean up the mold in a sealed trash bag (i.e., do not take your dish scrubber and then take it back to the kitchen). If you collect the leftover water and cleaning solutions in a bucket, do not dump in an interior drain, or the mold will have a potential place to regrow.
7. Repeat as necessary.

After the room is cleaned and dried, consider redecorating the area with a mold-killing paint.

Errr... "immuno-compromised..."

First, chill a bit: human beings have coexisted with various molds for millions of years...

That's easy for you to say, HistoryMike. Clearly you are invulnerable to black mold or something. I got into some black mold once at a motel and first it made my teeth itch, then I wanted to roll around on the floor and ululate.

Are you sure that was black mold and not crystal meth, madjack?

:-)

No! Everybody nose meth is white...

I should clarify one thing: I fully understand some folks are allergic to mold, and that it can be an upper respiratory irritant that produces allergic reactions. However, so do pollen, cats, dogs, and thousands of other environmental factors. I am differentiating here between allergies and serious (i.e., life-threatening) illnesses.

There is a culture of mold-fear that has emerged in the last few years that is paranoia-based rather than scientific. There is no need to call the EPA and the guys with the hazmat suits just because you have mold in your basement. Fix the source of the moisture problem, clean the mold, and monitor the progress, and you will be fine.

Or spend $3K for toxic waste specialists to do the same damned thing, and be fine, except be $3K poorer.

OPP: If you are still interested in a mold remediation company, I'll second AAA Standard Services. They are top notch. Ask for Vicki - nobody I know of is more knowledgeable when it comes to mold.

She literally lives and breathes it. (PUN intended)

I'm with mike ... there's a real culture of fear surrounding toxic (and completely "natural" ) substances in the home. It's easy to hop on the treadmill and believe that everything is compromising your health all the time. A friend once called me after watching the news and actually said " OMG you'll never guess what's KILLING US now!"

http://www.toledoblade.com/Medical/2008/04/10/Mold-in-Toledo-house-prevents-crucial-organ-transplant.html

I really appreciate all of the advice that you've all given me. I'm actually posting this for someone else.

The problem is with a crawlspace that gets damp when it rains. So, It's understood that the dampness issue needs to be addressed. In looking around the inside foundation there appears to be something that looks like black mold growing.

The person that I'm posting this inquiry for wants to address the issue, but doesn't want to deal with sleazy salespeople trumping up black mold issues and a desire to fix it as a means to line their pockets.

I'm sure that he'll give AAA Standard Services a call and it's good to know that they're an honest company to deal with.

i agree with mike with this proviso:

at one time i rented a house down south that had duct work that ran through an unconditioned garage. i moved in during the winter and did not notice a problem. but once spring came, temperatures rose, and the A/C was turned on, the condensation on the duct work in the garage caused the immediate growth of black mold all over the exposed duct work including inside. this allowed the spores to be spread throughout the house every time the air handler came on. i had minor issues with it but my wife and daughters all had strong immediate respiratory issues and had to seek medical help. research showed that because of the prevalence of black mold in that area, rental laws were very strong protecting tenants.

I fully understand the (media initiated) hysteria when it comes to mold. Being in the property & casualty insurance business, I've dealt with the issue for many years.

However, it is a VERY serious issue and not to be taken lightly. It can cause very serious health issues for many. My SO is one of them.

Yes, humankind has lived with mold since the dawn of man - but things are different these days. There are molds out there that are like certain viruses - they mutate and become immune to what used to kill them. Mold receives a lot of attention for good reason.

Those of you my age (55) - when we were kids, we never heard of autistic kids or people allergic to peanuts/nuts just like we never worried about mold - other than to throw some bleach on it to kill it. Yet, all are very real issues.

Charles Bronson:

A person who needs an organ transplant would definitely fall under the category of "immuno-compromised." Also: that person in the story seems to have odd priorities: if I had a chance at an organ transplant, and all that was in the way was finding a mold-free place to stay for three months, I would have done whatever it took to get that transplant. Something in that story seems...odd.

Did the patient needing a pancreas transplant with the moldy home have no friends or relatives who would put her up for three months? Would a small efficiency apartment be that much of a burden? Heck, even a Motel 6 for three months would only be a couple thousand dollars, which is chump change compared with the costs of an organ transplant. There are also lots of charities that could help out with living expenses.

Anyway: I hope the woman in the story got her pancreas.

historymike - it would appear that the husband in the organ transplant story died about a year after the article was printed. (Cause of death was COPD.)

According to the CDC fact sheet about black mold , "Immunocompromised persons and persons with chronic lung diseases like COPD are at increased risk for opportunistic infections and may develop fungal infections in their lungs."

He must have been miserable living in that home.

historymike said:

Also: that person in the story seems to have odd priorities: if I had a chance at an organ transplant, and all that was in the way was finding a mold-free place to stay for three months, I would have done whatever it took to get that transplant. Something in that story seems...odd.

When you add in a husband with COPD that was almost certainly aggravated by the mold, it does seem odd. Sad and unfortunate, but also odd.

yikes

Ha!
Ha!Ha!
Ha!Ha!Ha!

I have snorted my morning bourbon and am now choking to death. That's hot!

I hear!