Spot mold - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Glasshousebltr · 11-10-2005, 08:38 AM

Pulled the paper off one of the rooms on that paint job I sold. Found some mold, it's pretty random and doesn't appear to colonize. Tried to identify it while waiting on the test kit. If it is toxic, It looks like Stach or Asper but I hardly know crap about mold, in fact, if it wasn't a 9 year old's room I'd just remove it and tell the customer to kick up a dehumidifier for a few months, which I'll recommend either way.

Let the input roll?

Bob

MinConst · 11-10-2005, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Tried to identify it while waiting on the test kit.

Glass, What test kit are you refering to. Where do you get them and what is the cost?
Thanks

Glasshousebltr · 11-10-2005, 09:15 AM

Most of the chemical companies that make biocide offer them for free, but here's one I just found.
http://www.homemoldtestkits.com/google.html

However, I think I'm going to take a sample over to the college lab.

Bob

copusbuilder · 11-10-2005, 09:39 AM

Hi Bob, I live in the Houston area which was the mold capitol of the world till the money went out of it. People were getting their kitchens remodeled every time they found mold.....Like I say it has really died down since that time.

I did go and become a certifed remediator for the mold. As I sat through the class I asked questions (what happens to the mold between the vapor barrier and studs?) that they could not answer adequately.

My brother is an environmental engineer and has said on th QT that it is largely a bunch of bunk? Of course there are people that have problems with it (like tuna fish, peanut butter, leaves...etc...etc)
Of course now you may have to be careful since the customer knows? Protect yourself is all I can say on that. Otherwise spray with 10% bleach and water...That...i was taught is the best mixture. Or buy Microban and spray it??? Good Luck

Glasshousebltr · 11-10-2005, 09:51 AM

Your right I can see that there was a lot of bunk in the hype a few years back, however, the push that created that hype was kids and Stach. I'm not sure of the figures but if I remember correctly there was a staggering amount respiratory problems.

Bob

Dale · 11-10-2005, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by copusbuilder

Hi Bob, I live in the Houston area which was the mold capitol of the world till the money went out of it. People were getting their kitchens remodeled every time they found mold.....Like I say it has really died down since that time.

I did go and become a certifed remediator for the mold. As I sat through the class I asked questions (what happens to the mold between the vapor barrier and studs?) that they could not answer adequately.

My brother is an environmental engineer and has said on th QT that it is largely a bunch of bunk? Of course there are people that have problems with it (like tuna fish, peanut butter, leaves...etc...etc)
Of course now you may have to be careful since the customer knows? Protect yourself is all I can say on that. Otherwise spray with 10% bleach and water...That...i was taught is the best mixture. Or buy Microban and spray it??? Good Luck

I heard the same thing for a while..if you're not allergic to mold, its really no problem. Mold has been around forever, we should all be dead by now.

Theres an article in this months issue of Coatings Pro about it. There has been a lot of $$ made off of mold and a lot of contractors ruined because of it and alot of business' with guys in moon suits and beeping electronic gizmos and colored chemical swabs going into houses for 10 mins.and running out with their arms flapping screaming "RUN...MOOOOLD!!..FLEE!!..SAVE YOURSELVES!!"

Glasshousebltr · 11-10-2005, 10:47 AM

LOL Kinda like the old Raid comercial MOLD!

Bob

copusbuilder · 11-10-2005, 11:06 AM

When I took the course a buddy of mine that is an A/C contractor took it.
He jumped in head first and made a lot of bucks. I stayed out as the legal crap was scarey.
I used the a/c guy for 15 years and had to quit when every coil he looked at had mold. My older customers did not wnat to hear it and the sellers of property really did not want to.

He made his money and then an old lady he had worked for that never went upstairs,,,went up one day and low and behold....mold. His insurance wouln't cover it so he ended up loosing a lot of cash and assets in a lawsuit... Justice???

Poor bastard had to sell his Harley

**slickshift** · 11-10-2005, 02:39 PM

If it's just a spot, even if it's toxic black mold, you can get rid of it with bleach/water mix (I thought it was 50/50)
There is a point at which black mold becomes a health hazard (according to the center for disease control), I think it's a few square feet, I'll look it up again

Glasshousebltr · 11-10-2005, 06:01 PM

It's 4 feet or so high, all the way around the room and it looks like about 9 loads of 12ga no 6 bird shot.......through a sawed off......a regular biological drive by.

Bob