11/5/12

Supplemental Mold Clean-up Advice for Residents of NJ and NY

When can I safely re-occupy my home?

Homes that sustained any flood damage can be expected to be contaminated with visible mold growth, and should not be re-occupied until the necessary mold remediation is performed.  Mold is a national health crisis of epidemic proportions and the health effects from exposure (inhalation, skin contact, and remotely, edibility) can be extremely dangerous to anyone, depending on indoor air counts and length of exposure.

Who should perform mold clean-up work?

There is a general consensus (EPA, CDC, NYC DOHMH) that mold remediation work involving large areas (100 sq ft or 10 ft x 10 ft) should be performed by trained mold remediation personnel. Under normal circumstances, areas exceeding 25 to 30 sq ft should also be remediated by trained personnel who can contain the area and remove the mold effectively and safely.  Personal protective equipment is mandatory. Never use pure bleach.

Removing Salvageable Possessions

Computers, microwaves, window A/C units, and other electronics/appliances containing fans that are housed in moldy rooms should be disposed of regardless of their apparent condition.

TVs, stereo equipment, and other electronics that do not contain fans may be salvageable, and can be cleaned with regular cleaning products.

Photographs and critical documents displaying minor levels of mold growth may be salvageable by wiping with damp paper towels and a mild detergent solution. Freezing these items will retard further growth until professional restoration can be performed.

Valuable artwork can be HEPA vacuumed to remove surface mold. Frames and backings can be wet wiped with a mild detergent solution. Items can then be wrapped in plastic (when dry) and taken for professional restoration.

Mold Remediation Procedures.

Contact Mold Help for approved resources and additional assistance.

Gutting

Many homes display such extensive mold growth that completes ?gutting? is necessary. Gutting should include the removal of all sheetrock and plaster walls and ceilings, all wood lath behind plaster, all non-structural wood studs and joists, all wood flooring, sub-flooring, cabinetry and trims, all vinyl flooring, all windows, all duct work, all water damaged air handlers, all electrical wiring, outlets, fixtures and other equipment (warning: main power line must be disconnected by an electrician before start of work).

Structural wood displaying mold growth should be wire brushed with a detergent/or an effective antimicrobial solution.  When completely dry, wood that continues to display significant mold growth should be encapsulated with a good fungal encapsulate/coating.

Gutting is a mold remediation project, and should be performed only by trained and licensed mold remediation personnel.

NOTE:

The use of products such Vick's Vaporub inserted into nostrils to avoid the stench of mold has been reported as unprotected laborers are gutting houses for piece work prices such as $500.  This is totally unacceptable and below health standards.  Please contact Mold Help to report such abuses.

Sheetrock Constructions

Before removing sheetrock, spray visibly moldy surfaces with water to reduce dust release. Remove with minimum possible disturbance. Remove minimum 1-2 ft beyond visible mold growth on front and back sides. Bag for disposal.

Scrub (abrasive sponge) or wire brush discolored wood studs/joists with detergent/10% bleach solution (or SoftScrub).

When studs/joists are dry, encapsulate with Fosters 40-20 (low toxicity fungicidal/fungistatic paint).

Plaster Constructions

Wet scrape (spray with water) to remove paint and weakened plaster/brown coat.

Remove wood lath boards that were submerged and display visible mold growth.

Scrub (abrasive sponge) or wire brush discolored wood studs/joists with detergent/10% bleach solution (or SoftScrub).

When studs/joists are dry, MH Approved encapsulate (low toxicity fungicidal/fungistatic paint). Look at www.mold-help.com for approved resources that will be published shortly.

Painted Brick/Cement

Wet wire brush (detergent/10% bleach solution) to remove discoloration and precipitate deposits (efflorescence).

Wood Trims

Remove and dispose of swollen doors.

Remove base moldings and inspect back side. If visibly moldy, then dispose of or scrub with detergent 10% bleach solution, allow to dry, and encapsulate.

Wood door frames and window components displaying visible mold may be salvageable by cleaning (SoftScrub/abrasive sponge), then refinishing (may require professional restoration).

Wood Cabinetry (kitchen/bathrooms/built-ins)

Remove and dispose of all cabinetry (fiberboard/plywood) that had been partially or fully submerged or displays severe visible mold. Architectural quality wood cabinetry may be salvageable by cleaning (SoftScrub/abrasive sponge), then refinishing (may require professional restoration). 

Remove any cabinetry that impairs access to affected walls.

Wood Floors

For constructions on piling/piers, buckling will subside. Flooded wood plank floors with two layers of boards or laid over plywood should be removed and disposed of. Single-layer wood plank floors nailed directly to joists may be salvageable. After all other remediation work, HEPA vacuum, then scrub floors with detergent solution to prepare for sanding/re-finishing. Final polyurethane coating will substantially prevent air infiltration from crawl space below.

For constructions on slabs, remove and dispose of flooring and sub-flooring that were submerged.

Ceramic and Vinyl Flooring

Ceramic flooring laid directly onto cement/concrete slabs may require only HEPA vacuuming, then washing with a detergent/10% bleach solution.

Vinyl flooring should be removed and disposed of.

Vinyl or ceramic flooring laid onto plywood should be removed and disposed of, including the plywood. The underlying cement/concrete should be brushed with a detergent/10% bleach solution.

Asbestos Floor Tiles

Pre-1970 rigid floor tiles measuring 8? X 8 or 9 X 9 should be presumed to be asbestos containing tiles. Under normal conditions, these tiles should be removed as an asbestos project in accordance with regulations. While it is a violation to remove these tiles other than as an asbestos project, remediators should understand that saturating these tiles with water will substantially reduce the levels of asbestos released if the incidental disturbance of these tiles is unavoidable.

Heating and Air Conditioning Systems

Remove and dispose of all ductwork and air handling equipment that was submerged. Inspect non-submerged air handlers and ducts for visible mold. Interior fiberglass duct liner may be a problem.

Occupant, Worker and Premise Protection

In two story houses, thoroughly seal-off second floor with poly sheeting (blue tape on ceiling, duct tape poly to blue tape).

Run high power exhaust fan in work area to provide dilution ventilation and to prevent infiltration of airborne mold/bacteria into adjoining spaces.

Warning to contractors and homeowners: personal injury lawyers are already soliciting workers to file personal injury lawsuits for adverse health effects related to remediation work exposures.

Houses that are being gutted must still be considered mold remediation projects. While occupant exposure is not an issue, worker exposure is a huge issue. Re-usable HVAC components must be protected.

Clean up all dust with a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner. Final clean all surfaces with a detergent/10% bleach solution.

Dealing with Mold Remediation Contractors

Hire only a licensed contractor and try to obtain a referral from the IICRC (www.iicrc.org). Get two to three price quotes. Mold Help is currently seeking contractors for some areas.  Keep checking back at the www.mold-help.com source as new remediation companies are currently being evaluated.

Require contractor to provide insurance certificate, naming property owner as insured, with proof of commercial general liability, contractual liability, and pollution (mold) liability.

Ask contractor to provide 5 references on similar jobs, and call re job satisfaction.

Require contractor to submit written proposal that includes:

• Detailed scope of work.
• Detailed plan for occupant, worker and premise protection.
• Provision for final payment being conditional on results of satisfactory third party final inspection and post-remediation air testing.
• Beware of contractors who only recommend fogging/spraying without removing compromised material. Moldy materials must be removed first.  Fogging, enzymes and sparying is not effective or recommended for a water-damaged building.

Rebuild

Do not use sheetrock (paper-faced gypsum board) when rebuilding. It is the refined cellulose content of paper that provides ideal nutrient to support toxic fungal growth in the presence of water damage.  Use fiberglass tape in place of paper tape.  Insulate wall cavities with Styrofoam board in place of fiberglass batting insulation.

Where wood studs/joists are removed, replace with galvanized metal.

Paint walls and ceilings with a mold resistant paint.

Health and Safety Advisories

Mold growing on sheetrock may be Stachybotrys chartarum or Chaetomium, which produces a toxin which has been associated with severe adverse health effects in humans.  See the Mold Help symptoms page for more information on this site.

The whitish/yellowish cotton candy-like mold growth observed in many homes has been identified in limited testing as Fusarium, which may produce a toxin associated with severe adverse health effects.

Mold clean-up activities may result in the release of lead paint dust.  For households with children under the age of 7, lead dust wipe post remediation clearance testing is strongly recommended.

Plaster may contain asbestos.  More extensive testing is required to understand the scope of this potential problem. Plaster can be inexpensively tested for asbestos content.  Remediation of asbestos-containing plaster surfaces poses a severe health risk to workers and occupants.

If you smell a gas leak, there may be a risk of fire or explosion.  Call your utility company.

Stay away from downed power lines and damaged electrical wires.

Carbon monoxide exhaust kills.  Use gas powered generators outdoors only.

Disclaimer: This article is solely the opinion of the above credited author, therefore, does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Mold Help; its contributors, writers, advisors, peers, or affiliates.  Mold Help is not liable for the content of this commentary and does not endorse or agree with this announcement.  MH provides this public service as the civil right to freedom of speech but by doing such; assume no liability of this submission whatsoever.  Any enquiries to the author can be sent to this site and will be forwarded to the author if deemed appropriate.

 11/2/12

Toxic mold is going to become a major catastrophe in the eastern coast states.  This is inevitable.  The problem will become most prevalent during the winter, spring and summer over the next nine months.  Immediate restoration is required as mold can begin growing within 24 to 48 hours once water damage has infiltrated your space.  This includes apartments, offices, homes and cars.  Immediate response is mandatory. 

As of today, the US death toll from Hurricane Sandy has surpassed 80 and close to five million homes and businesses remain without power. In Hoboken, New Jersey officials said nearly 20,000 people are stranded in their homes as crews worked to restore electricity in the area at substations that had flooded, according to the AP. City officials asked for help on Facebook, asking for food trucks, blankets and coats. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie visited Moonachie, one of the hardest hit areas that was flooded from the Hackensack River. Christie has pledged to rebuild the Jersey Shore, where wide sections were flooded and badly damaged.

Residents in New Jersey and New York also had to deal with fuel shortages and long gas lines, though most bus routes were running. Parts of the New York Subway also resumed service today. In Brooklyn, residents at the Red Hook Initiative community center told FSRN that some homes in the area were still without power and people were coming to the center because of a lack of food.

The widespread devastation of Hurricane Sandy and the unusual convergence of storm systems has brought attention to extreme weather, climate change and the threat to coastal communities. In an opinion published in Bloomberg News today, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed Barack Obama, citing climate change as a key factor. Bloomberg, an Independent, said that despite disappointments in Obama’s term, he wanted a president who placed “scientific evidence and risk management above electoral politics.”

For more, we’re joined by Mike Tidwell, author of The Ravaging Tide: Strange Weather, Future Katrinas and the Coming Death of America’s Coastal Cities. He’s also the director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Since there are no governmental guidelines for inspectors and mold remediation companies we suggest you hire an ethical one.  There are many sources to finding a qualified and respectable expert, but we suggest you go to the Indoor Air Quality website at www.iaqa.org to find an inspector and the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification at www.iicrc.org to find the best qualified inspectors and restoration companies in the country.  New York City Guidelines are only a basic certification but the IICRC has the “standard” for mold testing and remediation.  Beware of fly by night companies who have limited training and will take advantage of you monetarily since there are absolutely no governmental guidelines on certifications, permits and licenses.  Beware of so called “mold inspectors” who just come to your home and conduct a “visual inspection” as laboratory testing must be done in order to determine what types of mold you may be exposed to as well as the health effects.

If we don’t take care of the environment, this problem will become much worse.  The media and government want to sweep this health crisis under the rug but you, as consumers, should know the truth.  Exposure to some common household molds can cause permanent neurological, psychological, immunological and pathological damage.  Early intervention is a must as most physicians are trained and therefore biased by the pharmaceutical industry and there is no pill that will cure systemic fungal disease. This occurs when spores are inhaled and mold begins to colonize within the body. 

For more information, please contact the Mold Help organization at 503-763-0808.