When we first got the home after someone would wash there hands or take a shower I would hear dripping. I see mold building up around the air vents downstairs.
If there is a leak after someone washes, it could be in the overflow or in the drain or in any part of the pipe(s), most likely at a junction.
You might consider having a mold inspector come in and find the mold you cannot see; they will probably also be able to help you pinpoint where the leaks are. If you want to control the mold, you have to eliminate the leaks which could be anywhere in your pipes. You may need a plumber to fix the leak--but after the water is under control, you can clean up the mold. An inspection will also tell you if there are humidity issues as well.
If you're in the California area, give us a call at 1-800-686-1992 or schedule a consultation here:
http://www.byebyemold.com/f.c.php
I had some water damage to my wall in my apt due to a leak in my window. While the water damage was still fresh, the maintenance people sprayed it with paint and that was it. Could there be mmold and mildew still growing? Is it a health concern?
While we don't do remediation, we do observe common sense rules regarding remediation. And one of those rules is that a surface must be dry and clear of mold prior to repairs. So really, whether or not the repair is adequate depends on what you mean by "fresh."
If it means that the maintenance people came in very quickly before damage was able to set in, cleaned off the mold, treated it with an agent like bleach to kill the existing mold, made sure it was dry and then painted it, then they probably did a good job. Being prompt may help prevent mold from digging in and gaining a foothold in the cellulose around your leak.
However, if damage was pre-existing, and they only superficially sprayed over a problem to hide it, the repair is only cosmetic. The cosmetic repair is only useful if the damage was only cosmetic. Did the maintenance people treat the mold first? Did they clean it up? Was the leak longstanding? Was the leak repaired as well? These are questions we would need to know to be able to answer your question.
If you're in the California area, give us a call at 1-800-686-1992 or schedule a consultation here:
http://www.byebyemold.com/f.c.php
Where are you located? We live in a doublewide trailer and think we have mold on ceiling where it is put together? Can you help?
We are located in Woodland Hills, California, and we can be contacted via our form here:
http://www.byebyemold.com/f.c.php
school with block walls Styrofoam walls put on outside Water growth coming thru the walls on inside some black, sometimes not how treat?
Byebye mold does not remediate. Byebye mold detects. But we can tell you that you have to
1. Remove the existing mold
2. Dry up the area
3. Eliminate leaks.
It is the combinations of water (rain, leaks, floodwater or humidity), mold spores, and optimum growing conditions that is causing the mold.
my basement flooded and i had 29 inches of water standing in my basement the water was gone by the next morning is it possible that i avoided mold or is difinitly down in the basement and if so how visible would it be
While you're lucky the water cleared, you should probably get to the root of the problem. Whether it is seepage, or a leak, you should have a structural engineer come in and determine what you need to make the basement water-tight.
It may be something as simple as clearing a drain. Or it may be very extensive.
The fact that this appears to be an ongoing problem is likely to mean that you had mold before this flood, and will probably have it after this flood--unless you do something about it.
That something will be to make that area water-tight, eliminating all leaks; cleaning up any infested areas; and keeping that area dry in the future. The mold will be where the moisture was. So if you had water you didn't see, you have mold you don't see, probably in the walls and floor, especially if you have a wooden subfloor.
I've done air testing for my house by other mold testing&remediation company.
The total spore cts/m3 were less than outdoor but one of the tested room had 20 cts/m3 stachybotrys which was not detected outdoore.Should we investigate further?
The control level for safety is the outside count; so if you have a high count of something that is otherwise not outside, you definitely have a crop of something growing. As Stachybotrys can produce trichothecene mycotoxins including satratoxins, this is something you should look into. Only a professional observation will be able to tell you if you need a minor clean-up or an extensive renovation.
Stachybotrys exposure can produce chronic fatigue, headaches, fever, irritation of the mucous membranes, nose, throat and eyes, sneezing, rash, chronic coughing, nausea, vomiting, and allergic responses. So if you have any of these symptoms, you should be tested for exposure.
my wife is experiencing allergy like symptoms while at home ;is a home testing kit effecient
A kit is just a kit. There are a number of different testing kits which may vary in quality. The expertise is experience in knowing how to use the kit, where in the property to test, the lab to use, and the professional who interprets the test results. A company like ByeBye mold uses a professional lab, and has long experience in interpreting results, as well as experience in knowing how to handle results in case of litigation.
Due to a damp problem we have found orange fungus growing under the floor boards, the floor boards have been removed, but there is damage to the carpet, which looks like black mold. Are these potentially toxic?
There are two basic categories of mold toxicity. One is internal (i.e. the body's allergic response, which is related to what appear to cold symptoms, flu symptoms, and contact dermatitis (rashes.) People's sensitivity varies from person to person, and even from exposure to exposure. (Repeated exposure can CAUSE an allergy.)
The other is not really the mold itself but a byproduct produced by the mold called, appropriately enough, mycotoxin. Mycotoxin (myco-coined from Gk. mykes "fungus" + toxin-coined from from L. toxicum "poison") Mycotoxins vary, depending on the fungus that created them. The best way to know what is potentially poisonous is to have it tested. Not all molds create dangerous mycotoxins, and those which do vary in degree.
Can mold of any kind be 100% removed?
Theoretically yes.
Realistically, no. It could only happen in a world where mold spores did not freely float around the atmosphere. So until we have an ecosystem where mold doesn't exist, there will always be a certain amount of ambient mold floating about. The best anyone can do is present an environment where mold can not take root. Clean everything, and keep the environment as dry as possible--which is inhospitable to mold growth; and it might help somewhat to have a hepa air filtration system which filters out spores and particles.
When an indoor area is tested for mold, the amount of mold floating outside in the "clean" air is where the standard is drawn for "clean" air. Hence, in tropical climates like Louisiana or Florida, one can expect a higher degree of naturally occurring mold (and possible need more filtration, and more handling of water/humidity issues.)
Is black mold (or what appears to be black mold) dangerous to swim in? How do u remove it?
Thank you.
The most likely fungus in a pool would be ordinary mildew which would be prevented by normal pool maintenance.
Personally, I wouldn't deliberately consume it. You really don't know what kind of mold it is without testing. I would worry more about dermatophytes (parasitic fungi) than black mold. You might want to have the water tested so you know of you're dealing with dangerous mold or fungi.
Immunocompromised individuals might contract lung, skin, sinus, or digestive tract infection, depending on what is growing there.
The reaction most have is allergic--a contact dermatitis. The greater danger of black mold is the immune response in susceptible individuals. What you would look for would be symptoms of an allergic response: runny noses, itchy-watery eyes, coughing, sneezing, and throat irritation, sinusitis or asthma. If the mold is degrading a surface, it might cause the release of volatile organic chemicals, and VOC can be related to headaches, decreased attention span, difficulty in concentration, and dizziness.
