getting rid of black mold?
Mary Kate = ) asked:
i live in military housing, me and my neighbor (whose houses are connected) both have black mold and water damage we contacted housing and they are saying all they are gonna do is put a dehumidifier to dry up our water damage and spray something on the mold…..my question is is that enough to make our house safe from mold?? because everywhere i have looked it says the walls need to be torn out and cleaned on the inside and not just the surface
i have a respitory infection and my 8 month old son is also coughing and congested my neighbor has 3 kids 2 of which also have respitory infections the mold only started growing we think about 1 1/2 months ago from something leaking in our houses
Black Mold
i live in military housing, me and my neighbor (whose houses are connected) both have black mold and water damage we contacted housing and they are saying all they are gonna do is put a dehumidifier to dry up our water damage and spray something on the mold…..my question is is that enough to make our house safe from mold?? because everywhere i have looked it says the walls need to be torn out and cleaned on the inside and not just the surface
i have a respitory infection and my 8 month old son is also coughing and congested my neighbor has 3 kids 2 of which also have respitory infections the mold only started growing we think about 1 1/2 months ago from something leaking in our houses
Black Mold
Related posts:
Black Mold
Depends on the type of mold. There are thousands of species of mold that is black in color. The mold on roses is black in color and no one has died from smelling the roses. Some are beneficial and some are harmful. To give you an answer, we need to know what type of mold it is.
The average american house has 600 – 800 mold spores per liter of air. That means you have been breathing the mold spores. If they were harmful, you would be sick. If you are not sick, you most likely have one of the harmless type, like the mold that grows in your shower or bath tub when it isn’t cleaned regularly.
Black Mold
Black mold is toxic to babies. It can cause Bleeding Lung Disease. You are correct that the drywall and possibly the wood studs have to be torn out. Your baby should not be in the house. I would get him to the doctor and tell him about the mold. Then I would talk to a lawyer and ask what recourse you have with the military.
Black Mold
If molds are hidden inside or behind the walls, then you will need to tear down the walls to do a thorough cleaning before putting up the new materials. Porous materials like drywall and wood need to be discarded and replaced.
Keep the kids away from the house and consult a doctor with the details of the mold condition in your house.
Try installing an air purifier with ionizer to filter and ionize the air. This will at least filter out certain degree of mold spores presented in the air.
Hope this helps.
Black Mold
The short answer is no it is not enough to make your house safe from mold.
To give you some background: mold is everywhere and like the other person said there are X number mold spores in the air at any given time. So if water is present and a food source (ie. Drywall, sheetrock, carpet, or any porous material) then any mold spores present can begin to form super colonies. This is what we see and call mold. Levels may vary as to spore count per cubic meter but the best way to determine a problem is to verify the outside levels vs. the inside levels. If the inside levels are less then you don’t have a problem. Also verifying that the species or genus present are the same as the ones present in the outside. If you have species growing inside that are not found in the samples taken outside then you have a problem.
There are many different theories on remediation in the sources below there is some good information about it but a general overview would be as follows:
1. Sample to determine the extent of the problem.
2. Determine the source of the water and repair it.
3. Remediate the mold in the air and on surfaces.
4. Remove Damaged materials (drywall, carpet, framing, etc.).
5. Sample again to determine if the problem has been resolved.
You do need to be especially careful if this mold is toxin producing and stachybotrys chartarum as this has been linked to Infant Death Syndrome, and bleeding lung. This link will give you an idea of some of the symptoms associated with mold exposure. Also understand that children and the elderly are the most at risk when it comes to mold because their immune systems are not fully functioning.