Despite expense, mold must be properly removed

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http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/living/home/3242189.htm

Posted on Sat, May. 11, 2002

CLEAN AND RESTORE | G.F. CHASTAIN

Despite expense, mold must be properly removed

Q. My neighbor's downspout water ran into my basement window well. Because I

travel, it was months before I discovered seepage under the paneling in my

basement. The new neighbor removed the offending downspout, but there is

mold forming on the paneling. I assume the insulation remained wet in spite

of constant use of fans to dry it. I can remove the paneling and insulation,

but a ceiling-to-floor brick wall with a two-inch space between the poured

concrete foundation and the brick is located only feet away. How do I kill

the mold inserted behind the brick, and find a product with sufficient

strength to kill the existing mold with residual power to prevent

reoccurrences?

One of the top water-loss specialists, came to your rescue. Ron Reese,

president of Mr. Steam/Ree-Construction in Hailey, Idaho

(reecon@...), says:

" The most important part of any mold project is to stop the water. Until the

source of the moisture is addressed, any work done is wasted effort, because

the mold growth will return. This has apparently been taken care of.

" Brick is not much of a food source for mold. Mold may grow on dirt or

debris on the brick, but not the brick itself. Paneling and insulation are

more likely to support mold growth.

" My concern is the use of fans to dry the paneling and how the demolition of

the damaged paneling and insulation is done. The concern is not just what's

seen, but also what is NOT visible. The spores, bits and pieces of hyphae

(roots), and, if present, mycotoxins that may be present can easily become

airborne. If demolition isn't done under controlled circumstances, the

problem in the basement could soon manifest throughout the house. Careful

and complete removal of the contaminated building materials are best done by

a professional trained in remediation practices.

" Bricks: First of all there is no `magic fairy spray' to solve the problem.

If there is enough of a problem to require effort to correct it, spraying

biocides, or trying to cover up the problem with some encapsulating

material, is not the solution. Regardless of what you heard on TV or from

your Aunt Jane, spraying bleach is a waste of time and money. If mold needs

to be addressed, it must be removed.

" The question is: Is it on the backside of the brick and does it need to be

removed?

" To be sure, hire a qualified professional to test both the air and the

surfaces to determine if there is active mold growth. Testing may include

the rest of the house, to establish whether or not there has been an

airborne release into other areas.

" This conservative approach involves expenses (typically $1,500-$3,000 per

round of testing). If the loss is covered as part of an insurance claim, the

contract may pay for the expense in an effort to put things back to a

preloss condition.

" Without testing there are two choices. Assume the mold exists and remove

the brick, clean the remaining surfaces and then replace the brick. If it is

serious enough to need remediation, a properly trained professional should

do the work. This is expensive.

" The riskiest potential health choice is to live with it, which adds to

future financial considerations if the home is offered for sale and the mold

issue comes up as part of disclosure or as a result of inspection.

" Mold in homes is a rapidly evolving issue and `best' solutions are a mixed

bag of opinions with experts coming out of the woodwork. The best suggestion

I could give you would be to seek the opinion of a local or regional company

with a good reputation, specific training and experience in dealing with

mold remediation. "

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G.F. Chastain: gandolf108@...