GUIDELINES:
What To Do About Mold:
Toxic mold is not something you want to take lightly. Know that this increasing indoor menace can have a multitude of hiding places and often it is not seen or smelt. It can grow behind drywall, inside walls, on wallpaper, panelling, the underside of carpets and underlay, around pipes and facets, inside duct work, roofing materials, in planters and ceiling tiles; just to mention a few places. Take the necessary preventative steps to keep your home or facility mold-free. Although mold is everywhere, limiting it's potential of contamination, leading to health-related illnesses is the best prevention you can take. Here are some do's an don'ts suggestions:
Air Purification Systems:
1) Ionization - It is good for odor neutralizing but not for mold.
2) Ozone Emitters - It hinders mold, mildew and fungi growth and helps purify the air. It equates to using bactericide and is currently the strongest oxidant for both air and water. It is an effective form for mold contamination and after clean-up. It is NOT effective for moderate to high concentrations of mold contamination.
Clean-up Systems:
Equipment utilizing HEPA filters, such as vacuums, air purifyers and furnace filters are still noted as being highly effective in eliminating the majority of air-borne particles such as mold spores.
Tests for Mold: You can complete these tests yourself and then take them to a local lab for anaylsis. But be sure to wear gloves and a mask when doing so for your own protection.
1) Tape Sample - Using a piece of "clear" ordinary house tape, place piece of tape over mold, press and lift, place into unused ziplock bag.
2) Swab Sample - Dabbing suspect mold with swab. It is a quick method by which to identify the spores, pleace into unused ziplock bag.
3) Bulk Sample - Taking an actual piece of the infected material, can also determine species quickly using this method, put in ziplock bag.
The above are inexpensive methods by which to quickly identify the type of mold spores, this in turn then will assist you in your decision on what steps to take next, whether you can effectively complete the mold remediation yourself or whether you will need an expert. But always remember to exercise caution when undertaking any task.
Experts can test utilzing an air extraction process, although these can be quite expensive, they do provide for a more complete anaylsis of your indoor air quailty.
1) Anderson N-6 - An air extraction device that isolates and identifies captured spores. It can determine fungi and bacteria levels as well as types. This is an expensive method.
2) Spore Trap - Using a petri dish filled with lab quality food, it is left in a room to collect spores. It can identify fungi, but it cannot identify bacteria, it does give quick results and has a long shelf life for storage and future testing. This is an expensive method.
3) Wall Check - A tube is inserted into a small hole in the wall and the air extracted. It can identify fungi, but not bacteria, it provides quick results and also has a long shelf life for storage and future testing. This is an expensive method.
Some Do's and Don'ts in Mold Clean-Up:
1) Use HEPA filtering devices on your air-purifyers, furnaces and vacuums. This will help eliminate some of the airborne spores.
2) Use "Fungicide" to disinfect any contaminated areas after removal of spores/mold.
3) Carpet cleaners do not kill or eliminate mold from carpets or furnishings. If these items have been infected, they must be properly disposed of.
4) Biocides are not highly recommended in mold cleanup (biocide = chlorine bleach), Hydrogen Peroxide has been used effectively. Typically residual mold spores will remain and if the moisture problem has not been completely or effectively repaired/found, then re-growth "WILL" occur. Further, it is not effective to just kill the spores via this method, as dead spores can be just as "toxic" as live ones - the mold must be completely removed, by either scraping several layers of the surface or cutting the surface out entirely. Always remember, that if the conditions that caused the mold growth in the first place are not corrected, then it will continue to grow and spread, the same applies for all water intrusion areas.
5) Clothing can be cleaned using one of three methods: (note: air-drying in the sun allows the UV rays of the sun to kill any remaining spores and the air will carry them away:
a) using lemon juice and salt solution - then hang outside to air-dry
b) using peroxygen bleach with detergent and water, wash clothes - then hang outside to air-dry
c) using chlorine bleach with detergent and water, wash clothes - then hang outside to air-dry
d) items that cannot be washed using cleaners and water should be taken to the dry-cleaners, advising
them of the mold
6) Musty Odors, especially in the basement, can be effectively cleaned by using a chloride of lime/bleaching powder. You sprinkle the formula onto the floor and leave it until the musty odor is gone and then just sweep it up. Always wear a mask (preferably HEPA filter kind) and gloves when using any type of cleaning products.
Good air flow is another essential in the prevention and management of mold. Opening windows (especially in the winter), using fans (even in the winter), sealing any foundation cracks, windows, doors etc., keeping furniture at least 1/4 foot away from the walls to allow for circulation, using an air conditoner to remove moisture, using lids on pots and hoodranges to draw excess steam up and out, using a dehumidifyer in damp areas and never leaving water standing in machines are good ways to prevent mold or mold re-growth. You can use kitty litter in the basement and crawlspaces to absorb mositure (be sure to change often), calcium chloride (exercising caution when using this product), or roofing paper works well in crawl spaces to absorb mositure, also silica is good for moisture absorbtion, but hang this in a vented bag and always keep it out of the reach of children and pets. Stretch out your shower curtain to dry, and always dry the shower walls after each use.
For household tips, try the book: "What Every Home-Owner Needs To Know About Mold" by (McGraw Hill, May 2003)
STANDARDS:
A few years ago, the Canadian Government adopted the standards for mold remediation as set out in the New York City guidelines for abatement and removal. This is both a concise and procedurally designated process, by which health and safety of all parties involved must be maintained with the highest degree of competence. As such any firm involved in the removal of mold, toxic or otherwise, should fully abide by the protocol of these guidelines. Further a Qualified Safety Inspector should be assigned and a Clearance Certificate issued that assures that the mold has been fully abated.
You can access this information at : http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/epi/moldrpt1.shtml
KNOW THE RIGHT QUESTIONS TO ASK when it comes to hiring a remediator:
It is important when acquiring the services of any company, that you be sure of their qualifications. For example, knowing the right questions to ask:
1) Request a copy of their assessment.
2) Request a copy of the contractors qualifications and experience.
3) Enquire as to what level of protocol, in accordance to the NYC guidelines will be followed. For example Level I - meaning small removal process,
or Level IV - meaning full protective gear will be worn, proper ventilation/extraction systems and the area(s) tented to prevent further contamination.
4) In accordance to question #3, you need to know if the work being carried out is on a small or large scale.
5) Request that the contractor produce the identity of the qualified health and safety individual who will oversee the project.
6) Enquire if the contractor has liability insurance that explicity "includes" mold remediation.
It is also important to know who to contact when there is a serious problem with mold. If you rent, you can call your local City's Property Standards Office, if you are a homeowner, you can contact the CNTMC or CMHC for information. It is equally important to report your mold findings to the CNTMC or your local Health department - allowing the incidences to be documented.
As a renter, contacting your local Property Standards office does not necessarily guarantee all issues pertaining to mold will be dealt with, however, it does guarantee that any issues found to compromise the building's integrity will be dealt with. So if you have mold, it is certain that you have an existing and/or ongoing water intrustion problem. The Property Standards office does have a section of their protocol by which it states that any substances within the building causing or creating a potentional health risk, must be properly attended to - so they can enforce these procedures to a point.
Your local Health Department can also take a similiar stand and assist with this process being followed through. The CNTMC will equally support the efforts within its means for any individual, business or facility in its fight to see environmental toxins removed, such as toxic mold.
The CNTMC hopes to assist and aid the Property Standard offices and Health Departments, in a combined effort to provide the public with an Awareness Program and both a Preventative and Management Program were mold is concerned, especially "toxic mold".
In mid-2003, Health Canada and CMHC commenced a joint research project on air quality in the home. The purpose of this project is to determine how chemicals and toxins produced by mold, bacteria and other contaminents affect our health.
Health Canada - http://www.hc-sc.gv.ca/
CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) - http://www.cmhc.schl.gc.ca/
CHMC also has a publication on "Fighting Mould" - The Homeowner's Guide
Studies on the cause and affect of environmental toxins is ongoing, but clinical studies are still greatly lacking supportive documentation. This is just one of the reasons, that the CNTMC established a centralized information, resource and data collection center. Through combined efforts and interactions with the public, businesses, groups, organizations and the government, the CNTMC will assist in providing a more indepth link between toxic exposure and illnesses.
Insurance Companies:
Many insurance companies do not cover losses because of contamination, at least not contamination from toxic mold spores. A vast majority, if not all of these companies have written in an exclusion clause for such things as mold. It would be wise to check your house/content insurance to see where your insurance company stands on such an issue, and to know what coverage you have in the event that your belongings should become contaminated or damaged because of mold.