Recently a client called me to ask for our help in removing mold from thier home.
As we spoke on the the phone Mrs. “D” shared with me the history of her families experience with the mold in thier home.
Case Study:
Husband Michael wanted to run cables and speaker wires in his home for a new home theatre system he had purchased. While running speaker wires from room to room he discovered what he thought to be mold growing on approximately eighty percent of the floor joists. Addoitionally he noted a wet area and a large black slimy growth under his kitchen. On further examaination he discovered the culpret was a leaking water supply line to the refrigerator. He had hooked up the supply line some three years prior by himself.
Concerned about the structural impact that mold could have on his home he vowed to “kill it” after he had completed his wiring runs.
Michael got sick within hours of his exit from the crawl space. Michael was no wearing a resperator or any type of personal protective equiptment. Michaels seven year old daughter Rena also developed a resperatory problem which lasted about thirty days. Mrs. D continued. Michael had a bad cough and sinus problems that wooud not go away. After missing work for two days he went to the doctor and got a persription for something to relieve his symptoms. It worked great , for the two weeks he took it, then his respratory symptoms resumed for a few more weeks.
Fealing better a month or so after his initial journey into the crawl space Michael tackeld repairing the refrigerator water supply line. The repair was easy. While replacing the leaking fitting on the back of the refergerator Michael noticed that the vinyl floor under it was very soft and discolored. While the refergerator was pulled out he decided to lift the vinyl flooring and have a look. Hummm………yep you gussed it, moldy slimy stuff and the subfloor boards were deteorating in about a six by fourteen inch area.
After confering with his neighbor Michael returned home to the laundry room and got out some chlorine bleach to “kill” the mold. Hi daughterReana was coughing and sneezing again. Mrs. D asked him what he was doing as Michael was filling his garden sprayer with water and bleach. “I’m going to kill the mold. Everyone knows that bleach kills mold”. (Well thats what his neighbor told him.)
Mrs. D decided to take Reana out for a walk and fresh air. (Good Idea!) After an hour or so Reana felt better and they returned home to see what daddy was doing.
The house reaked of chlorine bleach. The odor was so strong Mrs. D opened all of the windows to ventalate. Calling for her husband there was no response. She found him in the bathroom. Vomiting the contents of his stomach in the the toilet. After an hour or so Michael went to bed and slept for hours. He was sick for nearly a week again.
Mrs. D ended up pushing the refrigerator back into into its nest between the cabinets and forbid her husband to ever work on the mold issues again.
After hearing her story I shared a few facts with her.
1. Chlorine Bleach does not kill mold. A possible exception is on vinyl siding when applied to mildew growths. Chlorine does not absorb into building materials and therfore cannot kill the Hypha (mold roots) thus the mold will “comeback”. Chlorine Bleach causes the mold to “go transparent”. Just because you can’t see it does not mean its gone.
2. Chlorine Bleach is a highly TOXIC solution. In high enough concentrations chlorine can damage your louges.
3. Personel Protective Equiptment is a must! One should never work around areas of mold or go into a crawl space without a resperator, gloves and a protective suit. Comtaminating your clothing means you take it into your house and spread the spores and toxicity within in your home. Remember Reana?
4. Call a professional and have a proper inspection and testing performed first. Proper treatment can be prescribed and steps can be taken to protect your family.
5. Mold removal or Mold Remediation is not a do it yourself project. Your familys health is at stake.
Final thoughts:
We were contracted to inspect the home and provide testing. After a proper remediation and sanitization of the home the family is enjoying good health and comfort. Mr. D has promised to use his sprayer only in the garden and not touch Mrs. D’s laundry bleach. Mr. D now owns (compliments of Volunteer Mold and Indoor AirQuality) a proper resperator and full cover jump suit should he need to enter the crawl space again. All is well.
Got a comment or question? Let us hear from you.
Wishing you good health,
Bob
Volunteer Mold and Indoor Air Quality Services
865 385-0170
