Fight against mold can be tough chore

[Guest guest]

Fight against mold can be tough chore

Portage Daily Register - Portage,WI*

By Kirkpatrick, Daily Register

http://www.wiscnews.com/pdr/news/295549

The waters from last month's flooding have receded, but problems

with mold still can remain.

Several community members who have dealt with or are continuing to

battle the aftermath of last month's flooding attended a seminar at

Madison Area Technical College's Portage campus Wednesday night to

learn more about how to combat and clean up mold.

The seminar was taught by MATC's Andy Ross and focused on mold

identification, abatement and repair.

After floods, excess moisture and standing water contribute to the

growth of mold in homes and other buildings. Mold starts to grow 48

to 72 hours after any material becomes wet.

" Removing the water and then drying the area or item is the best way

to stop further mold growth, " Ross said.

Ross' PowerPoint presentation identified all areas (ceiling tile,

wallboards, cardboard, paper, interior wall cavities,

heating/ventilation and air conditioning systems) where potential

mold contamination could have occurred and how an individual goes

about cleaning that area.

" Basically, any flooded structure should be presumed to be

contaminated with mold, " he said.

Regarding mold cleanup, there is no way to measure mold

concentrations to determine if something is safe or unsafe.

According to Ross, an individual " must decide if they are going to

try to dry the item out, or toss it out. "

According to Ross, a moisture meter is the closest thing to

measuring mold concentrations on the market today. A moisture meter

is a device with two prongs and a measurement gauge. An individual

jabs the prongs into any solid surface. Once the prongs are

penetrated into the surface, a meter on the device measures the

moisture level inside the penetrated surface and provides a

percentage reading.

" A normal moisture reading is between 10 to 12 percent, " Ross said.

A moisture meter can be purchased at a hardware store for around $40.

To remove mold growth from hard surfaces, one should use commercial

products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup

of bleach in 1 gallon of water.

Never mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners, wear rubber boots,

rubber gloves, goggles and a mask, and open windows and doors to get

fresh air.

After an item is washed with a bleach solution, it should be rinsed

with clean water and then dried or left out to dry.

Any items that were wet for two or more days or items that can't be

cleaned easily (such as leather, paper, wood and carpet) should be

taken outside to dry. According to Ross, these things have mold

growing on them even if you can't see it.

There is no standardized medical method to measure what prolonged

exposure to mold can do to one's health. People with asthma,

allergies, or other breathing conditions may be more sensitive to

mold, and people with immune suppression are more susceptible to

mold infections, but every individual will respond to prolonged mold

exposure differently.

Ross also demonstrated how to remove sheetrock from a wall exposed

to floodwaters and then how to check the wood studs underneath for

wetness and mold.

Ross recommended that any wall exposed to floodwaters be stripped to

its base and then dried naturally or with assistance from a fan or

dehumidifier. An individual should replace the wall only when the

undersurface is completely dry.

Ross will be giving the same seminar at the MATC-sburg campus

(300 Ave.) at 6 p.m. today.

kkirkpatrick@...

745-3509