When Mold Takes Hold
by Erica Schloeder
Most of us recognize mold as the black, white and green hair that tells
us it’s time to get a new loaf of bread. What many of us don’t
know is that sometimes it takes up residence in our walls and, as such,
in the air we breathe.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Web site, molds
are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or
damp spot and begin growing. Once indoors, molds have the potential to
cause health problems, as they produce allergens (substances that can
cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic
substances (mycotoxins).
Molds are a part of the natural environment. Outdoors, molds play a part
in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and
dead trees; indoors, mold growth should be avoided.
Kim Howard, of Environmental Management Associates, Inc., said mold is
pretty much unavoidable.
“Mold is so ubiquitous that it is present in nearly every home,”
Kim said, warning that there are “a lot of media biases when it
comes to understanding mold.”
“The media sometimes exaggerates the issue, to the point of frightening
people unnecessarily. Now obviously, when there is mold present it needs
to be addressed, especially before it becomes a huge issue. But a small
amount of mold is not necessarily going to kill anyone,” Kim added.
A white powdery substance on the wall of a basement, indicative of previous
moisture, may look like Aspergillus-type mold but could also be mineral
efflorescence.
Anco Environmental Services, Inc., is involved in the actual remediation
of the mold, using the guidelines from the EPA document, “Mold Remediation
in Schools and Commercial Buildings,” which can be found on the
Web site www.epa.gov/mold.
Anco’s Matt Bagnoli agrees that while mold should not be ignored,
some faint indications of mold are just that. However, they can tell the
homeowner that mold may be present there in the future.
“Homeowners should constantly look for water stains on drywall.
On foundation walls, paint chipping off is another sign that something
is starting to work its way through the cinderblock. One of the first
things that people notice is the musty odor. Mold releases microbial volatile
organic chemicals as it grows, which cause an odor in the air,”
Matt said. “The mustiness itself is not always a guarantee of mold
being present, but it does indicate high humidity levels, which often
cause mold.”
TYPES OF MOLD
Aspergillus and Penicillum molds are present in the air almost everywhere.
Cladosporium is often found on lumber. Stachybotrys is of particular interest
because it has the capability to produce mycotoxins (substances harmful
to human health) and it prefers cellulose based materials – such
as drywall. When these porous cellulose-based materials become saturated,
it is not enough that they be cleaned, as the hyphae (part of the mold
spore) embeds itself in the paper. When moisture conditions are suitable,
the mold will regrow.
ASSESSMENT AND REMOVAL
Kim holds a master’s degree in Environmental Studies with a specialization
in Environmental Management, but considers herself an expert through personal
experience.
“I had a large construction project involving my own home, I understood
inspections and building codes, and applied that knowledge to my own inspections.
Understanding vapor barriers, grading, proper ventilation systems and
even some of the issues associated with certain siding types like Exterior
Insulation and Finishing Systems (EIFS) has helped me to give a complete
assessment of the situation to address the moisture problems leading to
the mold growth in the first place.”
She said the work EMA does is an important part of the remediation process,
and that it is a good idea to have a separate company (that isn’t
doing the remediation, if necessary) assess the mold, both before and
after the remediation to make sure it was thorough.
Anco ensures the finality of the problem through their methods in adherence
to the EPA guidelines, noted Matt.
“The process involves installing an air-scrubber, which also acts
as a negative air machine. The contaminated areas are then scraped and
vacuumed using HEPA-filtered vacuums. Next, a biocide is applied to kill
any residual mold not yet cleaned. The biocide we use is Microban. The
contaminated areas are then vacuumed again. The final step is applying
a paint which contains an anti-microbial chemical to resist the re-growth
of mold.”
He said another method used in remediation, fogging a room with biocide,
is sometimes used within a wall cavity and may kill the mold present but
does not remove it.
Both environmental service professionals said though mold may be dangerous
to your health, the individual health effects of mold are subjective and
vary from person to person. For that reason, the Center for Disease Control
recommends that mold present in occupied areas be remediated due to the
possibility of causing illness.
Matt concluded that people should keep in mind the mold remediation business
is fairly new still, and that “as of right now, there are no permissible
exposure limits set.”
This means that a mold remediation company cannot determine what base
amount of mold exposure is safe for everyone, as a person’s reaction
to mold is subjective.
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