Mold:Tips on Remediation and Prevention

Highly magnified mold spores.

If you detect mold in your home either by sight or by its telltale musty smell don't ignore it, warns David Stoner, founder of EnviroFix, a company that specializes in the removal of mold, mildew and other odor-causing agents. Address the problem, Stoner says, in order "to protect the investment of your home and to protect the health of the people that live in that home." While mold has yet to be definitively linked to serious diseases such as cancer, it appears likely that the toxins it produces can cause coughing, wheezing and upper respiratory ailments. Additionally, if left unchecked, mold can deface and degrade building materials.

"Almost every home has an element of mold in it," Stoner notes. And if you think about what he says, you know that it's true. After all, haven't most of us spotted a bit of black mold along the edge of our bathtubs from time to time? This is nothing to be unduly concerned about, Stoner says, noting that a routine cleaning of the bathroom should take care of the fungus and keep it from getting out of control.

 
But what if you open the door of a seldom-used storage closet to find mold covering a portion of the wall? Is this a small enough problem that you can deal with it yourself? Applying standards set by New York City (which is what many professional remediators follow since neither the Federal nor State government has set mold remediation standards), any area under about 32 square feet (or the size of a sheet of drywall) can be taken care of by the homeowner, says Wortham Boyle, with Cary Reconstruction Company, Inc. For larger areas, or areas where mold isn't simply a surface problem but has become more entrenched, it is recommended that a professional be called in.

If, in fact, the situation is contained enough that you decide to tackle it yourself, something as simple as a detergent (such as hand soap) mixed with water can be used to wash the affected area, says Boyle. Some professionals recommend wearing gloves and an N-95 respirator when cleaning moldy areas. "The more precautions you take, the safer it is," says Boyle.

Whether the mold is remediated by you or by a professional, one thing is certain: it will return unless you address the culprit responsible for it in the first place - moisture. For example, the majority of the mold cases that Cary Reconstruction is asked to remediate result from condensation in crawl spaces. In addition to remediation, preventative measures must be taken to lessen the chances of the mold returning. One way to combat moisture in a crawl space is to install a dehumidifier. Another way may be to close the foundation vents during the summertime to prevent hot, humid air from entering the space.

An excellent preventative measure you can take to reduce moisture and thus mold in dirt crawl spaces is the Cleanspace ® Crawl Space Encapsulation System ® offered by Regional Waterproofing Company, Inc. of Zebulon, North Carolina. This system, which may be used with new or existing homes, completely isolates your home from the earth, reducing the humidity level and eliminating mold growth, rot and critters from your crawl space. Professional installers clean any loose debris from the crawlspace and carefully cut and install a special liner on the floor and up the walls of the entire crawl space. Owner Von Bullock of Regional Waterproofing warns, "You can expect most of our installers to be working in their socks – that's how clean your crawlspace will be when we are done." In addition to the attractive yet tough and impervious liner used in the CleanSpace® system, ventilation covers are also used to eliminate additional humidity from the warm air in the Triangle. Says Von, "This will also save you energy costs and make a more comfortable and healthy home".

Mold can be found in anyplace where there is a moisture problem, including under kitchen cabinets.

Common moisture problems inside the home are often the result of leaks associated with dishwashers, shower pans, and around toilet flanges, according to Boyle. Additionally, he says, "Ice maker lines are generally the silent creeper." They leak slowly, and the water may run underneath hardwood or vinyl flooring rather than pooling on top of it, so the problem worsens over time without the homeowner even being aware of it. Because of potential leaks with ice maker lines, Boyle suggests caution when moving or manipulating your refrigerator for any reason.

One way to discourage moisture and, therefore, mold growth within your home is to avoid high humidity. In fact, says Stoner of EnviroFix, "if you control the humidity, it's the best way to have healthy indoor air." Some professionals recommend an indoor humidity of no more than 40 percent, but Stoner says that's difficult to achieve here in the Triangle, so he sets a more realistic goal of no more than 45 to 50 percent. At that level, he says, you will help control not just mold, but other allergens, such as dust mites. An instrument called a hygrometer, available at almost any hardware store, allows for easy monitoring of the humidity.
Now that you know what your humidity level should be and how to measure it, do you know how to achieve it? The key, says Brett Chappell, residential manager with Allen Kelly Heating and Air, is a properly-sized air conditioning system. With regard to the HVAC system, Chappell says people often think that bigger is better. But, he points out, an oversized system "can't dehumidify properly; it won't remove the moisture."

 
In addition to correctly sizing the HVAC system, Chappell also emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the ductwork is properly sealed. Remember those mold problems that sometimes show up in crawl spaces? Improper seals in the ductwork may provide avenues for mold spores to enter the system and then be distributed throughout the home.

Finally, there are a couple of strategies homeowners may want to use when trying to keep mold at bay in one of the most moisture-rich rooms in the house -  the bathroom.  First, always make sure the bathroom is equipped with a properly-sized, working exhaust fan that is vented to the outdoors, and encourage all family members to use the fan when taking steamy showers! Second, consider painting the walls with a mold- and mildew-resistant paint. One word of caution, though: this specially-formulated paint will not kill any mold that is already growing; in fact, if you try to paint over the active mold growth, the paint may not adhere properly to the wall. So, clean first, then paint.

 The subject of mold is an extensive one, and there are many resources available that provide in-depth discussions of many different aspects of the topic. A good place to start is with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's website at www.epa.gov/mold/moldresources.html.

Kathy Grant Westbrook is a Freelance Writer

FOUND SOME MOLD? DO YOU FIX IT YOURSELF, OR HIRE A PROFESSIONAL?

Applying standards set by New York City (which is what many professional remediators follow since neither the Federal nor State government has set mold remediation standards): Any area under about 32 square feet (or the size of a sheet of drywall) can be taken care of by the homeowner. For larger areas, or areas where mold isn't simply a surface problem but has become more entrenched, it is recommended that a professional be called in.

Common problem areas in the home: Mold-causing culprits in the home are often leaky: Dishwashers, Shower pans Toilet flanges   And the silent Creeper, according to Boyle, is the ice maker. They leak slowly, and the water may run underneath hardwood or vinyl flooring rather than pooling on top of it, so the problem worsens over time without the homeowner even being aware of it.