advice on mold detection & cleanup

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone. I am new to this list and not sure how to do this.

There is a lot of terrific information here, but I haven't been to

digest it all or to apply it to my own situation. I hope it's okay

to give this information out and ask for advice.

I am a woman living in a studio apartment on the Upper West Side of

Manhattan. Does anyone know of a good environmental investigator (in

New York) for my apartment and any who are reasonably priced?

I see black mold in my bathroom emanating from a spot in the ceiling

where the pipe radiator sprays water when the heat is on. Also,

inside the bathroom I have

a wood cabinet with bureaus and shelves that looks

like it has mold on it.

There is water damage in the kitchen. There are

cracks in the moldings and walls throughout the

apartment. There are soft spots on the wood and a few

small sections where the wood floor has rotted. Also

the wood has rotted on the window in the main room.

An allergist has diagnosed me as having allergic

asthma with allergies to dust mites and mold,

cockroaches and apples. I have a copy of the results

of the skin test which specifies the types of mold I

am allergic to. I need to change my bed sheets after

the third night or I cannot sleep and get cramps.

The main room where I sleep and work has a lot of

wood: a wood loft bed with stairs with a wood desk and

shelves underneath. Also I have 2 large tall wood

book cases. All of the wood is over 5 years old. I

have a lot of books (although I threw out a lot),

files and papers for my work. Although I am trying to

get rid of a lot of them, I still need to keep a lot

of it for future possible work.

I am afraid to cook right now, because the last time I

used the gas stove I was sick for a whole day – the

smell goes into my main sleeping area.

I have also noticed what looks like moldy dust in the

cracks of my radiators in my main room and in the

kitchen. (I have ordered a special attachment for my

Miele HEPA vacuum cleaner to try to get rid of that

dust.)

I have an Amacaire filter and a filter window fan.

I want to know how to rectify the mold situation in my

bathroom and am worried that there might be mold in

the rest of the apartment that I can't see. I need to

know what to throw out, and whether I should have the

entire apartment repainted or cleaned and what sort of cleaning

services are out there. My symptoms are

often changing, but when I use the bathroom, I can

feel the mold making me sick.

In the last year, when I have stayed at places where I

can smell mold, I have gotten extremely sick with very

bad cramps. So my guess is that there is not serious

mold in my sleeping area and I can't smell any, but

I'm wondering if there might be a low level amount.

I am often tired, weak, nauseous. I am trying to

figure out what needs to be done and what I need to

ask for and document before approaching the landlord

on rectifying the situation, so it can be done

correctly.

I do not have any safe place to go. It has been suggested

before I even consider moving out of New York that I

have someone determine what is going on in my

apartment and order Mold Antibody Blood tests through

my primary care doctor. This makes a lot more sense

to me than spending money I don't have for

environmental doctors to do all these tests that won't

make me better.

Does anyone know anything about Lawrence Molloy, the Mold Guy?

I recently went for the first time to Dr. Firshein, an alternative

specialist in asthma. He wanted me to use

2 mold plates in my bathroom and main room because he

said it was unlikely that other problems could be

causing my symptoms. But I never had the chance to

explain to him the other problems in my apartment I just described,

he has not returned my calls and my medical

insurance does not cover his services.

I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks.

[Guest guest]

Are you on gas heat, if so please get it checked for

c.o. (Carbon-Monoxide leaks), and by all means get a

detector. See my story at:

www.geocities.com/marbme12/NTMC.html

Also should check it for mold spores in unit and

around unit. Once it is turned on if it has spores

they will come through vents.

I used to have a couple of relatives and friends on

NYC fire dept. until Sept. 11. Usually they will come

out and check your unit for free if you call them.

Most towns in New York offer that service to my

knowledge.

, Pres. NTMC

--- new2azma <new2azma@...> wrote:

> Hello everyone. I am new to this list and not sure

> how to do this.

> There is a lot of terrific information here, but I

> haven't been to

> digest it all or to apply it to my own situation. I

> hope it's okay

> to give this information out and ask for advice.

>

> I am a woman living in a studio apartment on the

> Upper West Side of

> Manhattan. Does anyone know of a good environmental

> investigator (in

> New York) for my apartment and any who are

> reasonably priced?

>

>

> I see black mold in my bathroom emanating from a

> spot in the ceiling

> where the pipe radiator sprays water when the heat

> is on. Also,

> inside the bathroom I have

> a wood cabinet with bureaus and shelves that looks

> like it has mold on it.

>

> There is water damage in the kitchen. There are

> cracks in the moldings and walls throughout the

> apartment. There are soft spots on the wood and a

> few

> small sections where the wood floor has rotted.

> Also

> the wood has rotted on the window in the main room.

>

> An allergist has diagnosed me as having allergic

> asthma with allergies to dust mites and mold,

> cockroaches and apples. I have a copy of the

> results

> of the skin test which specifies the types of mold I

> am allergic to. I need to change my bed sheets

> after

> the third night or I cannot sleep and get cramps.

>

> The main room where I sleep and work has a lot of

> wood: a wood loft bed with stairs with a wood desk

> and

> shelves underneath. Also I have 2 large tall wood

> book cases. All of the wood is over 5 years old.

> I

> have a lot of books (although I threw out a lot),

> files and papers for my work. Although I am trying

> to

> get rid of a lot of them, I still need to keep a lot

> of it for future possible work.

>

> I am afraid to cook right now, because the last time

> I

> used the gas stove I was sick for a whole day – the

> smell goes into my main sleeping area.

>

> I have also noticed what looks like moldy dust in

> the

> cracks of my radiators in my main room and in the

> kitchen. (I have ordered a special attachment for

> my

> Miele HEPA vacuum cleaner to try to get rid of that

> dust.)

>

> I have an Amacaire filter and a filter window fan.

>

> I want to know how to rectify the mold situation in

> my

> bathroom and am worried that there might be mold in

> the rest of the apartment that I can't see. I need

> to

> know what to throw out, and whether I should have

> the

> entire apartment repainted or cleaned and what sort

> of cleaning

> services are out there. My symptoms are

> often changing, but when I use the bathroom, I can

> feel the mold making me sick.

>

> In the last year, when I have stayed at places where

> I

> can smell mold, I have gotten extremely sick with

> very

> bad cramps. So my guess is that there is not

> serious

> mold in my sleeping area and I can't smell any, but

> I'm wondering if there might be a low level amount.

>

> I am often tired, weak, nauseous. I am trying to

> figure out what needs to be done and what I need to

> ask for and document before approaching the landlord

> on rectifying the situation, so it can be done

> correctly.

>

> I do not have any safe place to go. It has been

> suggested

> before I even consider moving out of New York that I

> have someone determine what is going on in my

> apartment and order Mold Antibody Blood tests

> through

> my primary care doctor. This makes a lot more sense

> to me than spending money I don't have for

> environmental doctors to do all these tests that

> won't

> make me better.

>

> Does anyone know anything about Lawrence Molloy, the

> Mold Guy?

>

> I recently went for the first time to Dr. Firshein,

> an alternative

> specialist in asthma. He wanted me to use

> 2 mold plates in my bathroom and main room because

> he

> said it was unlikely that other problems could be

> causing my symptoms. But I never had the chance to

> explain to him the other problems in my apartment I

> just described,

> he has not returned my calls and my medical

> insurance does not cover his services.

>

> I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks.

>

>

>

>

>

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