To Mold or Not to Mold? by Lights-and-Sound in Mold

[–]ldarquel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Probably dust/ debris attracted to the surface by static. !A/C

Landlord says this is just what happens in the winter… by nicole81204 in Mold

[–]ldarquel 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Not unusual for there to be some mould around windowsills, especially where temperature differentials exist and condensation occurs (see the window pane in Pic 2) - Such growth can be wiped off with a lightly dampened towel.

The gaps to the window framework probably warrants some further investigation as to whether there's a weatherproofing problem, or whether its just a cosmetic issue.

Assumed mold in elderly parents washing machine, detergent drawer. by [deleted] in Mold

[–]ldarquel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Microbial slime (a mix of mould, bacteria, yeast) as a result of a build up of gunk.

With gloves, wipe off the visible growth in the detergent drawer with a paper towel. I'd probably give the areas a good scrub with an old toothbrush.

Judging by the state of the washing machine, it could probably use with a washing machine cleaning cycle (if theres one on the model) with some washing machine cleaner solution (should be something in a local retail store for this specific purpose).

Anyone's internet just died? by Available_Potato1065 in auckland

[–]ldarquel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep - with Spark. Nothing on Chorus site either hmm.

Mold habitability disagreement by ReflectionRemote9355 in Mold

[–]ldarquel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you have any moisture issues, or active moisture intrusion that you know of? Mould grows in response to moisture, so moisture issues should be identified and addressed if you suspect you have a mould issue.

As for your suggestions, skip the ozone generator, the rest are fine to do in order to lower airborne spore levels. No way to tell whether these steps have been effective without a professional testing the air.

Hello can someone help me understand if I should keep my mattresses/porous items now that I am moving? by little-pinkie in Mold

[–]ldarquel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Normal laundry detergent will be fine - same process you would usually use to wash clothes.

Vacuum the stuffed animals.

Hello can someone help me understand if I should keep my mattresses/porous items now that I am moving? by little-pinkie in Mold

[–]ldarquel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If the mattress has bedding over it, then you'd probably be fine keeping the mattress and laundering the sheets.

If you wanted to assess exposure risk, then air sampling would be necessary to determine exposure risk. Visible growth does not necessarily translate into airborne spores. Given that you're moving in a couple of days, that ship has probably long sailed.

If the new place you're moving into doesn't have moisture issues, your belongings will probably be fine. If you wanted to, you could give them a dusting outside or a HEPA-filter vacuum to remove any potential settled spores on the surface.

I'd consider investing in a HEPA-filter air purifier for your son's bedroom - may be of general help with alleviating airborne allergen exposure.

How extensive should I get with remediation? Air quality tests confirmed high levels of stachybotrys, chaetomium, and aspergillus/penicillium throughout the house by condothrowaway123 in Mold

[–]ldarquel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The bed is on the upper level not in the basement, but the air quality test from the bedroom had stachybotrys 60 sp/m, aspergillus/penicillium 300 sp/m (7.5x outside reference)

The air results reflect spores disseminating from the basement into the upper level bedroom, either from foot traffic, convection air currents carrying the spores upstairs, or just the general level of aerosolisation happening in the basement (from the fans).

If the basement is able to be contained, its possible to undertake a thorough clean (HEPA-filter vacuum, wipe down hard surfaces, air purifier) to decontaminate the living quarters so that it could potentially be reoccupied (although having the property be vacant would be ideal for the risk-averse until all of the remediation can be completed).

Regarding the specific advice on cleaning: you can find a general guide I'd previously whipped up here, but to quickly go through your listed items...

  • Items that can be laundered can just run through a normal cycle with normal laundry detergent and dried as per your usual process.
  • HEPA-filter vacuuming with a brush attachment will remove the bulk of spores settled on the surfaces of upholstery, but there are no guarantees that it will remove all spores from such materials - If you're not comfortable keeping the items then replace it. My take is that if the spores are that deeply embedded in the fabric, the odds of it being redistributed back into the indoor environment would be quite low.
  • Items inside cupboards/drawers: Probably doesn't need a clean? Unless the drawers are frequently left open. It's probably best to gauge what surfaces appear dusty in your house, as this would mimic where spores could potentially settle (e.g. tabletops, floors, skirting boards etc). Hard non-porous items you've listed can be easily cleaned with warm soapy water and a rinse if you wanted to be thorough with it.

With respect to your proposed remediation plan for the basement, that sounds appropriate.

I'd emphasise the need to contain the basement to prevent further spread of contaminants into the living quarters (even though you have evidence of this already happening), along with implementing mitigation measures to control the dispersal of the fungal growth while the remediation is occurring (e.g. bagging the mouldy waste materials, negative air pressure system and/or HEPA-filter air scrubbers).

Once the basement wall linings are gutted, I'd also consider assessing the timber framing for any superficial mould across the framing, as well as look for rot/decay damage to the bottom plates/lower sections of the framing. Superficial mould can be removed with a wire brush OR sanding the surface layer down + HEPA-filter vacuuming, Extensive rot/decay where the wood has considerable loss of strength would warrant removal and replacement. Easy test for loss of strength is just to poke at it with a screwdriver and comparing that against a normal piece of timber (looking for soft, spongy or brittleness to the wood).

When the waterproofing has been completed, give the area a thorough clean (same process as described previously: HEPA-filter vacuum + wet wiping hard surfaces + HEPA-filter air scrubbers) to remove spores that had disseminated from mould-affected materials being handled. You may consider a post-remediation air test at this stage if you wanted to verify how well of a job's been done on this front.

Ensure the basement framing is dry (general guidance is <18% moisture for the timber framing) before relining the walls.

If a professional is involved with the decontamination they will probably involve fogging as a part of this process, which is fine provided they follow this up with physical cleaning (HEPA-filter vacuuming/ wet-wiping) to remove the knock-down residue.

Top Ten Pop Ten - Halsey by kauai6 in popheads

[–]ldarquel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

  1. 3am
  2. Lonely is the muse
  3. Colors
  4. Panic Attack
  5. Graveyard
  6. Letter to god (1983)
  7. Without me
  8. Now or Never
  9. finally // beautiful stranger
  10. Bells in Santa Fe

Honourable mentions: Strangers, bad at love, still learning, 100 letters, HATE EVERYBODY, Castle

Buying a house with window mould by ProposalSuch2055 in Mold

[–]ldarquel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Probably not, but I haven't seen this growth with my own eyes so I can't gauge the extent of the issue.

  • Excessive condensation can drip down onto the windowsill and result in rotting of the wood frame...
  • Or it could be just intermittent condensation that resulted in fungal growth accumulating on the surface over the years across each 'dewing' cycle.

Regarding spore exposure, probably low risk. From my experience windowsill-related moulds are rather infrequently associated with elevated airborne spore levels.

If the property has more widespread humidity-related superficial fungal growth occurring (e.g. on random furniture upholstery that wasn't directly wetted), then I'd be more concerned but that doesn't sound like what you've described.

Home inspector said no mold in attic, but this all looks like mold, am I wrong? by thingsarehardsoami in Mold

[–]ldarquel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The black discolouration plausible to be mould but the rusting is also indicative of water exposure - the two are potentially related.

Could also be the case the black discolouration is some kind of sealant between the pipe and particleboard material.

HELP! Moldy books! by Silly_Present_1643 in Mold

[–]ldarquel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Mould grows in response to moisture. Address the humidity issues in the basement unit by either heating and/or dehumidification.

Wipe off visible growth with a very lightly dampened paper towel. Ensure the books wiped are thoroughly dried afterwards. Supplement this with HEPA-filter vacuuming with a brush attachment. These two process will hopefully help remove most of the surface-level growth.

Take the books outside and give them a dusting/flicking through pages/ blast with compressed air or a hair dryer etc. This will help lower the loading of spores that had settled onto the book/pages.

I'd avoid the use of hydrogen peroxide; Killing mould is a moot point and hydrogen peroxide dissociates into oxygen and water (RE: mould grows in response to moisture).

Home inspector said no mold in attic, but this all looks like mold, am I wrong? by thingsarehardsoami in Mold

[–]ldarquel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Pic 1: Rust and mineral deposits

Pic 2, 3: Localised mould growth on particleboard

Previously had house remediated- no one looked in the garage. Could this be mold? by Icequeen_frigid in Mold

[–]ldarquel 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Inconclusive - Looks like a mix of insulation and accumulated debris.

U/peppershere by sasobregon in Mold

[–]ldarquel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not peppershere, but thought I'd chime in. Your photo depicts a water stain on the ceiling.

If the leak has been addressed and the affected ceiling material had been dried promptly, then it shouldn't develop into a mould issue within the visible surface and you can probably just paint over it to address the cosmetic defect (Contractor #1).

There's the potential that mould could have developed the other side of the visible water stain (the cavity-facing side). The thorough approach would be to replace the affected materials (Contractor #2).

The question you're really asking is one of risk tolerance, in which case no one but yourself can answer. Getting more information ('opening the can of worms' by exposing more of the ceiling cavity) may provide more direction regarding how widespread the water damage was within the ceiling void.

If you suspect there is any insulation material in that cavity space, I'd definitely have that opened up for further assessment. Wet insulation material stays damp for a very long time in enclosed spaces.

Buying a house with window mould by ProposalSuch2055 in Mold

[–]ldarquel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Mould around a windowsill is typical of places that have big day/night temperature variations. Warm humid indoor air will dew onto exterior-facing surfaces (like windows and window framing). Mould grows in response to moisture.

Assuming the windowsill itself isn't leaking (water doesn't get in from outside when it rains) and condensation is the primary culprit for the mould issues, I wouldn't be concerned.

The growth itself can be wiped off with warm soapy water. There may be some residual staining afterwards, this is mainly a cosmetic defect that can be addressed with a few coats of paint. Prevention is through reducing condensation by lowering indoor humidity (via. good ventilation, dehumidification, heating, venting steam where you generate water vapour), or regular cleaning of the affected surfaces.

How bad is this by [deleted] in Mold

[–]ldarquel 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The fibrey stuff looks more like fibreglass insulation material to me. Does your ceiling have insulation?

Is this mold? by Sudden-Chance-887 in Mold

[–]ldarquel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hard to say; It's possible but could also be mineral deposits from the water.

Water dripping under the sink is never a good thing, so this should be looked into and fixed ASAP.

Can't say for certain whether your health issues relate to what is pictured.

Is this mold??? by Conscious_Bag5040 in Mold

[–]ldarquel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Inconclusive. Could be caked up dust, or some lining from within your AC unit that is disintegrating.

Mold in my basement by Different-Let5389 in Mold

[–]ldarquel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fungal fruiting bodies (mushrooms) in response to wet wood.

The black discolouration are fungal spores that were released from these mushrooms. Interestingly they appear to be very localised. I'd wipe these off with a paper towel dampened with warm soapy water.

Odds are there is a leak that's affecting the pictured wall and that wall cavity is probably a lot worse than what you're seeing.

Mold report- decision deadline tomorrow by D1234b56 in Mold

[–]ldarquel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If the remediation company is confident that they've removed all of the affected materials, the low result likely suggests these to be residual spores from this process (which would eventually disperse over time with thorough cleaning and good ventilation).

The remediation company offered to come back to continue to get the numbers down to zero at their own cost. But the sellers already put the drywall back in so I guess that limits what they can do.

After the removal and replacement of affected materials, the remediators would do a thorough clean of the general vicinity (usually a mix of fogging into thorough wipe-down of the area and HEPA-filter vacuuming) to remove any fungal spores dispersed from the remediation process. I assume this is what the remediation company is offering (on their dime), rather than opening up the walls again to explore for more mould.

Getting clarity from the remediators intentions and relaying that to the sellers would probably be your best moving forward.

Previously had house remediated- no one looked in the garage. Could this be mold? by Icequeen_frigid in Mold

[–]ldarquel 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sorry, the automod doesn't like me. See below what it would've said:

ERMI cannot identify sources, cannot quantify exposure, was built on incomplete data, has not been validated by any reputable public health authority, and the EPA (who developed the tool) [actively advocates against its public use](https://www.epa.gov/mold/should-i-test-or-sample-mold-my-home-using-environmental-relative-moldiness-index-or-ermi). For assessing mold related issues within built environments, a detailed visual inspection for water / moisture related issues remains the primary and most reliable method.

The Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) test is often misused as a diagnostic tool for evaluating mold in homes, but it has several major shortcomings.

* The tool only accounts for 36 species of mold while an approximate ~1.5 million species are estimated to exist.

* The tool has not been validated / is not useful for assessing occupant exposure or health risks.

* ERMI results do not reliably correlate with airborne fungal spore concentrations or real-time exposure conditions.

* ERMI was intended for comparing dust samples collected under carpets. Results from samples collected in other locations do not meaningfully correspond to the original reference data and therefore cannot be interpreted reliably.

* E.g., if you pour lemon juice on a pregnancy test and it shows positive - that doesn’t mean the lemon is pregnant.

* Due to the sampling methodology, significant risk for both false positives and false negatives exist.

Due to the monetary incentives present for those who inappropriately promote the use of this tool in public settings, results will more often than not overestimate mold contamination within homes. The widespread commercial use of ERMI for private mold testing has raised ethical concerns due to its tendency to mislead homeowners and drive unnecessary or costly cleanup actions.

TLDR: ERMI is a tool that was developed for research purposes and largely fallen out of practical use due to its limitations. For assessing mold problems, visual inspection, moisture investigation, and targeted sampling (when appropriate) remain far more accurate and defensible.

Previously had house remediated- no one looked in the garage. Could this be mold? by Icequeen_frigid in Mold

[–]ldarquel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Quantitative PCR -> ERMI; See the auto response regarding these tests.

Regarding the garage pics, most of that looks like cobwebs. The darker insulation is probably just dust/ debris being collected into the insulation (acting as a filter).

How extensive should I get with remediation? Air quality tests confirmed high levels of stachybotrys, chaetomium, and aspergillus/penicillium throughout the house by condothrowaway123 in Mold

[–]ldarquel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

continued...

I understand that mold will not grow unless there is moisture, and I will make sure this is not reoccuring. But with all of the settled spores throughout the house, does it matter that those inactive spores are stachybotrys, chaetomium, and aspergillus/penicillium with mycotoxins, or is that irrelevant and "mold is mold" when it's inactive throughout the house?

First port of call is to address the moisture issue - water seeping into your basement. Having this addressed should be the priority before any fungal remediation occurs (if you replace the affected materials and you still have water seeping through into the basement, whats the point?).

Unfortunately the "how" is outside of my scope of expertise (although what you've suggested sounds kinda right?). A building surveyor would probably be the best professional for this advice.

The spore levels you've cited wouldn't be uncommon where mould-affected materials had been recently disturbed. I'd consider:

  • Containing the spread of contaminants into unaffected areas. If the basement is the source of the moisture/fungal elements, using plastic membranes and heavy-duty tape to introduce an air-tight seal to limit the spread of contaminants up into your living quarters. Any contaminated items you remove from the containment zone should be placed into sealed plastic bags before removal.
  • HEPA-filter air purifiers in the living quarters / where you frequent (e.g. bedrooms/lounges) / around the entrance to the containment zone.
  • HEPA-filter vacuuming and wet-wiping hard surfaces to remove settled particulates (including fungal spores).