removing mold?

Question

i am having a modular home being built. due to numerous circumstances the house had lots of water damage. the ceiling sheetrock has come down and many of the sheetrock walls are wet and have molds.what is the best way to remove mold and will mold form on the wood support stucture. if so how do i kill the mold

Answer 1

Hope this information helps Good Luck !

Remove Mold for a Healthy Home
AE-1202, April 2001
Kenneth Hellevang, Ph.D., Engineer, NDSU Extension Service


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Exposure to mold can cause cold-like symptoms, respiratory problems, nasal and sinus congestion, watery eyes, sore throat, coughing and skin irritations, and can trigger asthma attacks. Because some mold spores are very small and can easily be breathed deeply into the lungs, it is not safe to live in houses with high mold levels. Exposure to high mold spore levels can cause development of an allergy to mold. People can react to mold whether it is living or dead.

Everyone should minimize their exposure to mold. Children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with existing respiratory sensitivities are at higher risk for adverse health effects from mold. Some people are affected when exposed to very little mold, while others may show no adverse health symptoms when exposed to mold.

If you can smell a musty odor or see mold, you have a mold problem. Reliable sampling for mold can be expensive since it requires special equipment and training. Testing is not generally recommended as a first step.



Where to Look for Mold
Mold grows on organic materials, such as paper, dirt, wood and soap scum. Mold grows on moist materials, so mold growth is likely in areas wet by water leaks, flooding, humidity levels above about 70 percent and condensation. Any flooded area that was not completely dried within about one day is likely to have mold growth. Walls need to be opened and rapidly dried to prevent mold growth. Any area that is stained from water should be examined for mold growth. Peeling paint may be an indication of wet walls.

Moisture seeping through concrete walls and floors will cause moist conditions likely to cause mold growth on or in walls, carpeting and materials stored in the basement. Mold often grows under cabinets, behind base-boards, inside walls, in carpet padding and under vinyl wall coverings.

An unvented clothes dryer creates a very humid, warm environment conducive to mold growth. Closets may have mold growth if clothing is damp or if there is a cool outside wall in the closet. Also, there is a chance mold might be growing behind furniture, particularly against an outside wall.

Mold will not normally be found in furnace or air-conditioning ducts unless they were flooded because the heated or air-conditioned air is very dry.

Moisture coming through a basement floor or wall may deposit a light-colored salt and other minerals that are sometimes thought to be mold. The deposits should quickly dissolve and disappear when wet with water if they are a salt.



Mold Removal
Since people react to mold whether it is living or dead, the mold must be removed.

Take steps to protect your health during mold removal. Use a mask or respirator that will filter out mold spores. Usually it will be designated as an N95, 3M #1860 or TC-21C particulate respirator. Wear eye protection, rubber gloves and clothing that can be immediately laundered.

Dampen moldy materials before removal to minimize the number of airborne mold spores.

Mold can be removed from hard surfaces such as hard plastic, glass, metal and counter tops by scrubbing with a non-ammonia soap or detergent. (Do not mix ammonia and bleach; the fumes are toxic.)

It is impossible to completely remove mold from porous surfaces such as paper, Sheetrock (drywall) and carpet padding, so these materials should be removed and discarded.

Scrubbing may not completely remove mold growth on structural wood, such as wall studs, so it may need to be removed by sanding. Wear personal protective gear and isolate the work area from the rest of the home.

After the mold is removed, disinfect the area using a bleach and water solution or another disinfectant. The amount of bleach recommended per gallon of water varies considerably. A clean surface requires less bleach than a dirty surface. A solution of ¼ cup bleach to 1 gallon of water should be adequate for clean surfaces. The surface must remain wet for about 15 minutes to allow the solution to disinfect. Concentrations as high as 1½ cups of bleach per gallon of water are recommended for surfaces that could not be thoroughly cleaned. Provide adequate ventilation during disinfecting and wear rubber gloves.

Finally, rinse the entire area with clean water, and then rapidly dry the surfaces. Use fans and dehumidifiers or natural ventilation that exchanges inside air with outside air.



Preventing Mold Growth
The moisture problem must be fixed to prevent future mold growth. Since there are some mold spores everywhere and since mold grows on any wet organic surface, the only way to prevent mold growth is to keep things dry.



Air Cleaners
Air cleaners will not solve a mold problem. A high-efficiency air filter that removes mold spores may reduce the number of spores in the air, but mold spores rapidly settle onto surfaces, such as the floor, where air filters cannot remove them. Filters may reduce the number of mold spores in the air but are not substitutes for removing the mold. Air cleaners that produce ozone are not effective at eliminating mold. Ozone is a lung irritant that should not be in an occupied space.



Eliminating Mold
1. Remove mold and clean surfaces

2. Disinfect

3. Rinse and dry quickly


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This material is based upon work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, under Project Award No. 00-4120-0936.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.


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AE-1202, April 2001


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North Dakota State University and the University of Minnesota offer programs and facilities to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, Vietnam era veterans status or sexual orientation; and are an equal an equal opportunity employer.


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NDSU Extension Service
North Dakota State University

Answer 2

Sorry to say but it is too late to save the walls. If you see mold on the front there is probably twice as much on the back.

They do make a drywall product that is mold resistant. You should remove the affected areas and start over.

If you don't start drying the affected sections within the first 24-48 hours you are screwed. Sorry. I deal with this all the time for my job.

But don't believe all the scary talk about molds. I don't think anything has been proven 100%

Answer 3

Buy a quality brand mould killer eg "Exit Mould". Some work in as little as 3 minutes. Just spray the mould & watch it disappear before ur very eyes. U don't even need to scrub or wipe! But open a window or turn on a fan, it's pretty fumey & don't get it on ur clothes! I used to clean motel rooms (the most disgusting you would ever see) and that is the only thing that worked for me! At home in my bathroom I used an additive to stop mould purchased from a hardware store. Mixed it in with my regular paint & gave my bathroom a fresh coat of paint. No mould ever again!

Answer 4

Bleach kills mold. But, I would have a specialist look into it because if you do this yourself and you don't get all of it, it can seriously come back and cause major health problems.

Answer 5

Bleach and water solution kills most molds but if its the black mold you may have bigger problems on your hands seek a professional and get it tested

Answer 6

I would recommend you the general contractor Dryfast. They are a company that I trust because they work really fastr and efficiently.

Answer 7

Try this

Answer 8

http://www.thermapure.com/