Re: Please quick response needed

[Guest guest]

is the plate metal or wood, either way, I'd just wash the heck out of it and get

it good and dry before doing anything else. borax might be a good Idea, if

wood,is it termite infested?

>

> I know you'll all cringe at this but here goes. Had the outside wood removed &

the bottom plate (of the wall) is moldy... the plate the studs rest on. Where it

touches the drywall the drywall is moldy & I want to replace a few feet up of

drywall. My gut tells me to remove all the insulation. It's too costly to

replace (it all adds up !) so I'll be doing without. I can deal with that but...

> Is it necessary to remove ALL the insulation - to the ceiling?

> MAYbe I can handle new walls - which will be plywood (no other tolerable

available here. In which case ...

> How thick a plywood to compensate for no insulation?

> I can't afford to replace that bottom plate . Looking for best half-assed

approach please. First you must understand about my money situation. I can only

do so much. My thoughts, soak it with liquified borax (maybe peroxide instead of

water) & then leave a layer of borax powder on it.

> OR

> Paint with KILZ which is REALLY toxic & I would go on the hope that it will

offgas in a year. But I'd do it if it's the better alternative.

> Contractor is wire brushing it now. I DO know that mold has roots. PLEASE, I

can't deal with my old lifestyle any longer- all I can do is make the best of

it. No other alternative - believe me.

> They will be back tomorrow to continue & really want an answer before then on

how I want to proceed.

> Thanks for your understanding.

>

>

[Guest guest]

It's wood. No termites but carpenter ants in spring.Took off some wood that

turned out not to be moldy (but gut said tyake it off) & it was a carpenter ant

colony. I dosed with this 99% borax stuff called Hot Shot Max Attract Roack

Killing Power (it's lt blue- 1% toxic I guess).

>

> is the plate metal or wood, either way, I'd just wash the heck out of it and

get it good and dry before doing anything else. borax might be a good Idea, if

wood,is it termite infested?

>

>

[Guest guest]

I agree with removing the insulation, don't know about what could substitute.

I'm not sure about what that bottom plate is but here is what I say-can it be

done with duct tape? Because that is the only thing I use these days (instead of

spackle, etc). DO NOT think a year of offgassing is ok-you will get very sick

while it offgasses. I like the hydrogen peroxide idea (I am actually having my

mechanic spray it all over my car ac tomorrow to see if I can save it-I can't

drive it now).

When in doubt go for the safest possible choice!

Surella

>

> I know you'll all cringe at this but here goes. Had the outside wood removed &

the bottom plate (of the wall) is moldy... the plate the studs rest on. Where it

touches the drywall the drywall is moldy & I want to replace a few feet up of

drywall. My gut tells me to remove all the insulation. It's too costly to

replace (it all adds up !) so I'll be doing without. I can deal with that but...

> Is it necessary to remove ALL the insulation - to the ceiling?

> MAYbe I can handle new walls - which will be plywood (no other tolerable

available here. In which case ...

> How thick a plywood to compensate for no insulation?

> I can't afford to replace that bottom plate . Looking for best half-assed

approach please. First you must understand about my money situation. I can only

do so much. My thoughts, soak it with liquified borax (maybe peroxide instead of

water) & then leave a layer of borax powder on it.

> OR

> Paint with KILZ which is REALLY toxic & I would go on the hope that it will

offgas in a year. But I'd do it if it's the better alternative.

> Contractor is wire brushing it now. I DO know that mold has roots. PLEASE, I

can't deal with my old lifestyle any longer- all I can do is make the best of

it. No other alternative - believe me.

> They will be back tomorrow to continue & really want an answer before then on

how I want to proceed.

> Thanks for your understanding.

>

>

[Guest guest]

When in doubt, follow the Bible, remove it to unclean place, etc, etc. If you

returns, etc,

http://www.toxic-black-mold-info.com/moldbkgrd.htm

>

> I know you'll all cringe at this but here goes. Had the outside wood removed &

the bottom plate (of the wall) is moldy... the plate the studs rest on. Where it

touches the drywall the drywall is moldy & I want to replace a few feet up of

drywall. My gut tells me to remove all the insulation.

[Guest guest]

,

There is an ideal response and then there is a more practical one

which I will try to provide. My responses are indented and

preceeded with an " * " below.

I know you'll all cringe at this but here goes. Had the outside wood

removed & the bottom plate (of the wall) is moldy... the plate the studs

rest on. Where it touches the drywall the drywall is moldy & I want to

replace a few feet up of drywall. My gut tells me to remove all the

insulation. It's too costly to replace (it all adds up !) so I'll be doing

without. I can deal with that but...

* You're right on target with replacing the affected drywall.

Because it is on the inside the workers need to contain the area

so the drywall dust and mold spores/hyphae won't spread

throughout the house. This is more important than the insulation.

Is it necessary to remove ALL the insulation - to the ceiling?

* Not necessarily. It depends on several factors but the easiest

way to check is to remove insulation from only locations between

2 sets of studs. One from what looks like the moldiest area and

one from the least likely to have mold. If the worst area is clean

then the others should be also. If the best area is moldly then the

others will also. If both are clean none need be removed. Is both

are moldy then all should be removed.

MAYbe I can handle new walls - which will be plywood (no other

tolerable available here. In which case ...

How thick a plywood to compensate for no insulation?

* A lot! Seriously!!! Go to

http://www.allwallsystem.com/design/RValueTable.html or a

similar site and look at the R-Value table. R-Value is the rating for

insulation value. The R for 1/2 inch plywood is 0.63, compared to

3.14 for 1 inch of fiberglass. So you need 5 sheets of plywood to

be equivalent to 1 inch of fiberglass. But you need more than 1

inch of fiberglass, more like 4 inches. That's 20 sheets of

plywood! Your plywood walls have 20 layers of plywood and be

10 inches thick! I think the insulation will be much less expensive.

I can't afford to replace that bottom plate . Looking for best half-assed

approach please.

* The bottom plate doesn't have to be replaced because of

mold. But it might, however, if rot has sufficiently compromised its

structural integrity.

First you must understand about my money situation. I can only do so

much. My thoughts, soak it with liquified borax (maybe peroxide instead

of water) & then leave a layer of borax powder on it.

* If the mold is removed, per then next item below, there will

be nothing to kill. If you stop the water leaks and seepage no

mold will grow. Because money is tight don't waste it on what is

not necessary. Besides, you will then have a wall full of powder

with the likely potential for the powder to infiltrate the inside of the

house.

OR

Paint with KILZ which is REALLY toxic & I would go on the hope that it

will offgas in a year. But I'd do it if it's the better alternative.

* Borax and KILZ don't perform the same function. You may

need the KILZ for a different reason. If the wood has odor,

especially if there are spots of rot. A sealant can help. But which

KILZ is a problem? It comes as water-, alcohol-, or oil-based.

There are other sealants from B.I.N. or AFM which may be more

compatable for you.

Contractor is wire brushing it now. I DO know that mold has roots.

* This is the best yet! Mold is being removed. Nothing left to

kill. Yes, mold has roots but they aren't huge like measured in

feet or inches. More like 2 millimeters or so. If the wire brushing

removes about 2 mm of wood surface the mold and all its roots

will be gone. (There is one exception. Anyone know what it is?)

PLEASE, I can't deal with my old lifestyle any longer- all I can do is

make the best of it. No other alternative - believe me.

They will be back tomorrow to continue & really want an answer before

then on how I want to proceed.

* The best procedure is to have someone doing the work who

understands ANSI-IICRC S520, EPA's Mold Remediation for

Schools and Commercial Buildings (free on internet) or NYC

Guidelines (free). I know money is a serious issue but if the job is

done wrong do you have money to undo the wrong work and redo

it correctly?

Thanks for your understanding.

Let us know how it goes.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much Carl. Oh my gosh just 2 mm of wire brushing ! You made my

day. I thought mold imbedded through & through & you could slice off the top &

the spores would STILL be inside waiting for the next rise in humidity. The wood

isn't rotten - it's sound. Whew.

So no back-up with peroxide or borax after wire brushing?

I think of mold like rust - one molecule will set it growing again. I also

thought that non-moldy wood nearby has spores that would sprout as soon as the

humidity goes up. IT might not get WET (although Building Science says to expect

water to get in from the outside) but the winter humidity is very high so I'm

worried about spores coming to life. Everything outside is just damp all the

time in the winter.

I did read that EPA guide a while back - we're covered.

Thanks for the tip on checking insulation too! I had nerve today - after the guy

& his son smelled the paper backing I tried & although black it didn't smell.

Does old paper turn black or was this smell-less mold. Humidity is about 19%

last I checked.

Thanks again.

>

> ,

>

> There is an ideal response and then there is a more practical one

> which I will try to provide. My responses are indented and

> preceeded with an " * " below.

>

> I know you'll all cringe at this but here goes. Had the outside wood

> removed & the bottom plate (of the wall) is moldy... the plate the studs

> rest on. Where it touches the drywall the drywall is moldy & I want to

> replace a few feet up of drywall. My gut tells me to remove all the

> insulation. It's too costly to replace (it all adds up !) so I'll be doing

> without. I can deal with that but...

> * You're right on target with replacing the affected drywall.

> Because it is on the inside the workers need to contain the area

> so the drywall dust and mold spores/hyphae won't spread

> throughout the house. This is more important than the insulation.

>

>

> Is it

[Guest guest]

,

If the wood is sound the mold removal by wire brushing will work.

No back-up of anything is needed. Just be sure the water

sources are stopped.

You are right, though, about spores inside and throughout

materials. They are already there. All the time. Everywhere. But

even with humidity the whole world doesn't turn to rot so the mere

presence of mold spores is not sufficient.

On the other hand, some of you are so extremely sensitive that

stray spores or fragments can trigger a reaction. Which means

you would be in reacton almost constantly. And that is hard to

separate from delayed reactions and the Shoemaker identified

phenomena where some people don't stop reacting upon removal

of the exposure. Or reacting to the chemical components or other

chemicals.

But the mere fact that your house was not so bad that it forced

you to leave indicates you still have some room left before your

body goes super-extra-extreme.

The black coloring on the insulation paper-backing on the

insulation was asphalt-based waterproofing rather than old paper

or mold growth.

Let us know how it goes tomorrow.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

Thank you so much Carl. Oh my gosh just 2 mm of wire brushing ! You made my day.

I thought mold imbedded through & through & you could slice off the top & the

spores would STILL be inside waiting for the next rise in humidity. The wood

isn't rotten - it's sound. Whew.

So no back-up with peroxide or borax after wire brushing?

I think of mold like rust - one molecule will set it growing again. I also

thought that non-moldy wood nearby has spores that would sprout as soon as the

humidity goes up. IT might not get WET (although Building Science says to expect

water to get in from the outside) but the winter humidity is very high so I'm

worried about spores coming to life. Everything outside is just damp all the

time in the winter.

I did read that EPA guide a while back - we're covered.

Thanks for the tip on checking insulation too! I had nerve today - after the guy

& his son smelled the paper backing I tried & although black it didn't smell.

Does old paper turn black or was this smell-less mold. Humidity is about 19%

last I checked.

Thanks again.

>

> ,

>

> There is an ideal response and then there is a more practical one

> which I will try to provide. My responses are indented and

> preceeded with an " * " below.

>

> I know you'll all cringe at this but here goes. Had the outside wood

> removed & the bottom plate (of the wall) is moldy... the plate the studs

> rest on. Where it touches the drywall the drywall is moldy & I want to

> replace a few feet up of drywall. My gut tells me to remove all the

> insulation. It's too costly to replace (it all adds up !) so I'll be doing

> without. I can deal with that but...

> * You're right on target with replacing the affected drywall.

> Because it is on the inside the workers need to contain the area

> so the drywall dust and mold spores/hyphae won't spread

> throughout the house. This is more important than the insulation.

>

>

> Is it

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[Guest guest]

Thanks again Carl. Wire brush YEAH ! I may just buy one of those things & police

the joint with it monthly :-)

>

> ,

>

> If the wood is sound the mold removal by wire brushing will work.

> No back-up of anything is needed. Just be sure the water

> sources are stopped.

>

> You are right, though, about spores inside and throughout

> materials. They are already there. All the time. Everywhere. But

> even with humidity the whole world doesn't turn to rot so the mere

> presence of mold spores is not sufficient.

>

> On the other hand, some of you are so extremely sensitive that

> stray spores or fragments can trigger a reaction. Which means

> you would be in reacton almost constantly. And that is hard to

> separate from delayed reactions and the Shoemaker identified

> phenomena where some people don't stop reacting upon removal

> of the exposure. Or reacting to the chemical components or other

> chemicals.

>

> But the mere fact that your house was not so bad that it forced

> you to leave indicates you still have some room left before your