Mold, Fungus and Mildew Control and Guidelines

How to Eliminate Black, Brown, Green Mold and Mildew in Homes

Apr 5, 2009

Mold on Suitcase in Damp Basement, EPA.gov

Knowing what molds need to survive and flourish is the first step to proper control. Mold needs are simple: water, food and air. A logical control approach works.

Molds are everywhere, there is nowhere to hide. Air sample plates will prove to anyone, even those without mold problems, that mold spores abound. No need to be afraid. Be prepared and armed with knowledge! Mold principles,facts and some action plans follow.

How to Control Mold in the Home

All can take or have a mold and moisture survey of the home, inside and outside .

First, know what molds are, their lifestyle and habitats. Know how to recognize them. That is an easy and important step. Click on the figures at the very bottom to enlarge and view important views of mold. Remember mold colonies are typically round, fuzzy or powdery and tend to discolor surfaces they are growing on or into.
Survey with a notepad and pencil or pen. Mark down each area as either OK or a problem.
Begin with moisture-laden areas of your home: bathrooms, attic, and basement.
Remember: discolored areas on walls, tiles, and ceiling areas suggest mold.
If ceiling areas are discolored, mold may be infiltrating the tile, plaster or gypsum material. Culprits are: clogged or leaking rain gutters, rotting soffits or roof leaks.
Check basements, especially walls, ceiling, floors, all furniture, books and papers. Basements, totally or partially underground, are often a problem. Leakage from sewer lines, water lines and humidity condensation on insulation, ceiling tiles, furniture, rugs, toys are important problems. Basement wood and plastic surfaces may show greenish thin films of mold that resemble dust. Basement mold odors are a sure sign of problems.
The outside of the house is important. All water should drain away from the house and have downspouts connected to drain tubes or channels. Homes without rain gutters, or leaf-clogged gutters, will cause water to cascade onto the outside walls and seep down into the crawl space or basement areas. The splashing water wets surfaces, mold spores germinate and mold grows. When light conditions are favorable, a combination of algae and mold can be found on house sidings, foundations, gutters and downspouts (click on figure below).
Are downspouts disconnected, separated or rotting out? Are gutters filled with leaves, rotting?
Are there areas around the house where the water can flow back toward the house, rather than away from the foundation and onto the house proper and the crawl space or basement area?

Some Easy Steps and Guidelines for Dealing with Mold

There are easy and beneficial remediations that have big payback. Persons inexperienced with basic procedures, or incapacitated, should hire reasonably-priced and bidded mold professionals to perform all necessary work. Cleaning out rain gutters can be dangerous and involve health risks such as broken legs and back injuries. Caution is always advised. Further, those with mold allergies should not do mold cleanup activities.

Solve outside drainage issues. Make sure gravel and soil are added to cause all water to flow away from the house. If absent, install rain gutters, if water accumulation around the foundation is an obvious problem. Install drainage lines to catch downspout water and move it at least 30-50 feet downhill from the house. French drains and catchbasins are useful.
Make sure that sprinkler systems and houses do not spray or leak onto the house.
Appropriately pressure wash, with suitable certified mold cleaners, to carefully kill and remove mold from paint surfaces around windows and gutters.
Dehumidifers in the basement are a must. Dehumidifers connected to a drain are better than manual systems. Basements at 85% or higher humidity are a problem. Dehumidify to lower humidity to 65-70%.
Moldy items should be handled carefully before discard. An aerosolized anti-fungal spray can be used to lightly mist the surfaces entirely and let dry. After 1-2 hr it can be misted again and placed into the discard bag. In many cases with extensive mold professional should be called in. N95 masks, gloves, mold disinfectant aerosol, disposal bags are used to discard molded books, papers, shoes, clothing, leather items. The briefcase pictured below is an example of an item that should be sprayed over all surfaces and then discarded.

Lower the Moisture to Kill Household Mold

Decrease the available moisture content inside and outside the home, direct and drain water away from the house. Disinfect mold areas to kill spores and discard using N95 respirator, gloves, goggles, protective clothing, discard bags and aerosol disinfectant. Call a professional to remove major extensive mold contamination in wood, gypsum, carpet, ceilings, attics and crawl spaces.

Sources

Campbell, N.A., L.G. Mitchell, and J.B. Reece. 2000. Biology, Concepts and Connections. Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. , San Francisco. 809pp

US Environmental Protection Agency. 2009. Mold Resources. epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldresources

The copyright of the article Mold, Fungus and Mildew Control and Guidelines in Environmental Microbiology is owned by Donald Reinhardt. Permission to republish Mold, Fungus and Mildew Control and Guidelines in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.