Mold is a consistent problem when dealing with buildings exposed to a moisture problem. Not all materials in buildings are affected in the same way. Each type of material has a different composite that can react differently to the moisture levels. Certain materials are more likely to be affected by mold growth than others. One of the most common building materials in a structure is concrete.
Concrete is a little-understood material in accordance with mold growth. There are no elements in the properties of concrete that are suitable for mold to grow. However, moisture can penetrate through the concrete. Also, it takes a long period for the moisture to permeate through the concrete, which can go unnoticed for an extended period. However, once the concrete has allowed moisture in this can create a higher level of moisture throughout the area that concrete is exposed. However, most areas of a property are made of fibrous or wood-based materials that are primarily used in modern home construction.
Wood-based materials are high susceptible mold if there is a significant amount of moisture penetration in the area of concern. Sheetrock is highly susceptible to mold growth, because of the porous nature of the material. Plywood is another wood based product that can support mold growth, and the likelihood of mold growing on this material is caused by the moisture saturating the area and it not being thoroughly dried or removed. There are products out in the building marketplace known as engineered woods and despite the chemical makeup of the products these products can still have mold growth if the wood is saturated. Porous materials such as insulation in any mold remediation scenario must be removed to remediate the mold problem.
Insulation a primarily porous material that makes up the energy saving component of the home. If there is a moisture saturation incident where there is insulation it can no longer have it is energy saving abilities. Due to the porous nature of the fiberglass insulation the wood based materials behind the insulation are affected. The insulations natural ability to hold in energy is the cause of its need to be removed from the property in order to dry out the materials behind it.
Building materials are a perfect breeding ground for mold. They keep in moisture and are made up of the molds primary food source which are wood based products. Also, the enclosed spaces of a building can allow it to be contained to one particular area where it can thrive in a closed ecosystem. These mycotoxins need to be removed by a mold remediation company otherwise it can pose a potential safety hazard to the people who are using that space.
Jeff Cohn / SI Restoration / 888-980-6776
2 comments
I think knowing the risks of mold growth in your area should inform your choices of building products and materials. Obviously there are going to be some wood components, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t supplement them with more resistant components. If you can, talk to your builders, suppliers, and anyone else involved about what materials they would suggest for your climate.
Number 1′ it seems all materials should be inherently sealed because without moisture the mold can not be active only dormant. Knowing the size of the mold spores would then help to determine a proper sealant to both moisture and air coming in the wood. If you look at the percentage of moisture necessary to keep would supple it would seem you may always be over 11% MC and therefore with sufficient MC to cause spores to grow. Since one mold can be a basis for another mold than we would need to establish the basis material and what it’s size is to insure that the wood products especially engineered because some of the synthetics have the ability to spawn mold growth just as certain frequencies do. it seems that big pharma and the big brotherhood have a lot of built in redundancy to making sure that their pseudo scientists sleep a round of products coming in and their bs experiments full of half truths concocting a story to keep pushing artificial products that you cant produce alone but have guaranteed health risks built in with a price attached. When a tree is alive and with healthy nutrients and sun lite despite all the infectors it does not become sick. We must look backwards for some answers because before all these engineered products and situations people could build from their own skills, didn’t pay their life away for a mortgage and wernt told they couldn’t grow a garden or cooperate with their neighbor and community for natural knowledge and ability to establish a healthy life and expand the whole knowledge and ability base for them and their posterity!