Mold resistant construction practices: clean up existing mold, repair & build to avoid future mold problems: this article describes how to prevent mold growth in buildings. We discuss priorities of action to avoid indoor mold contamination after building flooding or wetting from roof or plumbing leaks.

Here we discuss how to respond quickly to building floods to avoid a mold problem: what steps to take, in what priority. How to move furnishings or possessions from a flooded home to a new or temporary location without bringing along a mold or contamination issue.

How to recognize cosmetic molds to avoid unnecessary mold remediation cost.

Recommended construction details in a new or flood-repaired building and Interior Maintenance to Avoid Mold - Building maintenance tips to avoid indoor toxic mold contamination. How to prevent mold in buildings - construction details and choices of materials to prevent toxic mold. Building and HVAC recommendations to minimize mold problems in hot humid climates

We distinguish between harmless cosmetic mold and mold that needs to be removed, and we outline both construction and building maintenance details that will help prevent future mold growth in a building.

Priorities for Preventing Indoor Mold Contamination in Buildings

All mold is everywhere, all the time, according to one of our mold mentors (Dr. John Haines), an experienced mycologist.

And as we describe here, many building materials and furnishings, if damp or wet, easiluy support mold growth.

To understand the mold-friendliness or mold-resistance of building materials we must look at the material itself, its constituents, but also at coatings, binders and glues used in its preparation for use (Viel 2019).

Critical in mold-resistance or mold-friendliness of building materials, as we see in materials such as gypsum board or drywall, the moisture gradient in the material determines not only its vulnerability to mold growth, but even to the distribution of mold genera/species across the material as moisture levels vary. (Pasanen 2000) (Johansson 2012).

Own research [DF] SAMPLING DRYWALL offers example of three different molds on drywall at different moisture levels and heights from a wet floor. Moving a mold sample location just a few inches higher from the floor finds completely-different mold genera/species!

We start by addressing the question: how do we prevent a mold problem in a building?

We avoid or quickly correct conditions that invite problem mold colonies from growing indoors.

In areas subject to high humidity, wet soils, rain, freezing weather, or other conditions that encourage high indoor humidity, building leaks, poor building ventilation, or other conditions that tend to produce indoor mold and its potential harmful effects and high costs, it is possible to reduce the chances of a future mold problem.

Article Contents

• MOLD RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION after a flood
• BUILDING FLOOD STEPS TO PREVENT MOLD - How to respond quickly to building floods to avoid a mold problem: what steps to take, in what priority
• IMPORTING MOLD - How to move furnishings or possessions from a flooded home to a new or temporary location without bringing along a mold or contamination issue
• COSMETIC MOLDS - Recognize cosmetic molds to avoid unnecessary mold remediation cost
• CONSTRUCTION DETAILS TO AVOID MOLD in a new or flood-repaired building
• INTERIOR MAINTENANCE to AVOID MOLD CONTAMINATION - Building maintenance tips to avoid indoor toxic mold contamination

Building Leak or Emergency Flood Response Procedures to Avoid Mold

Here are our recommendations for emergency response to building floods, burst pipes, sewer backups, roof blow-offs or other sudden catastrophic soaking of buildings.

These suggestions are based on 30 years of experience in construction, construction inspection, and our indoor air quality and mold investigations and laboratory testing. Additions, corrections, and content suggestions for this list are invited.

1. Respond immediately to building leaks and floods.
   
   This means within 24-48 hours all of the critical steps need to be taken if you want to maximize the chance of avoiding a costly mold cleanup project. This topic will be expanded in detail at this website (coming). Basically:
• First priorities: Before entering a building that has been flooded review see
  
  FIRST PRIORITIES: WHAT TO DO AFTER A BUILDING HAS BEEN FLOODED to address life, health, and safety concerns.
• Stop the water entry
• Remove standing water
• Remove wet carpets, furniture, and boxes of wet stored items
• Remove floor trim and lower portions of walls (such as drywall or paneling) (at least 12") and any wall insulation, in rooms where the floors were wet or flooded.
• Remove upper portions of wall coverings (drywall or paneling) higher than 12" if these areas are wet, or if water entered the wall cavity from above.
• Remove ceilings that have been flooded from above
• Remove wet materials (such as areas listed above) until you find a 12" or greater area of dry clean margin.
• Use dehumidifiers, fans, heaters, to dry the exposed building areas and surfaces.
• If mold is already visible or suspected, use containment to avoid air movement from the damaged (moldy) area to other building areas. Containment generally means negative air and poly plastic barriers.
• Also see FLOOD-CAUSED MOLD, PREVENTION
  
  or if mold is already present,
  
  see the MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD article series
2. Keep unwanted outside water out of the building.
   
   This means attention to the roof drainage system (gutters and leaders), surface drainage, and at some sites, unusual levels of ground water. In buildings where we find recurrent basement water entry, most of the time the underlying cause is inadequate maintenance of gutters and downspouts, with roof spillage against the foundation.
   
   Preventing indoor mold by keeping outside water out also means proper construction of all exterior components, roofing, siding, windows, doors, trim, steps, patios, exterior light fixtures, even downspout straps, to keep water out of building walls and cavities.
   
   See VAPOR BARRIERS & HOUSE WRAP for a discussion of vapor barriers behind vinyl siding.
   
   The importance of flashing and house wrap on conventional construction pales next to the importance of property detailing when problem-prone building exteriors such as EIFS Synthetic Stucco are used since if workmanship is not exactly correct with those materials leaks into the building cavities trap water and often lead to costly damage, rot, or mold.
   
   
3. Humidity Control:
   
   Maintain Proper Indoor Humidity Levels to avoid mold.
   
   See INDOOR HUMIDITY TARGET in order to avoid a mold problem?
   
   Also see VENTILATION in BUILDINGS.
4. Leak Prevention:
   
   proper roofing and flashing details are critical to avoid longer term building leaks at the roof and at other building penetrations such as windows, doors, plumbing vents. Indoors, replace corroded plumbing traps, use burst-resistant washing machine hoses and fixture supply risers. When possible, turn off water when leaving a building vacant for some time.
   
   See WATER ENTRY in BUILDINGS.
5. Mold-resistant Building Materials:
   
   should be used where possible, especially in high-risk areas such as basements and bathrooms.
   
   See MOLD RESISTANT DRYWALL ? You Must Be Kidding!
6. Mold-Friendly Building Materials:
   
   should be avoided in high risk areas. Do not put mold-friendly construction materials (stuff on which mold grows readily) into damp areas. In our experience this means the items listed
   
   at CONSTRUCTION DETAILS TO AVOID MOLD in a new or flood-repaired building
7. Ventilation: to avoid indoor mold, proper venting avoids build-up of high moisture in building cavities and avoids, in freezing climates, leaks into building cavities from ice dams. See our discussion of attic venting and under-roof ventilation
   
   at ROOF ICE DAM LEAKS
   
   and see our discussion of bathroom ventilation fans, ducts, and indoor moisture control
   
   at BATHROOM VENTILATION CODES SPECS.
   
   Crawl space ventilation and dryout steps are discussed
   
   at CRAWL SPACE DRYOUT
   
   Also see VENTILATION in BUILDINGS - our home page for this topic.

Avoid Bringing Problem Mold Into a Building

How to move furnishings or possessions from a flooded home to a new or temporary location

If you are moving items out of a home that has been flooded and if that building has become visibly mold-contaminated, there is a significant risk that you will be bringing mold-contaminated dust or even active mold colonies from the flooded building into the new one.

• Inspect items for visible mold or moldy odors before bringing them into the new location.
• Items that have been flooded or wet by flood waters are likely to be unsanitary as flood-waters often contain sewage and other pathogens, even if the items are not visibly mold-contaminated. The following items can usually be cleaned and sanitized
  • Hard goods such as dishes, plastic items, hard-wood-surfaced furniture (be sure to clean all surfaces)
  • Soft goods that can be laundered or dry-cleaned
    
    The following are examples of items are usually beyond economic cleaning and repair if they have been flood-damaged and / or are visibly mold-contaminated:
  • Drywall
  • Upholstered furniture
  • Wall-to-wall carpeting and carpet padding

• Clean all dusty, soiled, wet, or moldy but salvageable items before moving them to a new building, home, or storage if at all possible.

The best approach is to remove moldy furnishings or other possessions from the flooded building, have them cleaned, and then bring them into the new building.

• If you cannot clean items before moving them into storage, make sure that the items are thoroughly dry and then pack them in sealed plastic containers for brief storage before having those items laundered or cleaned.

Pressure Treated lumber"

which is sold as resistant to rot and resistant to wood destroying insects is very often not only wet when purchased, but is often mold contaminated with several species of Penicillium sp. or Aspergillus sp.

We confirmed this condition by a survey of building materials at several lumber suppliers in New York, using tape samples of visible mold on the surfaces of these products.

When using pressure-treated lumber for interior framing,

clean off any visible mold. Simple power-washing would suffice. This step is not necessary and would be inappropriate for the same lumber when used outdoors, such as for a deck or an entry stair.

But inside, such lumber may be used for sill plates or in some cases I've seen it used to re-frame a rotted floor over a wet crawl space. Importing a large Aspergillus sp. colony on the floor framing surface over a crawl space provided an immediately-detectable high level of airborne Aspergillus sp. in the room above this area, as these spores move easily in convection air currents moving from the crawl area up through the building.

How to Avoid Unnecessary Mold Cleanup Expenses - Harmless Cosmetic Mold

As long as we are discussing not bringing mold into a building, it's important to warn against unnecessary expenses cleaning up "cosmetic-only" molds such as black mold commonly found on kiln-dried lumber which has been exposed to wetting in transit or storage.

Usually this is a cosmetic-only mold in the Ceratocystis/Ophistoma bluestain group. However in a few cases where this "black mold" on lumber was on wood framing later exposed to flood basements or crawl spaces, I've also found problematic mold growing mixed with this cosmetic inhabitant.

See MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD

and review BLACK MOLD, HARMLESS

Interior Construction Product Installation Details to Reduce Mold-Risk

• Avoiding Mold Growth on Drywall:
  
  when installing drywall in basements or in any location where a floor is at extra risk of becoming wet, keep the bottom edge of drywall at least 1/2" off of the floor. Avoiding floor contact means that a small spill which wets the floor, if cleaned up promptly, will not soak up into the drywall itself. We 'm not sure it's cost effective but you might want to consider using
  
  MOLD RESISTANT DRYWALL
• Avoiding Mold Growth on Wood paneling:
  
  use the same floor clearance detail for wood paneling. We find severe mold not only on the exposed side of wood paneling but often, even if no mold is visible on the room side, the un-coated back surface of this material supports mold growth in buildings which have been wet or subject to high moisture.
• Avoiding Mold Growth on and Behind Floor trim:
  
  Even weeks after a "water damage company" had reported that they had "fully dried out a building" by "extracting the water" in it, we found very high moisture in the lower portion of the building walls.
  
  Pulling off floor trim showed (in several investigations) that the back of the wall/floor trim was not only still wet with visible water droplets, but it had already become moldy.
  
  The drywall behind the this trim, and the wall cavity itself as well as insulation in it were also quite wet and moldy. When installing floor trim in a basement below grade, or in a bathroom or kitchen where spills are likely, I back-prime and end-prime all trim boards.
  
  In bathrooms we caulk the trim to the floor, putting a small bead of caulk on the under-side of the trim boards as they are placed. The caulk won't be visible, but it'll reduce the chances of a small spill sending water into the wall cavity.
• Avoiding Mold Growth on Floor cabinets in Bathrooms and Kitchens:
  
  When we are installing them, we spray the under-side and backs of floor cabinets with clear lacquer before installing them.
  
  This takes only a few moments, as the lacquer dries almost immediately. (Proper venting needed.) By sealing these surfaces we reduce the rapidity of moisture up-take into them in damp or wet conditions.
  
  Reducing the moisture uptake in these materials reduces potential mold growth on these hidden surfaces and gives more time for building dry-out after a wetting event. In bathrooms we caulk the junction of the exposed cabinet bottom and the floor after the cabinet is in place.
• Avoiding Mold Reservoirs in Fiberglass insulation:
  
  Don't put fiberglass insulation under floors over damp or wet crawl spaces - we are conducting a study of this topic.
  
  See INSULATION MOLD CONTAMINATION TEST for details.
  
  Preliminary data shows that very often we find sever Aspergillus sp. or Penicillium sp. infection of fiberglass over damp crawl spaces and in damp building walls against below-grade foundations, even when there is no mold actually visible on the insulation or its kraft paper facing.
  
  On below-grade building walls that are to be insulated we prefer solid foam insulating board as it does not hold moisture and is less mold-friendly
  
  see MOLD in FOAM INSULATION
  
  For more information see FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOLD, and
  
  also see FIBERGLASS HAZARDS in buildings.
• Avoiding Mold Reservoirs in Indoor Carpeting:
  
  wall-to-wall indoor carpeting which has been wet should be discarded. We have never seen a successful clean-up of this material in place after flooding.
  
  Carpets form a particle reservoir, including allergens, mold, mites, etc. in buildings which can be a problem especially in basement areas which can be expected to be damp even when there is no water entry.
  
  We advise against using carpeting in these areas at all. If basement carpeting in a building has been wet, remove and discard it promptly.
  
  After building dry-out and cleanup have been completed, install a hard surface flooring or simply paint the exposed concrete slab with an epoxy paint.
  
  Nicer surfaces such as ceramic or vinyl tile work well. (Sheet vinyl may become moldy on its backside if the floor or slab below are damp.) If you are concerned about making a warmer or more quiet surface, use area carpets which can be sent out for regular cleaning.

• Bathroom renovations to avoid future mold growth are discussed in detail
  
  at BATHROOM MOLD REMOVAL / PREVENTION

Interior Maintenance to Avoid Mold Suggestions from the U.S. EPA

This list based on a shorter EPA list, with additions and edits by the author.

• Fix leaky plumbing .
  
  This means watching for corroded sink and tub traps and replacing them before they leak into the floor; find and fix loose toilets; use burst-proof washing machine hoses - this failure has led to some serious building floods. Insulate cold water lines to avoid condensation leaks into building cavities, basements, crawl spaces.
  
  ... and leaks in the building envelope as soon as possible - this means noticing roof leaks, roof flashing leaks, soffit leaks, leaks at windows, doors, plumbing vents, leaks where decks or patios abut the building wall.
• Watch for condensation and wet spots.
  
  Fix source(s) of moisture problem(s) as soon as possible. This means looking in your basement and crawl space for signs of water entry - which we discussed above.
• Prevent moisture due to condensation
  
   by increasing surface temperature or reducing the moisture level in air (humidity). - This means that you may find condensation on walls in cool closets or behind pictures hung on cool walls - places where air is not circulating. Heavy drapes in some buildings lead to mold on the walls behind them.
  
  To increase surface temperature, insulate or increase air circulation. To reduce the moisture level in air, repair leaks, increase ventilation (if outside air is cold and dry), or dehumidify (if outdoor air is warm and humid).
• Keep heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) drip pans clean,
  
  flowing properly, and unobstructed.
  
  We often find A/C condensate leaking into building walls and floors when drains are clogged.
  
  In climates where A/C systems remove a large amount of moisture from building air, watch for water blowing out of the condensate tray right into the blower assembly or even into ducts downstream in the air handler system - a common source of mold in air conditioning duct work.
• Vent moisture-generating appliances,
  
  such as dryers, to the outside where possible.
  
  Venting dryers into attics, basements, crawl spaces is a bad idea. If those areas are seasonally too dry, use a humidifier with a humidistat. When showering, use the vent fan - install one if there is none.
• Maintain low indoor humidity,
  
  below 60% relative humidity (RH), ideally 30-50%, if possible.
  
  See details at HUMIDITY CONTROL & TARGETS INDOORS
• Perform regular building/HVAC inspections 
  
  and maintenance as scheduled.
  
  Change air filters monthly when these systems are in use, and at that time, inspect for condensate leaks.
• Clean and dry wet or damp spots within 48 hours
  
  - as we expound in more detail above.
• Don't let foundations stay wet
  
  Provide drainage and slope the ground away from the foundation.
  
  -- But remember our advice from above on this page - most wet basements and crawl spaces are in that condition because of outside gutter and leader defects.

-- Initial Source: expanded and edited from Mold Prevention Tips U.S. EPA. http://www.epa.gov/mold/prevention.html

MOLD RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION - OSHA Advice

The following mold resistant construction advice is from OSHA Guide to Workplace Mold.

Moisture control is the key to mold control. When water leaks or spills occur indoors - act promptly. Any initial water infiltration should be stopped and cleaned promptly. A prompt response (within 24-48 hours) and thorough clean- up, drying, and/or removal of water-damaged materials will prevent or limit mold growth.

Mold prevention tips include:

• Repairing plumbing leaks and leaks in the building structure as soon as possible.
• Looking for condensation and wet spots. Fix source(s) of moisture incursion problem(s) as soon as possible.
• Preventing moisture from condensing by increasing surface temperature or reducing the moisture level in the air (humidity). To increase surface temperature, insulate or increase air circulation. To reduce the moisture level in the air, repair leaks, increase ventilation (if outside air is cold and dry), or dehumidify (if outdoor air is warm and humid).
• Keeping HVAC drip pans clean, flowing properly, and unobstructed.
• Performing regularly scheduled building/ HVAC inspections and maintenance, including filter changes.
• Maintaining indoor relative humidity below 70% (25 - 60%, if possible).
• Venting moisture-generating appliances, such as dryers, to the outside where possible.
• Venting kitchens (cooking areas) and bathrooms according to local code requirements.
• Cleaning and drying wet or damp spots as soon as possible, but no more than 48 hours after discovery.
• Providing adequate drainage around buildings and sloping the ground away from building foundations. Follow all local building codes.
• Pinpointing areas where leaks have occurred, identifying the causes, and taking preventive action to ensure that they do not reoccur.

Questions That May Assist in Determining Whether a Mold Problem Currently Exists

• Are building materials or furnishings visibly moisture damaged?
• Have building materials been wet more than 48 hours?
• Are there existing moisture problems in the building?
• Are building occupants reporting musty or moldy odors?
• Are building occupants reporting health problems that they think are related to mold in the indoor environment?
• Has the building been recently remodeled or has the building use changed?
• Has routine maintenance been delayed or the maintenance plan been altered?

Watch out: Always consider consulting a health professional to address any employee health concerns.

Research on Mold Resistance of Building Materials

Photo: three different mold genera/species dominated adjacent areas of drywall, determined primarily by variations in moisture level: less water higher from the wet floor of a flooded building - detailed at SAMPLING DRYWALL FOR MOLD

• ASTM International, ASTM C272/C272M-12, Standard Test Method for Water Absorption of Core Materials for Sandwich, West Conshohocken, (2012), http://dx. doi.org/10.1520/C0272_C0272M-12.
• ASTM International. ASTM D3273-12: standard test method for resistance to growth of mold on the surface of interior coatings in an environmental chamber.
  2012.
• AWPA Standard. E24-06: standard method of evaluating the resistance of evalu ating the resistance of wood product surfaces to mold growth (2006)
• British Standards Institute. BSI EN ISO 846 : plastics: evaluation of the action of microorganisms. 1997.
• Chang, J.C.S., Foarde, K.K., Vanosdell, D.W., 1995. Growth evaluation of fungi (Penicillium and Aspergillus spp) on ceiling tiles. Atmospheric Environment 29, 2331e2337.
• Chang, J.C.S., Foarde, K.K., Vanosdell, D.W., 1996. Assessment of fungal (Penicillium chrysogenum) growth on three HVAC duct materials. Environment International 22, 425e431
• Chen, Y‐C., K‐P. Yu, W‐C. Shao, C‐H. Tseng, and W‐C. Pan. "Novel mold‐resistant building materials impregnated with thermally reduced nano‐silver." Indoor air 28, no. 2 (2018): 276-286.
• Cheng, Dali, Shenxue Jiang, and Qisheng Zhang. "Effect of Hydrothermal Treatment with Different Aqueous Solutions on the Mold Resistance of Moso Bamboo with Chemical and FTIR Analysis." BioResources 8, no. 1 (2013).
• Doll, S.C., Burge, H.A., 2001. Characterization of Fungi Occurring on “new” Gypsum Wallboard 2001. Conference Proceedings IAQ 2001: Moisture, Microbes, and Health Effects: Indoor Air Quality and Moisture in Buildings, San Francisco, California, November 4e7.
• Flannigan, B., Miller, J.D., 2001. Microbial growth in indoor environments. In: Flannigan, B., Samson, R.A., Miller, J.D. (Eds.), Microorganisms in home and indoor work environments: diversity, health impacts, investigation and control. CRC Press LLC, New York.
• Gravesen, Suzanne, Peter A. Nielsen, Randi Iversen, and Kristian Fog Nielsen. MICROFUNGAL CONTAMINATION OF DAMP BUILDINGS--EXAMPLES OF RISK CONSTRUCTIONS AND RISK MATERIALS [PDF] Environmental Health Perspectives 107, no. suppl 3 (1999): 505-508.
  Abstract:
  To elucidate problems with microfungal infestation in indoor environments, a multidisciplinary collaborative pilot study, supported by a grant from the Danish Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, was performed on 72 mold-infected building materials from 23 buildings.
  
  Water leakage through roofs, rising damp, and defective plumbing installations were the main reasons for water damage with subsequent infestation of molds.
  
  From a score system assessing the bioavailability of the building materials, products most vulnerable to mold attacks were water damaged, aged organic materials containing cellulose, such as wooden materials, jute, wallpaper, and cardboard.
  
  The microfungal genera most frequently encountered were Penicillium (68%), Aspergillus (56%), Chaetomium (22%), Ulocladium, (21%), Stachybotrys (19%) and Cladosporium (15%). Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus versicolor, and Stachybotrys chartarum were the most frequently occurring species.
  
  Under field conditions, several trichothecenes were detected in each of three commonly used building materials, heavily contaminated with S. chartarum.
  
  Under experimental conditions, four out of five isolates of S. chartarum produced satratoxin H and G when growing on new and old, very humid gypsum boards. A. versicolor produced the carcinogenic mycotoxin sterigmatocystin and 5-methoxysterigmatocystin under the same conditions.
  
  ...
  Excerpts:
  The main reasons for wateringress, which caused damage to the buildings, were leakage through flat roofs, rising damp, and defective plumbing installations. The most important factor for mold growth was wateractivity(a,).
  
  Water activity of 0 96 corresponding to a relative humidity of 96% (atsteadystate) yielded significantly poorer growth of S.chartarum compared with an au=0.98%(9).
  
  This indicates the importance of using dry gypsumboards in a new building and keeping the boards dry to prevent microbial growth.
  
  Compared to the main reason for the dampness of materials (leakingr oofs), rising damp and defective plumbing installations were minor causes of mold growth in the cases investigated.
  
  The susceptibility to fungal growth or the potential for microbial grow this an expression of the interaction between the material itself and the different infuences of the environment.
  
  The evaluation of the materials examined in this study demonstrated a high degree of susceptibility to fungal growth, indicating a lowresistance to mold infestation.
  
  Because the surface of a material damaged and exposed to various degradation processes as it ages, the actual age of amaterial plays an important role for microbial infestation.
  
• Garzón-Barrero NM, Shirakawa MA, Brazolin S, de Barros Pereira RG de FN, de Lara IAR, Savastano H. Evaluation of mold growth on sugarcane bagasse particleboards
  in natural exposure and in accelerated test. Int Biodeterior Biodegrad 2016;115:266–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2016.09.006.
• Gubanski, S., A. Dernfalk, S. Wallstrom, S. Karlsson, Performance and diagnostics of biologically contaminated insulators, 2006 IEEE 8th International Conference on
  Properties and Applications of Dielectric Materials, IEEE, 2006, pp. 23–30, , http:// dx.doi.org/10.1109/ICPADM.2006.284109.
• Hoang, Chi P., Kerry A. Kinney, Richard L. Corsi, and Paul J. Szaniszlo. "Resistance of green building materials to fungal growth." International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation 64, no. 2 (2010): 104-113.
• Hofbauer, W., Kreuger, N., Breuer, K., Sedlbauer, K., Schoch, T., 2008. Mould Resistance Assessment of Building Materials: Material Specific Isopleth systems for Practical Application. Indoor Air 2008, Copenhagen, Denmark. Paper ID: 465
• Horner, E., Morey, P.R., Ligman, B.K., Younger, B., 2001. How quickly must gypsum board and ceiling tile be dried to preclude mold growth after a water accident? ASHRAE Conference IAQ 2001. Moisture, Microbes and Health Effects: Indoor Air Quality and Moisture in Buildings, San Francisco, 4e7 November, 2001.
• Huckabee, Christopher. "Mold-Resistant Construction." School Planning & Management 42, no. 8 (2003): 29-32.
  
  Asserts that one of the surest ways to prevent indoor air quality and mold issues is to use preventive construction materials, discussing typical resistance to dealing with mold problems (usually budget-related) and describing mold-resistant construction, which uses concrete masonry, brick, and stone and is intended to withstand inevitable moisture events that destroy many modern building materials. A sidebar offers tips for preventing moisture penetration. 
• Hyvärinen, A., Meklin, T., Vepsäläinen, A., Nevalainen, A., 2002. Fungi and actino bacteria in moisture-damaged building materials: concentrations and diversity. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 27e37.
• Jain, A., S. Bhadauria, V. Kumar, R.S. Chauhan, Biodeterioration of sandstone under the influence of different humidity levels in laboratory conditions, Build. Environ.
  44 (2009) 1276–1284, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2008.09.019.
• Johansson, P., A. Ekstrand-tobin, G. Bok, An innovative test method for evaluating the critical moisture level for mould growth on building materials, Build. Environ.
  81 (2014) 404–409, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2014.07.002.
• Johansson, Pernilla, Annika Ekstrand-Tobin, Thomas Svensson, and Gunilla Bok. LABORATORY STUDY TO DETERMINE THE CRITICAL MOISTURE LEVEL FOR MOULD GROWTH ON BUILDING MATERIALS [PDF]  International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation 73 (2012): 23-32.
  Abstract:
  The susceptibility of building materials to mould growth varies. Some are tolerant to high relative humidity in the ambient air without mould growth occurring, while others are less tolerant, and mould can grow in relative humidity as low as 75%.
  
  Within a building, constructions are exposed to different temperatures and relative humidities. To minimise the risk of microbial growth, building materials should be chosen that are tolerant to the expected conditions.
  
  In this study, the critical moisture levels for ten building materials with a range of expected critical moisture levels (wood-based materials, gypsum boards and inorganic boards) were evaluated.
  
  Samples of the building materials were inoculated with spores from six species of mould fungi (Eurotium herbariorum, Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium chrysogenum, Aureobasidium pullulans, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Stachybotrys chartarum) and incubated in test cabinets at specified temperature (10 C and 22 C) and relative humidity conditions (75e95%); growth of mould was analysed weekly for at least 12 weeks.
  
  One of the conclusions is that two similar building materials or products may have considerably different resistance to mould growth, and so the results from one type of building material cannot be applied to the other.
  
  Also, in order to compare results from different tests, it is important to use the same test method. It is also important to state the temperature at which the critical moisture level applies and how long the material is exposed to the temperature and relative humidity conditions during the test.
• Johansson, P., Samuelson, I., Ekstrand-Tobin, A., Mjörnell, K., Sandberg, P.I., Sikander, E., 2005. Microbiological Growth on Building Materials: Critical Moisture Levels. State of the Art. SP Swedish National Testing and Research Institute.
• Li Y, Wadsö L. Fungal activities of indoor moulds on wood as a function of relative humidity during desorption and adsorption processes. Eng Life Sci 2013;13:528–35.
  https://doi.org/10.1002/elsc.201200100.
• Menetrez, M.Y., Foarde, K.K., Webber, T.D., Betancourt, D., Dean, T., 2004. Growth response of stachybotrys chartarum to moisture variation on common building materials. Indoor and Built Environment 13, 183e187.
• Morris, P.I., Minchin, D. and Zylkowski, S., 2007. A MOLD RESISTANCE TEST ON ADHESIVES USED IN WOOD COMPOSITE PRODUCTS [PDF] Forest products journal, 57(12), p.25.
  Abstract:
  There are increasing expectations for products to be resistant to mold growth even when subjected to moisture conditions for which they were not originally intended. Products may be subjected to wetting during shipment, storage, or from exposure to leaks while in use.
  
  Although the susceptibility to mold growth of many wood composite products in the marketplace has been investigated, the ability of the adhesives used in the manufacture of the products to support mold growth is unknown. APA–The Engineered Wood Association approached Forintek Canada Corp. (now FPInnovations–Forintek Div.) to investigate the potential for mold growth to occur on surfaces of samples of six selected adhesives commonly used to manufacture wood composite products.
  
  The American Wood-Preservers’ Association (AWPA) E 24 Standard Method of Evaluating the Resistance of Wood Product Surfaces to Mold Growth was used to determine susceptibility of adhesive samples to mold growth.
  
  The test evaluates susceptibility to growth of a broad range of molds from both natural and artificial inocula for up to 8 weeks on sample surfaces. In addition, a repeat test was performed on two adhesives, phenol formaldehyde (PF), with filler and extender used in plywood (PF-ply) and phenol resorcinol formaldehyde (PRF), with filler, after the first test indicated incomplete curing of samples.
  
  Test results show that wood controls, southern pine sapwood and aspen sapwood were susceptible to mold growth. PF-ply and PRF were also susceptible to mold growth on both incompletely cured and cured samples, although little growth occurred during the first 2 weeks on PF-ply. Melamine urea formaldehyde (MUF) was not susceptible to mold growth for the first 4 weeks, and supported very little growth up to 8 weeks.
  
  PF-OSB (phenol formaldehyde used in oriented strand board), P-methylenediphenyldiisocyanate (PMDI), and urea formaldehyde (UF) were not susceptible to mold growth for the duration of the 8-week test.
  
  None of the adhesives was significantly more susceptible to mold growth than southern pine or aspen sapwood.
  
  Moisture contents (MC) of southern pine sapwood and aspen samples approximated the expected equilibrium MC of solid wood for the conditions in the chamber.
• Nelyubova, Viktoria, Valeria Strokova, Marina Vasilenko, Marina Rykunova, and Dmitry Danakin. COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF BINDERS RESISTANCE FOR BUILDING COMPOSITES TO MOLD FUNGI [PDF] In MATEC Web of Conferences, vol. 196, p. 04050. EDP Sciences, 2018.
  Abstract:
  The article presents comparative characteristics of fungal resistance of geopolymer and cement stone. According to the data obtained, the artificial aging of samples of cement stone and a geopolymer based on fly ash promotes their capturing by some microscopic fungi. In the case of a geopolymer stone based on perlite, expressed fungicidal properties were noted.
• Nielsen KF, Holm G, Uttrup LP, Nielsen PA. Mould growth on building materials under low water activities. Influence of humidity and temperature on fungal growth and secondary metabolism. Int Biodeterior Biodegrad 2004;54:325–36. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2004.05.002
• Nielsen, K.F., Nielsen, P.A., Holm, G., 2000. Growth on Moulds on Building Materials under Different Humidities, Healthy Buildings 2000, Espoo, Finland, pp. 283e288
• Pasanen A-L, Rautiala S, Kasanen J-P, Raunio P, Rantamäki J, Kalliokoski P. The relationship between measured moisture conditions and fungal concentrations in water-damaged building materials. Indoor Air 2000;10:111–20. https://doi.org/10. 1034/j.1600-0668.2000.010002111.x
• Rode C, Peuhkuri RH, Mortensen LH, Hansen KK, Time B, Gustavsen A, et al. Moisture buffering of building materials. Technical University of Denmark, Department of Civil Engineering; 2005.
• Sedlbauer, Klaus. PREDICTION OF MOULD FUNGUS FORMATION ON THE SURFACE OF AND INSIDE BUILDING COMPONENTS [PDF] Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (2001): 75-141.
• Stefanowski BK, Curling SF, Ormondroyd GA. A rapid screening method to de termine the susceptibility of bio-based construction and insulation products to mould growth. Int Biodeterior Biodegrad 2017;116:124–32. https://doi.org/10. 1016/j.ibiod.2016.10.025.
• Kukletova, I., and I. Chromkova. "Proposal of methodology for testing resistance of building materials against mold infestation." In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, vol. 583, no. 1, p. 012029. IOP Publishing, 2019.
• Murtoniemi T, Hirvonen M-R, Nevalainen A, Suutari M. The relation between growth of four microbes on six different plasterboards and biological activity of spores. Indoor Air 2003;13:65–73. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0668.2003.01126.x
• Thiis,T.K., I. Burud, D. Kraniotis, L.R. Gobakken, The role of transient wetting on mould growth on wooden claddings, Energy Procedia 78 (2015) 249–254, http:// dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2015.11.629.
• Udawattha, Chameera, Himahansi Galkanda, Isuri Shanika Ariyarathne, G. Y. Jayasinghe, and Rangika Halwatura. MOLD GROWTH AND MOSS GROWTH ON TROPICAL WALLS [PDF] Building and Environment 137 (2018): 268-279.
  Abstract
  
  The building envelop is generally considered as our third skin. Moss growth and mold growth are constrains which reduce the strength of the third skin.
  
  This study is aimed to analyze the effect of the mold growth and moss growth on different walling materials such as Brick, cement blocks, cement stabilized earth block, Cabook, Mud concrete blocks, Geo polymerized earth blocks walls and plastered walls with cement plaster and rough finish plaster in a tropical climate.
  
  Organic matter, surface roughness, water absorption capacity, sorptivity and the capillary action of those walling materials were studied first. After which mold growth and moss growth were conducted in the real world controlled environment to accelerate the mold growth and moss growth. The growth rate and the strength reduction due to the effect of mold growth and moss growth were studied.
  
  The results demonstrate that walling materials with high porous spaces have the high potential to grow moss and mold. The walling materials with the high organic matter also encourage moss and mold growth.
  
  Interestingly it was found that even though materials like mud concrete block and geo polymerized earth blocks have high organic matter, their less surface roughness helped to reduce the moss growth and mold growth. And also, plastering can emphatically reduce the speed of mold growth and moss growth.
• Viel, Marie, Florence Collet, Yann Lecieux, Marc Louis Maurice François, Valentin Colson, Christophe Lanos, Atif Hussain, and Mike Lawrence. RESISTANCE TO MOLD DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT OF BIO-BASED BUILDING MATERIALS [PDF] Composites Part B: Engineering 158 (2019): 406-418.
  
  Abstract
  Nowadays, insulating building materials are developed from the valorization of agro-resources. They show high ecological and hygrothermal performance. Before making them available on the market, there is a need to classify them according to their decay resistance.
  
  This paper aims to propose a test method that qualifies bio-based composites with respect to their performance.
  
  An accelerated aging test was carried out on 5 composites made with two different agro-resources (hemp and rape) and with different binders. It consists of exposing the specimens to (30 °C; 90% RH) for three months.
  
  During the test, the specimens are regularly weighed and photographed. The sample mass and the percentage of surface contaminated by fungi are measured along the test. Finally, a microscopic view allows identifying the species of the developed molds.

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2023-04-01 by Cheryl - hollow clay block construction with plaster proved very mold-resistant

In 1945 this mini house was constructed with hollow clay tiles all the way to the peak of the roof.

Photo 1 - [Click to enlarge any image]

The same tiles in the walls were covered with a layer of white plaster, styrofoam over that, then sheetrock.

Now, a roof hole caused the sheetrock to mold.

When I removed a section of the sheetrock and stryofoam, the plaster was PRISTINE. I'd say the vintage clay tiles with plaster have held up really well !

Photo 2 shows after sheet rock and styrofoam removed from the plaster over the old hollow clay tile. PRISTINE.

Photo 3 is the moldy sheetrock that sat on that plaster-covered clay tile for 2 years, and NONE of the mold transferred to the plaster-clay tile. I'd say that's a great vintage product.

On 2023-04-01 by InspectApedia Editor (mod)

@Cheryl,

These are great photos that illustrate your point: some building materials, including traditional hollow clay tile walls coated with plaster, are far more mold-resistant than more-modern wall coverings such as drywall.

I've seen similar results across many building inspections and mold investigations. Particularly, the paper on drywall is mold-friendly, even in more mold-resistant drywall, and also I think that the moisture uptake of gypsum board is a bit greater than plaster.

I also think that the chemistry of plaster is a significant contributor to its mold resistance. It's not "mold proof" but invariably we see less-extensive mold on plaster surfaces than on wood, drywall, wallpaper, etc.

Please tell us the location of the building: country and city would be enough.

Continuing: these articles may interest you

MOLD RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION - you are on thiis page - I'll copy your photos and comments to that page as there your notes may help other readers.

DRYWALL MOLD RESISTANT https://inspectapedia.com/interiors/Mold_Resistant_Drywall.php

and this PhD thesis

Sedlbauer, Klaus. PREDICTION OF MOULD FUNGUS FORMATION ON THE SURFACE OF AND INSIDE BUILDING COMPONENTS [PDF] Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (2001): 75-141.

I'd add that it's interesting that gypsum-board exterior building sheathing, often used behind brick veneer walls that leaked, was also rather mold-resistant, perhaps because of measures taken to make it moisture/water resistant.

See that material described at

SHEATHING, GYPSUM BOARD 

DF

Question: Best plan for removing mold on wood flooring and ceilings & preventing its reappearance

Our builder is constructing a log cabin for us during the hot, moist summer months. The roof has not been fully completed so the interior structure has been exposed to many afternoon rains (as of August 15, 2011).

Tongue and groove eastern white pine flooring provides the flooring for 2nd floor as well as ceiling for 1st floor. Both sides of the T & G will be visible in the completed log cabin. Dark staining and spotting from mold/mildew growth has appeared on the T & G flooring in many, repeat...many, places and needs to be addressed in a timely and correct manner.

The metal roof will be installed in one week. Windows and doors are not installed yet. What is your recommendation as to the best procedure and plan of action to remediate this unsightly, unhealthy, and disturbing occurrence? - Brenda Eller

Reply: After Building Dry-In, Use Sanding, HEPA Vacuuming, Media Blasting, Use of Clear Fungicidal Sealants & Floor Coatings to remove mold and prevent future mold growth

Brenda you're right that white pine T&G flooring easily supports mold growth, particularly when wet and before it has received any finish coating.

The building has to be at the dry-in state so that you can dry out all interior materials and keep them dry, else cleaning costs and effort may be wasted.

If the upper side of your T&G flooring is to be sanded before finishing, that'll do the trick to remove problem mold on the upper floor surfaces.

The under-side can also be wiped, & HEPA vacuumed, but I suspect that won't remove stains nor even mold left in hard-to-reach crevices. If mold is left in flooring crevices it will sometimes reappear below a coating, making future cleaning still tougher.

So you might want to consider cleaning the underside as well as other irregular surfaces that are moldy using media blasting.

At MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD you'll see in that article series an article on using media blasting to clean surfaces

MOLD CLEANUP - MEDIA BLASTING along with some photos of what an impressive job that method can perform.

When surfaces are clean if you coat them with two or even three layers of clear polyurethane that will reduce moisture up-take in the wood and thus resist future mold appearance. If wood is to be stained of course you'll do that before applying poly.

There are also clear sealants used by some mold remediation companies that might work well on the under-side of floors (ceilings) where the wood is to be left exposed. I wouldn't use those on the walk-on surfaces unless the manufacturer agrees that their sealant is hard enough for floor traffic.

Clear fungicidal sealants suitable for use where wood ceilings or framing are to be left exposed are illustrated

at FUNGICIDAL SEALANT USE GUIDE

Question: how can we prevent mold growth in timeshare units located in the Caribbean?

Hello, we are a timeshare company based in the Caribbean. The area is extremely humid thus we have a lot of mold issues. Are you aware of any remedy/product available to prevent mold from growing also on lampshades and wall paintings?

All our lampshades become moldy after a period of time. We were wondering if it exist any type of spray that can act as a coating.

Thank you for the information you can give us. - D.C.

Reply: recommendations for preventing indoor mold in a hot humid climate & for minimizing the risk of mold damage or hazards

A competent onsite inspection by an expert usually finds additional clues that help accurately diagnose a problem with indoor moisture and moisture control - the gating factors in the mold growth problem you describe.

Our photo above illustrates several types of buildings located in a hot humid climate in la Manzanilla on Mexico's West coast.

We did not find significant mold contamination problems in these structures, as I explain further below.

Because all mold is everywhere all the time, when the indoor environment is particularly friendly to one or several mold genera/species that like to grow on common building materials and surfaces (drywall, carpets, furnishings, painted surfaces, lampshades, wall paintings), it will grow there.

What those building and building-contents loving molds need are food, air, and water. Of those three, the most effective approach, as it protects so many materials against mold growth, is to stop building leaks and keep indoor humidity levels down below 50% (perhaps even 40% in some cases).

• Use air conditioning or dehumidification 
  
  to keep indoor humidity down below 50%, or I prefer 45%;
  
  when a living unit is unoccupied you can probably leave the A/C set to a high temperature, as long as it's just a bit below the outdoor temperature levels - that will cause the system to run enough to help dehumidify the building interior.
  
  You may need to experiment with thermostat settings, and automatic setbacks to find the best balance point between minimizing energy usage costs and minimizing the risk of costly mold damage.

If you do not use indoor cooling and/or dehumidification, then indeed what's left is to

• Mold resistant materials:
  
  do what you can to use mold-resistant materials when buying new furnishings or when remodeling or repairing one of your living units. In the article above, beginning
  
  at MOLD RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION we list some approaches to making your building as mold resistant as you can.
• Test some fungicidal sealants 
  
  on clean dry surfaces that have been a problem.
  
  These products can retard mold growth primarily (in my OPINION) by sealing the surface of a material to reduce moisture uptake (clear sealants are available) and secondarily by having included chemicals in the sealant coating that make the coating itself resistant to mold growth.
  
  Details are at FUNGICIDAL SPRAY & SEALANT USE GUIDE

• Indoor ventilation,
  
   where cooling and dehumidification are not being used, is a more tricky question. If we bring hot humid air into an interior space that is cooler than the outdoors, moisture may condense on or in interior surfaces and materials, making the mold problem or mold risk worse.
  
  On the other hand, if indoor and outdoor temperatures move together, such as occurs in living quarters that are completely open to the outdoors in some tropical areas, increased use of ventilation and fans may actually help reduce risk by improving the indoor evaporation rate.
  
  In our photo (left) I'm enjoying coffee in a restaurant on Mexico's Pacific coast (La Manzanilla).
  
  Construction is so open to outdoor air that the building and its contents remain very well ventilated. I did not see any mold problems in this building nor on its contents, even though it is located in a hot humid climate.
• Inspect regularly for mold contamination and act promptly to clean up the mold -
  
  that means removing it from surfaces that can be cleaned, and disposing of stuff that can't be cleaned, as well as checking for unusual causes of mold growth such as leaks or improperly functioning air conditioners or dehumidifiers.
  
  Regular inspections can be particularly important in your circumstances because of the combination of a very humid environment, high temperatures, and living units that may remain unoccupied for long periods, risking extensive and thus expensive mold contamination if a problem is left un-checked.
• Mold on artworks:
  
  We have assisted several museums & curators with mold diagnosis, cure, & prevention on works of art.
  
  Beyond the control of indoor humidity that we've already discussed, specific steps you'll want to take will depend on the materials used and the value of the paintings or works of art in your buildings.
  
  No valuable artwork should be sprayed or coated with a fungicidal sealant, certainly not before consulting with an expert art conservationist.
  
  However it may be possible to frame, enclose, or treat the back surface of some paintings without damaging the work itself nor impinging on its artistic or monetary value. Take care to distinguish between mold growth and other types of moisture-damage to artworks such as extractive bleeding stains.
  
  Other artworks we have examined suffered severe mold damage, including a wide range of media such as paper-based prints and lithographs or etchings and oil paintings on canvas. Some examples of mold contamination of art works that we've examined are found
  
  at ARTWORK MOLD CONTAMINATION.
  
  At  ART CONSERVATION - Cultural Heritage and Aerobiology we describe a text that offers some help in controlling mold and other sources of damage to paintings as well as other cultural artifacts.

Watch out: There may also be health risks to some of your occupants, particularly those with asthma, mold allergies, the elderly, infants, or people with compromised immune systems.

...

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

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• DRYWALL MOLD RESISTANT
• FUNGICIDAL SEALANT USE GUIDE
• FLOOD-CAUSED MOLD, PREVENTION
• HIDDEN MOLD, HOW TO FIND
• MOLD GROWTH on SURFACES - what mold genera/species are frequently found on various building surfaces and materials.
• MOLD GROWTH ON SURFACES, PHOTOS
• MOLD SANITIZER, SPRAY, BIOCIDE USE GUIDE
• MOLD PREVENTION AFTER FLOODING
• MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE
• SHEATHING, GYPSUM BOARD - mold-resistant in older buildings

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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

• BASEMENT MOISTURE CONTROL [PDF] U.S. Department of Energy
• Building Failures, Diagnosis & Avoidance, 2d Ed., W.H. Ransom, E.& F. Spon, New York, 1987 ISBN 0-419-14270-3
• Building Pathology, Deterioration, Diagnostics, and Intervention, Samuel Y. Harris, P.E., AIA, Esq., ISBN 0-471-33172-4, John Wiley & Sons, 2001 [General building science-DF] ISBN-10: 0471331724 ISBN-13: 978-0471331728
• Building Pathology: Principles and Practice, David Watt, Wiley-Blackwell; 2 edition (March 7, 2008) ISBN-10: 1405161035 ISBN-13: 978-1405161039
• CRAWL SPACE MOISTURE CONTROL [PDF] U.S. Department of Energy
• Design of Wood Structures - ASD, Donald E. Breyer, Kenneth Fridley, Kelly Cobeen, David Pollock, McGraw Hill, 2003, ISBN-10: 0071379320, ISBN-13: 978-0071379328
  This book is an update of a long-established text dating from at least 1988 (DJF); Quoting:
  This book is gives a good grasp of seismic design for wood structures. Many of the examples especially near the end are good practice for the California PE Special Seismic Exam design questions. It gives a good grasp of how seismic forces move through a building and how to calculate those forces at various locations. THE CLASSIC TEXT ON WOOD DESIGN UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE LATEST CODES AND DATA. Reflects the most recent provisions of the 2003 International Building Code and 2001 National Design Specification for Wood Construction. Continuing the sterling standard set by earlier editions, this indispensable reference clearly explains the best wood design techniques for the safe handling of gravity and lateral loads. Carefully revised and updated to include the new 2003 International Building Code, ASCE 7-02 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, the 2001 National Design Specification for Wood Construction, and the most recent Allowable Stress Design.
• Diagnosing & Repairing House Structure Problems, Edgar O. Seaquist, McGraw Hill, 1980 ISBN 0-07-056013-7 (obsolete, incomplete, missing most diagnosis steps, but very good reading; out of print but used copies are available at Amazon.com, and reprints are available from some inspection tool suppliers). Ed Seaquist was among the first speakers invited to a series of educational conferences organized by D Friedman for ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors, where the topic of inspecting the in-service condition of building structures was first addressed.
• Domestic Building Surveys, Andrew R. Williams, Kindle book, Amazon.com
• Defects and Deterioration in Buildings: A Practical Guide to the Science and Technology of Material Failure, Barry Richardson, Spon Press; 2d Ed (2001), ISBN-10: 041925210X, ISBN-13: 978-0419252108. Quoting:
  A professional reference designed to assist surveyors, engineers, architects and contractors in diagnosing existing problems and avoiding them in new buildings. Fully revised and updated, this edition, in new clearer format, covers developments in building defects, and problems such as sick building syndrome. Well liked for its mixture of theory and practice the new edition will complement Hinks and Cook's student textbook on defects at the practitioner level.
• Guide to Domestic Building Surveys, Jack Bower, Butterworth Architecture, London, 1988, ISBN 0-408-50000 X
• Historic Preservation Technology: A Primer, Robert A. Young, Wiley (March 21, 2008) ISBN-10: 0471788368 ISBN-13: 978-0471788362
• LOG HOMES: MINIMIZING AIR LEAKAGE [PDF] U.S. Department of Energy
• Masonry structures: The Masonry House, Home Inspection of a Masonry Building & Systems, Stephen Showalter (director, actor), DVD, Quoting:
  
  Movie Guide Experienced home inspectors and new home inspectors alike are sure to learn invaluable tips in this release designed to take viewers step-by-step through the home inspection process. In addition to being the former president of the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI), a longstanding member of the NAHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), and the Environmental Standard Organization (IESO), host Stephen Showalter has performed over 8000 building inspections - including environmental assessments. Now, the founder of a national home inspection school and inspection training curriculum shares his extensive experience in the inspection industry with everyday viewers looking to learn more about the process of evaluating homes. Topics covered in this release include: evaluation of masonry walls; detection of spalling from rebar failure; inspection of air conditioning systems; grounds and landscaping; electric systems and panel; plumbing supply and distribution; plumbing fixtures; electric furnaces; appliances; evaluation of electric water heaters; and safety techniques. Jason Buchanan --Jason Buchanan, All Movie Review
• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
• In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested
  
  CONTINUE READING or RECOMMENDED ARTICLES.

• Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
  
  Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The HOME REFERENCE BOOK - the Encyclopedia of Homes and to use illustrations from The ILLUSTRATED HOME .
  
  Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.

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