Indoor Mold Contamination Action Plan Questions & Answers.

This toxic mold article series provides an easy to understand step-by-step guide for dealing with toxic or allergenic indoor mold and other indoor contaminants: what to do about mold contamination in buildings: how to test-for mold, find hidden mold, clean up or remove mold, and prevent mold.

Mold Contamination Action Guide Q&A

These questions and answers about the proper steps to clean up mold contamination in buildings were posted originally

at ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT INDOOR MOLD - be sure to check out the diagnostic suggestions on that page.

Is mold in walls a cleanup job that a DIY'er can do?

Hi. Thanks for all the great information on your site. I have some mold that was caused by 3 window units around the house. Somehow some of the drainage went into the walls and created mold all under the window. The mold is inside the walls and all over the structural lumber underneath.

Is that something that a diy can do? I might also have some florring mold under carpet. Probably in the plywood that was used for the subfloor. Thanks On 2012-10-17 by Mike -

Reply by Mod:

At DO IT YOURSELF MOLD CLEANUP we provide suggestions for a do-it-yourself cleanup of small areas of mold.

At MOLD / ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERT, HIRE ? we provide guidelines to help decide when it is probably justified to bring in a mold expert to perform mold inspection and testing in a building.

 

Our landlord didn't fix leaks and we can't afford to move out

Our rental has a leaking bay window in the bedroom. The landlord has not gotten it fixed properly and now the roof inside leaks in heavy rain.

Like I have to put pots down and a crack across the ceiling.

They keep putting paint or some kind of glue on the inside to repair the ceiling, but have not actually fixed the problem outside.

We can’t afford to move, we have addressed this in writing. Please help! On 2017-10-16 by Penny

by (mod) - where to find an expert to test for hidden mold in building walls, floors, or ceilings:

Regarding reader's question of where to find an expert to test for hidden mold in building walls, floors, or ceilings:

Opinion:

About "testing for mold behind walls", air tests, even settled dust tests indoors are not reliable indicators of the presence/absence of problematic mold contamination in building cavities. Even if such a test suggests that a problem is present, the cost of the test was money poorly-spent as the results are not prescriptive: you are no further in knowing where the problem is or what needs to be done about it than before the test.

What is useful is a very thorough on-site visual inspection, also noting occupant complaints, building leak history, to permit an experienced environmental or mold inspector to combine building science, familiarity with building materials, familiarity with when, where, how, and why mold grows in buildings, to point out the most-suspect areas where a hidden mold problem could be present.

Those areas are investigated more aggressively, cutting test openings if necessary.

The same consultant should be able to tell you when further invasive inspection, demolition, or inspection are not justified. That's not a guarantee that there can't be a hidden mold problem. Instead, it's a guarantee that the mold-concern problem has been approached rationally without wasting the consumer's money to reduce the inspector's personal risk of a future complaint.

About not being able to afford moving out, please see our advice at UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT, CAN'T LEAVE 

Also see MOLD CLEANUP COMPANIES where we offer additional advice about choosing a mold cleanup or mold remediator company.

Are stains on our walls due to a doubled vapor barrier?

I have an addition about 8yrs old.And have started seeing dark spots on ext. walls only and have like dribble spots around the area. But it only where the trusses are so I cut some holes in the drywall.

There is A poly vapor barrier then Ins.exterior sheathing and plastic ty-vek then vinly siding. Does this mean double vapor barrier? can anybody help? - On 2017-01-07 by scott

by (mod) - plastic house wrap is a moisture trap?

Scott:

The plastic house wrap you describe should be perforated so that it's not a moisture trap.

Dark spots on the exterior walls: if you're sure they're not stains or deposits from some external source, I'd look for leaks into the wall structure.

Can we just clean or dust off moldy insulation and plastic vapor barriers?

Our walkout lower level has unfinished exterior walls with insulation covered by plastic sheeting on the interior. Small black spotted areas appear in various areas and seen to be on the insulation with some transfer to the plastic.

Would a simple cleaning, or dusting, solve the problem. One suggestion was to replace the plastic with a product like Tyvek. On 2011-10-25 by Mel

by (mod) - don't leave plastic or other housewrap as the "final" exposed surface on a building exterior

Mel, I don't have a clear image of your situation (you can send photos using the CONTACT link found at page top or bottom)- but it doesn't sound like good building practice to leave plastic nor housewrap as the "final" exposed surface on a building exterior.

What do we do if our rental home smells moldy?

We have been living in a rental house for a year and half and the house has always moisture but recently we have been smelling the presence of mold.

I recently found some on the wood backing of my bed and my jeans that I left on the floor had mold growing on it. What steps should I take to resolve this? On 2011-08-07 by Aida

by (mod) - if you smell mold, there is mold contamination

Aida, if you smell mold, there is mold somewhere almost certainly. Small areas, less than 30 sqft of contiguous mold, do not require hiring an expert and can be cleaned using ordinary household cleaners. But if no one finds and fixes the causes of high indoor moisture or leaks, the mold problems will recur.

If, during the cleanup, you find evidence of a larger problem, the work should stop and an expert consulted.

At RENTERS & TENANTS GUIDE TO MOLD (article links at page left)
you will find more details of advice about mold when you are a renter.

Do tenants have to move out during mold remediation?

On a recent walk through of rental property, I found several interior walls that have mold.

The home is on the coast. I have hired a company to come and test for mold/mildew and provide an estimate for restoration. Will the tenants have to move our during restoration? Thank you. On 2011-08-02 by Mary Bear Mader

by (mod) - mold found in our rental property

If there are large areas of problem mold (more than 30 sqft contiguous) then a professional cleaning and containment are needed and you wouldn't have people in the building during the work.

As long as the containment is properly performed and you do some tests before and after to confirm that the containment worked (you didn't blow mold out of the work area) then the occupants' belongings are ok and were ok to remain in the building.

In any mold cleanup job if there are occupants who are at extra risk such as but not limited to elderly, infant, asthmatic, immune compromised, then they ought not to be in the building before, during, nor after the a problem mold cleanup job until there has been a successful cleanup operation.

With high risk people I'd apply that recommendation even for smaller cleanups.

Is shower mold a simple DIY job?

Your site is awesome!!!! Very informative with a wealth of details. Tho, I've been searching and still can't find a pic that is similar to the mold? that I have in my basement shower. Some black stuff on the tile and one concrete wall in the bathroom. Doesn't appear to be spreading but very unsightly and probably not healthy.

I'm trying to decide if the job is a simple cleanup job that I can do myself or should I hire the pros? The shower (bathroom) is quite small and located in the basement/laundry room.

Can't figure out where the moisture if coming from...assuming the shower. Since noticing it we now leave the light on and keep the window open.
Any suggestions? On 2011-07-26 by Angela Adams

by (mod) - can't figure out where the moisture is coming from

Thanks for the kudos, Angela. We are dedicated to making our information as accurate, complete, useful, and unbiased as possible: we very much welcome critique, questions, or content suggestions for our web articles.

While it is not at all reliable to try to identify a mold genera/species from photos of a building surface, an experienced mycologist or forensic lab technician might have a guess at the common molds found on that surface material that look like (whatever). You are welcome to use the CONTACT link found on our pages to send us some photos. And you can send a sample to any qualified mold test lab.

If the total square footage is under 30 sqft. normal cleaning by a homeowner or handyman is usually adequate. But it sounds like you may need help from a home inspector or plumber to be sure you found and fixed the mold-causing leak.

On 2011-07-03 by Anonymous Are old moldy letters a danger to people living in the house?

this website is very helpful. But i still am looking for specific advice on how to deal with old, moldy letters -

1- do they need to be stored in a plastic container?

2. can they cleaned, and with what? The suggestion on the website involves a package but not sure that helps with 100s of od letters that have developed mold.

3. are the letters a danger to residents of the house? thanks, Fred Hill On 2011-07-03 by Anonymous

by (mod) - Preserving and storing moldy documents:

You can have moldy documents professionally cleaned - but it's quite expensive.

At BOOK-MOLD CLEANUP for DO-IT-YOURSELFers we explain that you can yourself do some very gentle cleaning by taking the items outdoors on a warm dry day; gently HEPA vacuum the surfaces or where possible wipe with disposable cloths (don't re-use the cloth or you will spread mold) to remove what mold you can;

For documents that won't be damaged by sunlight, some exposure can reduce the mold odor;

Make SURE that the documents and books are dry.

Then they can be stored inside of sealed plastic containers and accessed when needed.

A mold reservoir indoors can be a hazard to anyone if it's toxic, allergenic, and large; Even a small reservoir such as opening a box of moldy books can be a hazard to someone who is sensitive such as an asthmatic or someone with mold-related illness, compromised immune system, etc. But if your documents are in a clean, sealed container, they won't be contributing anything to indoor air.

My elderly parent with health concerns lives in an older home that has roof leaks. Should we test for mold?

My mothers home is about 45 yrs. old. Recently, we noticed water spots on a wall and ceiling plus in the base ment ceiling tiles. This is a 2-story w/ attached dbl. garage. There has been NO flashing where the garage roof and the 2ns story meet.

This is where the problems occur. She has also had many respiratory, memory lapses and constant sinus problems.

We have read quite-a-bit on MOLD and believe this might be the problem. Could you advise us of the best road to take and who to call. - Thanks. W.B., Louisville KY

Reply: Set Priorities and Take a Sufficiently Broad Approach When Looking for Building-caused or Building-aggravated Health Worries

A competent onsite inspection by an expert usually finds additional clues that help accurately diagnose a problem. That said, here are some things to consider:

Since you know there is an ongoing leak, you need a competent roofing contractor to install the missing flashing and to inspect the rest of the roof for other flashing or leak problems you may not have noticed. More about roofing inspection, diagnosis, and repair is

at ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR.

Ask your doctor, or in this case your mom's doctor if s/he can name specific environmental contaminants that, if present, would be likely to cause or aggravate any of your mom's medical problems.

In the absence of a large visible mold problem, you may be best served by a thorough onsite visual inspection for conditions that might produce mold or other unsafe building conditions;

You could hire a consultant to test for mold (unreliable without an accompanying thorough inspection) but because other hazards could be present, a more complete inspection that covers your mold concern plus other hazards may be more appropriate.

We have no business nor financial connection with any product or service discussed at our website.

 

Bicarbonate of soda or borax for mold smell removal?

I live at the coast.what substance will absorb dank smells from a cupboard? the plaster was exposed so i painted with universal undercoat and a paint that protects surfaces from mould and mildew.

Is it bicarb or borax for example? (May 28, 2015) maggie said:

Reply:

Maggie

You need to find and remove the odor source. Absorbents may improve odor somewhat in an enclosed space but wont' fix the problem.

Remove the mold, clean the surfaces, fix its cause. Then sure, you can paint.

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Continue reading at ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT INDOOR MOLD - topic home, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

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• MOLD ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT MOLD
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