toxic mold
#1
08-08-02, 06:59 PM
toxic mold
Since this subject is in the news now, and I personally
know a couple of people who have had to move out of their
home for mold remediation treatment, I am wondering if any of
you have had experience with mold in your attic (or for that matter any where else in your house). If so, how
did you detect it? how did you treat it? I don't think I have
it in our attic, but would like to know how to determine if I DO
have a problem. Any ideas or knowledge you have would certainly be appreciated.
know a couple of people who have had to move out of their
home for mold remediation treatment, I am wondering if any of
you have had experience with mold in your attic (or for that matter any where else in your house). If so, how
did you detect it? how did you treat it? I don't think I have
it in our attic, but would like to know how to determine if I DO
have a problem. Any ideas or knowledge you have would certainly be appreciated.
#2
08-10-02, 10:58 AM
Member
#3
08-12-02, 10:55 AM
We have a room airconditioner in the bedroom. I noticed what I thought was dust on the louvers where the air comes out. Closer inspection revealed that it was mold. I took the front off and looked inside to see lots of mold. Then took it out of the window to look further inside and found even more mold. We have two small window air conditioners, one had mold, and the other only had it on the louvers, but not inside. But both had styrofoam casing inside, and what is interesting is that the painted pattern on the styrofoam looks like mold. However, on one of our acs it WAS definitely mold. Today we are having our central ac checked for mold by a professional.
#4
08-13-02, 05:26 AM
Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Oklahoma City
Posts: 653
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Window A/C's
Must be cleaned ANNUALLY to prevent dust buildup on the evaporator coil.
Mold grows on the damp dirty coil.
Oversizing the A/C will increase humidty and also create mold problems.
Mold grows on the damp dirty coil.
Oversizing the A/C will increase humidty and also create mold problems.
#5
08-13-02, 03:51 PM
Greetings,
This a BIG subject, and can be deadly too.
I just inspected a building this morning that our church was considering to buy and use. I gave it a failing recommendation because of the mold present in the building. Although I can rehab most frame buildings using the metallic radiant barriers I sell and install, this was too much. And since there are going to be children present, that could be deadly.
Although much of the problem lies in older BRICK homes that have roof leaks the more common and un noticed problem is the frame homes using fiber glass insulation, foam and celulose insulation. Particularly fiberglass. I have never remodled a fiber glass home that did not have mold, contrary to the statements on the label. The process of rehab is to remove the drywall and remove the fiberglass If really severe spray the wood with clorox solution. Let dry. Install a 2 layer radiant barrier insulation. They do not condensate moisture, no mold. To prevent residual mold from coming thru the new drywall install a single ply radiant barrier over the studs, top and bottom plate.
I was talking to geodesic dome mfgr this week end and he told me about a customer of his that used fiberglass last winter while under construction. The batts started falling out from the weight of the ice forming 1" thick on thre outer sides of the batts. THe manufacturer has now switched to radiant barriers.
If tyhe attic has not been affected, install a radiant barrier over the TOP of the attic insulation. (special instuctions) This will reduce the a/c costs and lower the existing insulation temperature to a point where it is more difficult for mold to form.
Insurance companies will not usually cover mold problems. If builders would stop using fiberglass then the problem would, for the most part go away.
You may not be able to smell the mold in your home because you are use to it. I was in one home recently and the mold odor nearly knocked me over. The home owner could not smell it.
Even though the mold may not kill you it can, and most often does, have insidious effects on the famialy that can not be traced.
Check the internet for Fiberglass lawsuites and fiberglass health problems. There's alot out there.
Under no circumstances let someone tell you that you can replace the existing with the same material a put a heavier plastic film up to cover. That's fraud.
Thank you for considering my opinion.
This a BIG subject, and can be deadly too.
I just inspected a building this morning that our church was considering to buy and use. I gave it a failing recommendation because of the mold present in the building. Although I can rehab most frame buildings using the metallic radiant barriers I sell and install, this was too much. And since there are going to be children present, that could be deadly.
Although much of the problem lies in older BRICK homes that have roof leaks the more common and un noticed problem is the frame homes using fiber glass insulation, foam and celulose insulation. Particularly fiberglass. I have never remodled a fiber glass home that did not have mold, contrary to the statements on the label. The process of rehab is to remove the drywall and remove the fiberglass If really severe spray the wood with clorox solution. Let dry. Install a 2 layer radiant barrier insulation. They do not condensate moisture, no mold. To prevent residual mold from coming thru the new drywall install a single ply radiant barrier over the studs, top and bottom plate.
I was talking to geodesic dome mfgr this week end and he told me about a customer of his that used fiberglass last winter while under construction. The batts started falling out from the weight of the ice forming 1" thick on thre outer sides of the batts. THe manufacturer has now switched to radiant barriers.
If tyhe attic has not been affected, install a radiant barrier over the TOP of the attic insulation. (special instuctions) This will reduce the a/c costs and lower the existing insulation temperature to a point where it is more difficult for mold to form.
Insurance companies will not usually cover mold problems. If builders would stop using fiberglass then the problem would, for the most part go away.
You may not be able to smell the mold in your home because you are use to it. I was in one home recently and the mold odor nearly knocked me over. The home owner could not smell it.
Even though the mold may not kill you it can, and most often does, have insidious effects on the famialy that can not be traced.
Check the internet for Fiberglass lawsuites and fiberglass health problems. There's alot out there.
Under no circumstances let someone tell you that you can replace the existing with the same material a put a heavier plastic film up to cover. That's fraud.
Thank you for considering my opinion.
#6
08-13-02, 04:27 PM
Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Oklahoma City
Posts: 653
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Are you saying get rid of FG ??
Are you saying it's possible to insulate an entire house with only radiant barriers/ no fiberglass ??
It sure would be a LOT easier to add a radiant barrier to an outside wall when installing vinyl siding than to get some FG in there !!
It sure would be a LOT easier to add a radiant barrier to an outside wall when installing vinyl siding than to get some FG in there !!
#7
08-14-02, 08:07 AM
Greetings,
Not only possible, I have been doing it for about 30 years. In that time I have not found any thing that beats radiant barriers (RB). That's why more and more of it is being sold. Since it sounds as if you want to remodel, then here is what to do. NUMBER ONE!!!!!!! DO NOT USE VINYL SIDING. That's a 30 year freebe piece of advice. Install steel siding. If you don't have anyone to instruct the way to cut and install, let me know.
Keep in mind that with RB you have 95+% efficency as opposed to about 10% for bulk types. No condensation, therefore no mold or dryrot. No carcenogenic fibers or chemicals. What do you want surrounding you in your home?
If you have mold problems, WHICH YOU SHOULD FIND OUT FIRST, putting a RB over the outside will not aleviate the residual mold spores from entering the house although the mold may stop growing because you're helping the FG to stabilize its temperature at a lower point. If you do have mold and have to strip the inside and rehab as I outlined earlier, you can still put a perforated RB on the outside to help reduce air infiltration and reduce the heat gain/loss thru the studs besides the air.
When doing this work, inside/outside, remove a good mold source from around the windows(FG) , treat with clorox solution, dry and run a bead of low expansion foam in the crack. DO NOT FILL THE CRACK WITH FOAM, a little bead will do it. If you need new windows install wood with alum exterior, Marvin or Hurd are good choices. Don't waste your money on vinyl. Get lo-e glass too.
Install a double RB system over the existing attic insulation.
Install a ridge vent, cor-a-vent.com , and soffit vent.
Over a 12 year period I did alot of homes this way and t a 50%+ reduction in HVAC costs was common. If you install a new 95% efficient gas furnace, that will do wonders too. Should get you into geotherm operating costs.
Too bad builders don't do this up front when the cost is the same or slightly higher than present method, but then, the six pak, bass boat and big TV come first.
Thank you for considering my opinion.
Not only possible, I have been doing it for about 30 years. In that time I have not found any thing that beats radiant barriers (RB). That's why more and more of it is being sold. Since it sounds as if you want to remodel, then here is what to do. NUMBER ONE!!!!!!! DO NOT USE VINYL SIDING. That's a 30 year freebe piece of advice. Install steel siding. If you don't have anyone to instruct the way to cut and install, let me know.
Keep in mind that with RB you have 95+% efficency as opposed to about 10% for bulk types. No condensation, therefore no mold or dryrot. No carcenogenic fibers or chemicals. What do you want surrounding you in your home?
If you have mold problems, WHICH YOU SHOULD FIND OUT FIRST, putting a RB over the outside will not aleviate the residual mold spores from entering the house although the mold may stop growing because you're helping the FG to stabilize its temperature at a lower point. If you do have mold and have to strip the inside and rehab as I outlined earlier, you can still put a perforated RB on the outside to help reduce air infiltration and reduce the heat gain/loss thru the studs besides the air.
When doing this work, inside/outside, remove a good mold source from around the windows(FG) , treat with clorox solution, dry and run a bead of low expansion foam in the crack. DO NOT FILL THE CRACK WITH FOAM, a little bead will do it. If you need new windows install wood with alum exterior, Marvin or Hurd are good choices. Don't waste your money on vinyl. Get lo-e glass too.
Install a double RB system over the existing attic insulation.
Install a ridge vent, cor-a-vent.com , and soffit vent.
Over a 12 year period I did alot of homes this way and t a 50%+ reduction in HVAC costs was common. If you install a new 95% efficient gas furnace, that will do wonders too. Should get you into geotherm operating costs.
Too bad builders don't do this up front when the cost is the same or slightly higher than present method, but then, the six pak, bass boat and big TV come first.
Thank you for considering my opinion.
