MoldBlogger - Fight Mold & Win

Mold Thrives in Schools

Parents of children who attended an elementary school in Greenwhich are questioning their child’s health and safety when it comes to putting their child back in school. The walls of Greenwhich elementary school’s modular classrooms were founded infested with mold.

The rates of mold growth are rising across the country, especially in public schools. What can be done?

On Saturday, the Greenwich Board of Education closed down Hamilton Avenue Elementary after mold was discovered in the ceilings. Environmental crews in protective suits have been working to rid the building of the potential health hazard.

The school is actually a temporary facility, a modular unit built three years ago to house 370 students while a brand new school is under construction.

To read the rest of this story and other interesting twists, visit ABC 7 News, Mold Closes CT School

Further Recommended Reading :

• Top 3 Things Mold Needs to Grow
• 12 Tips to Prevent Moisture and Mold

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger team

Source: ABC 7 News

Mold Remediators vs Do-It-Yourself Kits

Whether to hire a mold remediator or buy a do-it-yourself mold removal kit is one of the most popular questions asked by homeowners. Which one is more thorough, more accurate, cheaper?

I would say it depends on the situation - and how much mold contamination there could be in the home.

Mold News at 5

Reporters from channel five news investigate the actions of local Mold Remediators. According to reports, Arizona has more trouble with mold contamination than most states.

So what is the result of these investigations?

A CBS 5 investigation uncovered several companies willing to charge thousands to get rid of something that could have been cleaned up with a wet cloth.

“The hardest part is that I lost everything because of their incompetence,” said homeowner Denise Stine.

To read the rest of the story visit 5 Investigates Mold Remediators

Further Recommended Reading :

• Do You Need to Hire a Mold Remediator?
• 5 Levels of Mold Remediation

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger team

Source: News at 5 Mold Remediators Investigated

Mold Growth

Just recently, mold was found growing in one of Page Six Magazine’s offices. In being taken care of, the EPA provided the following information :

What do Mold Spores Cause?

• Allergic reactions

Common reactions include “hay fever-type symptoms” that include sneezing, running nose, red eyes and skin rashes.

• Asthma

Have asthma? You should be living in Florida. But even if you don’t have asthma, if you’re allergic and work at P6M, you might be getting attacks anyway.

• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis

This one is rare, but every once in a while a short-term exposee to mold can develop a strange condition that resembles bacterial pneumonia. Awesome!

• General eye/skin/nose/throat/lung sensation

Self-explanatory. We also heard the term “burning sensation” could be used to describe that feeling.

• Opportunitistic infections

If you are suffering from advanced AIDS or in chemotherapy, you can look forward to infections like Aspergillus fumigatus. We Googled it and it’s not pretty.

For the complete story visit
Page Six Mag’s Mold Problem

Further Recommended Reading :

• Top 3 Things Mold Needs to Grow
• 10 EPA Mold Prevention Tips

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger team

Source: Mediabistro.com

According to The Pontiac Daily News,

When dealing with mold remediation,

especially after a flood or other extreme weather incident, the mold spore count is 10 to 1,000 times higher than on a normal day according to MaLinda Hillman.

Donnie Simmons follows with 9 tips to reduce mold exposure during a flood cleanup :

9 Mold Exposure Prevention Tips

Anyone with a chronic illness such as asthma or emphysema should not do the cleanup.

Use a HEPA filter respirator purchased from a hardware store to reduce the mold spores breathed in.

Wear protective clothing that can be easily cleaned or discarded.

Wear rubber gloves.

Tightly cover the return-air vent if there is one in the affected area.

Shut off the heat to prevent mold spores from being spread around the home.

Turn on an exhaust fan or place a fan in a window to blow air out of the affected room to the outside (not into another room).

Double-bag materials before you remove them from the contaminated area.

Work in short time spans and take breaks in a fresh-air location.

For more information on the source of these tips visit, Pontiac Daily News

Further Recommended Reading :

• The Black Mold Problem in Flood-Ravaged Areas
• Exposure to Mold: Allergies

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team

Source: Pontiac Daily Reader - News : http://www.pontiacdailyleader.com/articles/2008/01/19/news/news3.txt

Mold and Flooding

• Hurricanes
• Flooding
• Severe Rainstorms

Mold grows wildly in the aftermath of these 3 water related storms. Is there anyway to prevent mold from growing?

Health officials say it’s a virtual certainty: Any flooded home or building that wasn’t cleaned and completely dried within a day or two is a haven for the fungal spores.

And unless you get rid of them quickly, molds can potentially mean trouble to your health and home.

Homes need to be dried out, and quickly!

To read more on mold and the affects of storms visit All the Dampness an Invitation to Mold

Further Recommended Reading :

• The Black Mold Problem in Flood Ravaged Areas
• Dealing with the Threat of Mold after Flooding

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team

Source : Kyung M. Song; Seattle Times health reporter

Moisture: The Reason for Mold

With Jamaica’s recent hurricanes, moisture has caused Mold to be a major problem in the homes and lives of local Jamaicans.

What are they having to deal with?

– It’s necessary to deal with the problem as it can cause burning and watering eyes; nasal and sinus congestion; skin irritation and coughing. It can also aggravate medical problems like asthma, allergies, conditions which weaken immune defences and lung disease, especially in the elderly and the young.

But what of the musty smell that usually accompanies the fuzz?

“Once the place is dried up … the odour will go away,” Mrs. Hincliffe said. This might be easier said than done, judging from the little sunlight we have had since the rains that have pelted the island for so long. –

Read the rest of ‘Mold in Jamaica’ at Moisture: The Mold Problem

6 Tips for Removing Mold

1. Protect your eyes, nose and skin when cleaning mould.

2. Fix the source of the water problem or leak to prevent mould growth.

3. Clean and dry any damp or wet building materials and furnishings within 24-48 hours to prevent mould growth.

4. In areas where there is a perpetual moisture problem, do not install carpeting (i.e., by drinking fountains, by classroom sinks, or on concrete floors with leaks or frequent condensation).

5. Clean mould off hard surfaces with water and detergent, and dry completely. Absorbent materials such as ceiling tiles, carpets, linoleum that are mouldy, may need to be replaced.

6. Clean drapes and carpets when they can dry properly.

Further Recommended Reading :

• How to Remove Mold and the Smell from Clothing
• Exposure to Mold: Allergies

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team

Source: Sacha Walters - Staff Reporter for the Jamaica Gleaner News

Mold is Dangerous to Homes and Health

The following excerpt is from a mold victim, Wendy, from Clearwater, FL. Coastal regions especially in Florida have an extreme risk of mold contamination because of the high humidity levels, not to mention the hurricane chances.

How does Wendy deal with her mold infestation?

“The place would have a really bad odor,” Wendy says. After just one month, she moved out because she was constantly getting sick.

Wendy says, “I’ve had several eye infections, breathing problems and anxiety because of this.”

In June of this year, we went in with our cameras and mold was all over her apartment. She had it in her sink, under the cabinets, under the air conditioning unit, in her clothes and in her shoes.

To read the conclusion visit Mold: A Silent, Dangerous Thread to Homes

Further Recommended Reading :

• Mold Problem in Flood Ravaged Areas
• 7 Ways to Know if a Mold is Dangerous

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team

Source: Tampa Bay 10 News

Mold Infests Adams Morgan Condos in Washing DC

Million dollar condos, after being bought by owners in the Adams Morgan section of Washington DC, started growing mold down the walls and ceilings. This created a huge problem for the buyers, both in health, and in cost.

Read the following :

I mean I had sleepless nights. We had pans under the windows collecting water, and nobody was responding,” said resident Al Salas.

“It’s soon to become unlivable. The mold is a health issue. The water leaks. It’s likely to become a fire issue,” said resident Adam Sean Younoszai.

To read the rest of the story visit Adams Morgan Residents Deal with Million Dollar Mold Problem

Further Recommended Reading :

• Mold Dogs Smell Mold Contamination
• Common Mold Trouble Spots in the Home

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team

Source : NBC4 News

Dogs Smell Mold in Homes

Dogs are used for a number of things : dogs that find drugs or fruit; dogs that lead the blind - and now dogs that “scents” whether or not a home has mold contamination.

Buster, Bill Birmingham’s mold dog, has a wonderful talent for sniffing out mold and pinpointing the area in which mold is growing.

Best of all, Buster’s services are not very expensive!

Birmingham’s company, Mold Hawaii, charges $175 an hour for Buster’s services. Birmingham defense the price, “When you compare that to a $2,000 to $3,000 inspection for anyone else who doesn’t use a canine that’s a substantial savings.”

Read more on Mold Dogs with Buster the Mold Dog

Also, visit Mold-Dog.com with Bill Whitshine’s Top 7 Reasons to Use a Mold Dog

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team

Source : Diane Ako, KHNL.com

Are Christmas Trees Related to Mold?

An increase in mold exposure symptoms over the holiday season caused researchers to study more thoroughly the relationship between live Christmas trees and household mold.

Is your family at risk for mold contamination if you have a live Christmas tree for the holidays?

“Twelve times during a two week period, researchers measured mold counts in a room containing a live Christmas tree, beginning when the tree was brought inside and decorated.

The tree was located 10 feet from a heat vent, and the indoor temperature was maintained at between 65 and 68 degrees.”

Read the researchers’ results! Mold & Christmas Trees

Further Recommended Reading :

• Exposure to Mold: Allergies
• 10 Things You Should Know About Mold

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team