Mold free travel lodges

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

Most of you know we just moved from Indiana to Colorado, trying to find a

moldie friendly environment. We have found a better area of the country to live

in, and its beauty is just icing on the cake. Anyway, I found this interesting

and thought I would share it with everyone, just in case anyone needs to travel.

We stayed in Hotels, walked away from a few motels, pitched a tent and

rented log cabins at KOA's and other camp grounds, (like the NRA grounds at

Raton New Mexico)

From experience, about 70 - 80% of the hotels were moldy, we stayed in no

motels what so ever.

Our tent was mold free for the duration of the trip, but some times it got

cold in the tent even with a little room heater running in it.

Log Cabins... These were really nice. Not one log cabin, (and we stayed in

several), had mold. I was leary at first, but surprised at their cleanliness

and dryness, and even more surprised at how comfortable they were temperature

wise. Even with the temps dropping into the lower 30's on many nights in the

mountains and high deserts, we never found a need to run a heater.

I examined the construction carefully, the wood used to build them is, 1)-

sealed inside and out to keep the actual wood dry, and 2) all surface area's of

wood are well vented, they are either interior or exterior walls with full

circulation, unlike modern construction with hollow walls and cavities that can

trap moisture and provide a cool dark nursery for growth.

Just thought I'd share that thought with everyone, If you travel, it was

like $35-$50/night for our family of 5 with a cat. About half what you pay for

a toxic hotel room.

Dan

Dan & Carmella

[Guest guest]

This is interesting. I think that the worst aspect of our modern

construction practices is the widespread use of hollow walls

that use gypsum sheetrock, which is clearly mold food supreme. Older homes

with plaster walls have their own problems but

if kept dry they are not as bad it seems as the ones with sheetrock which

can get really, really bad, really fast.

Others probably have a lot to add on that...

Log cabins also are easy to inspect, both inside and out... and clean...

On 7/29/07, Dan & Carmella <moldstory@...> wrote:

>

>

>

> Log Cabins... These were really nice. Not one log cabin, (and we stayed in

> several), had mold. I was leary at first, but surprised at their cleanliness

> and dryness, and even more surprised at how comfortable they were

> temperature wise. Even with the temps dropping into the lower 30's on many

> nights in the mountains and high deserts, we never found a need to run a

> heater.

>

> I examined the construction carefully, the wood used to build them is, 1)-

> sealed inside and out to keep the actual wood dry, and 2) all surface area's

> of wood are well vented, they are either interior or exterior walls with

> full circulation, unlike modern construction with hollow walls and cavities

> that can trap moisture and provide a cool dark nursery for growth.

>

> Just thought I'd share that thought with everyone, If you travel, it was

> like $35-$50/night for our family of 5 with a cat. About half what you pay

> for a toxic hotel room.

>

> Dan

> Dan & Carmella

>

>

[Guest guest]

My wonderful husband took me out of Southeast Alaska a few weeks ago. We drove

up through Alaska to Palmer where they only get 12inches of rain. Nice and dry.

good air. we tried to stay at lodges. Up there thou they close for the winter

and open in spring. So either they smelled of chemicals or you smelled mold.

We only found one that was habitable. Thank god for air mattresses. A queen

fits nicely in the back of a Tahoe. We had all the fresh air we wanted.

KT

[Guest guest]

liveSimply,

I agree, and I have been running my own campaign against hollow walls and

especially sheetrock. I wrote an article on Associated Content in which I

equated drywall construction of today with the clay viaducts of Rome. both

seemed an easy solution to make life easier, and both carry with them a poison

that if it remains in denial, eventually most of the population will be

sensetized to mold or will have a family member who has been. I also equate it

to be the asbestos of the 21st century.

While it is important that we get the world to understand the dangers of

mold and the real damage it does to our bodies, we need a parallel campaign

against the dry wall industry in search of a mold free alternative. Without it,

the construction still continues, our local builders where we are now aren't

concerned about using dry wall because it is so, " DRY " here, they just don't get

it. Moisture doesn't have to come from humidity or rain, (even though it does

rain here in short bursts during many afternoons). It can come from basements

drawing humidity from the ground, it can come from water leaks, or anywhere

else. Drywall is a demon no less dangerous than Asbestos was, I know when they

came up with drywall they didn't know this would happen anymore than they did

with asbestos, or any more than the romans knew the clay piping would contain

lead, but the facts are coming out, and continual new construction using

cellulous rich paper lined drywall may be considered by some, (like me), as

border line negligence.

Anyway, that is my soapbox....

Dan

Dan & Carmella Dunkin

[Guest guest]

It's amazing! I said almost the exact same words to a friend last week. We

even talked about how advanced the Romans and then what happened with the

Dark Ages. I, too, mentioned that our entire infrastructure is falling

apart

and that our country will fall from within!!!! The terriosts won't have to

do anything!! When I drive around and see all of our schools and buildings

that are rotting/crumbling away it looks like a 3rd world country!! It is a

national disgrace! This is the year 2007 and we are going backwards.

Sue

[Guest guest]

Actually, I don't THINK its the gypsum per se that causes problems, its the

PAPER on the surface of it. Why this

combination seems so attractive to molds, I don't know, but it is.

Please, anyone, if I am wrong on this, let me know..

That that situation, which seems as if it would be fairly easy to change has

NOT been changed is an example of

how low the health and public welfare of millions of people sits in the

pecking order of things in the country nowadays.

Perhaps its also another example of " if we change it, we are admitting we

have been wrong-itis " ??? (the disease du jour?)

Its worth thinking that when the western (i.e. Rome-based) Roman Empire

collapsed under its own weight, it wasn't mourned by the people of the area

that much.. After many years of decay, wars seiges, I think that they were

sick of it and welcomed a change, even if it was the barbarians at the

gates, literally.

However, the collapse of the infrastructure that Rome maintained meant that

western civilization had well over 1000 years of darkness, in which a huge

wealth of knowledge was lost and huge areas reverted to illiteracy... as

well as the population of almost all of its former areas shrunk because the

fact that trade could not be conducted as well as the lack of any real

cooperative socio-political infrastructure meant that no social contract

existed which encouraged people to work together, so the land was simply

unable to support their feeding. Instead we had feudalism which is basically

a highly organized form of banditry with the kings being the head bandits.

Into that environment the birth of mercantilism was a ray of hope..

But the problem we have encountered today is that people's main historical

product to offer, their labor, is valued less and less in real terms.. so

their power is shrinking.

On 7/30/07, Dan & Carmella <moldstory@...> wrote:

>

> liveSimply,

>

> I agree, and I have been running my own campaign against hollow walls and

> especially sheetrock...

>

[Guest guest]

LiveSimply,

You are correct in it being the paper lining on the gypsum board that is the

major contributing factor in supplying food for the worst kinds of mold. I

don't know how much impact is caused by the gypsum itself, I believe it is dug

up from deep underground, and what types of mold spores may have hybernated

there over the many years I really don't know. The primary culprit to the best

of my knowledge is as you say, the paper lining. I saw some advertisements

about 6 months ago and the headline is, Quit Feeding Mold, and they were

advertising an alternative to paper lined drywall. I haven't seen any more of

these in a while, is it because no one was listening? Or might they have

discovered a new problem with that lining?

At this point I am still concerned about the hollow wall construction. So

we replace the paper, with what? It took 30 years to discover the hidden the

dangers of drywall, what might lurk unknown to us in the hidden recesses with

other materials? Latt & plaster of the older constructed homes is better, but

it too can get mold if the outside plaster is not maintained. Asbestos was a

good thing too, but how many years did it take to discover an illness caused by

it? Thing that aggrevates me about the asbestos industry based in canada, now

don't quote me on this, but I recently read online that they were now exporting

their asbestos to foreign and 3rd world countries and selling it with the same

saless pitch they sold it to us at a few decades ago, the safety of fire

resistant insulation. That's what I read, but not everything you read on the

interent is true, so again don't quote me on that.

I've wondered about the feasability of cutting open a hole inbetween the

2X4's in the wall, and pouring in a little at a time some casting resin wich

would encapsulate and actually to a degree soak into the wood and paper lined

gypsum. It would set up and harden, no longer allowing anything to escape.

When the first few inches sets up and hardens, (Ussually within an hour or so),

pour in a little more until essentially you have a solid plastic wall. Someone

out there with a few thousand to spare and a house that is already at risk, let

us know if that works, LOL.

If I'm wrong about the gypsum board and the paper lining, as LiveSimply

said, please correct me, but from all I've hear it is the paper that is the

primary culture for mold to feed on, along with the wood, due to the high

cellulous content.

BTW, we already live in the dark ages, and once again the kings and

industries are the largest bandits of them all. They have just told everyone

that the light is still on long enough, we don't know the dark ages are back,

LOL. (Please that wasn't a point of debate, just having a little fun)

Dan

Dan & Carmella Dunkin

[Guest guest]

On 7/30/07, Dan & Carmella <moldstory@...> wrote:

> LiveSimply,

>

> You are correct in it being the paper lining on the gypsum board

> that is the major contributing factor in supplying food for the

> worst kinds of mold. I don't know how much impact is caused by

> the gypsum itself, I believe it is dug up from deep underground,

> and what types of mold spores may have hybernated there over the

> many years I really don't know.

>

I've seen papers that show that most building materials do have

some mold spores in them, a very small number but even one viable

spore is enough to start a mold colony IF THE WATER IS THERE TO

SUPPORT MOLD GROWTH.

Actually, I think there are a number of culprits. The biggest culprit

usually is lack of proper maintainance or water leaks. Another big

issue is lack of proper insulation to prevent humid air from coming

into contact with surfaces that water will condense on. Another is

the wall itself being such good mold food.

> The primary culprit to the best of my knowledge is as you say, the

> paper lining. I saw some advertisements about 6 months ago and

> the headline is, Quit Feeding Mold, and they were advertising an

> alternative to paper lined drywall. I haven't seen any more of

> these in a while, is it because no one was listening? Or might

> they have discovered a new problem with that lining?

>

Well, even if the drywall is not mold food, dust that collects in

those spaces can feed mold. And mold can even grow on fiberglass

(and it especially likes the paper that they use to enclose fiberglass

batting in, big surprise there, huh?)

> At this point I am still concerned about the hollow wall

> construction.

Yes, I agree, I think that is one of the worst problems we face,

its ubiquity.

> So we replace the paper, with what? It took 30

> years to discover the hidden the dangers of drywall, what might

> lurk unknown to us in the hidden recesses with other materials?

I think drywall has always been mold food. What has changed is that

homes are kept much tighter now than they used to be kept because

of the high relative cost of energy to people, but we have not

developed the laws and the skills we need to deal with that

changed situation. And also, I hate to say it, but its obvious to

me that the powerful in 21st century America have consolidated

their power to the point where the needs of the mainstream people

don't matter to them anywhere near as much anymore as the 'needs'

of their corporate donors.

(which basically come down to maximizing profits)

> Latt & plaster of the older constructed homes is better, but it

> too can get mold if the outside plaster is not maintained.

> Asbestos was a good thing too, but how many years did it take to

> discover an illness caused by it?

As far as I can see, the folks in the asbestos and building

industry STILL have not fully acknowledged how unhealthy asbestos is!

They claim that the links between asbestos and illness have

not been proven. Its not unlike the situation for mold.

Thing that aggrevates me about

> the asbestos industry based in canada, now don't quote me on this,

> but I recently read online that they were now exporting their

> asbestos to foreign and 3rd world countries and selling it with

> the same saless pitch they sold it to us at a few decades ago, the

> safety of fire resistant insulation. That's what I read, but not

> everything you read on the interent is true, so again don't quote

> me on that.

Sure, I would not be at all surprised if you are right. I've heard the

same thing about known dangerous chemical products that can no longer

be sold in many other developed countries being exported to the

USA and Latin America because they are still 'legal' here.

>

> I've wondered about the feasability of cutting open a hole

> inbetween the 2X4's in the wall, and pouring in a little at a time

> some casting resin wich would encapsulate and actually to a degree

> soak into the wood and paper lined gypsum. It would set up and

> harden, no longer allowing anything to escape. When the first few

> inches sets up and hardens, (Ussually within an hour or so), pour

> in a little more until essentially you have a solid plastic wall.

The problem with that is that your wall would not have as much

insulative value because solid plastic conducts heat better than air or

fiberglass or other insulators do. Also, those plastics bring with them

their own set of problems especially when they get hot. They also burn

with toxic fumes.

> Someone out there with a few thousand to spare and a house that is

> already at risk, let us know if that works, LOL.

>

Also, solid acrylic resin is expensive, relative to other fillers.

But I think that there MUST be some incredibly good materials out there

which have yet to be discovered, with lots of plusses and few negatives.

> If I'm wrong about the gypsum board and the paper lining, as

> LiveSimply said, please correct me, but from all I've hear it is

> the paper that is the primary culture for mold to feed on, along

> with the wood, due to the high cellulous content.

>

I think that there are lots of options out there, people just

need to find ones that are practical for them.

> BTW, we already live in the dark ages, and once again the kings

> and industries are the largest bandits of them all.

I think giving corprations ALL of the rights of people was where we

went very very wrong. We need to repeal corporate personhood.

They have

> just told everyone that the light is still on long enough, we

> don't know the dark ages are back, LOL. (Please that wasn't a

> point of debate, just having a little fun)

>

Well, there is a big world out there, and when the lights go out

in one place they often go on somewhere else. *sigh*

The thing that scares me is that technology is going forward

very fast but human understanding of its offerings is not.

I was just reading a New York Times article from 1927 on

'the future' and it was very honest about what we could expect,

and much of what it said has come true. But we are in denial

about the bounty technology can give us and I think its because

the very powerful seem to want to keep us enslaved by fear

of scarcity.

Not many of us realize, for example, that the birth rates in most

developed nations have leveled off and people are not even replacing

themselves. The world's population should level off by 2050

and start falling. What that means is that every human life, every culture,

every dream is precious.

Fifty years from now there won't be the emphasis you see now

on what people do for work because technology will do so very

much of what people do, everything that is scriptable or which can be done

in a modular fashion will be. I think that change is apolitical and its already

been underway for a long time and it really can't be avoided. We just have

to decide how we want to live our future. We can't let others decide it for us

because they might easily decide that we don't matter one bit.