Black Mold Information
Black Mold Information
Black Mold is a problem for many home and buildings. Getting rid of the problem is often difficult, and it is hard to find the best information to help guide you through the process. Black Mold: Your Health and Your Home is a wonderful resource for people looking for help with this problem.
Book Description
Black Mold Your Health and Your Home is a comprehensive introduction to mold, the problems it can cause and how to properly deal with it. Through two hundred pages and five sections, author and mold expert Richard F. Progovitz explains the facts about mold toxicity and systematically demystifies the abundance of molds we encounter in our daily lives. Approximately one hundred species of mold are toxic and about fifteen are known to cause negative health effects in humans, including allergic reactions, asthma and other chronic conditions. Recent media reports about mold infestations in schools and colleges across the country as well as in the homes of famous personalities Ed McMahon, Melinda Ballard and Erin Brockovich have begun to alert the public to the potential health risks of toxic molds. Each of these incidents involve what has become known as Sick Building Syndrome.
Is mold silently affecting the health of your loved ones or slowly deteriorating your home? Black Mold Your Health and Your Home was written to help you answer these important questions.
From the Publisher
The Forager Press, LLC is pleased to present Black Mold Your Health and Your Home at a time when there is a great need for reliable and approachable scientific information on the topic. Mold is in the media due to the multitude of mold infestations that have closed schools and colleges across the country. These school closures have alerted, if not alarmed, the public to the health threat posed by toxic black molds. Infested structures are labeled as having Sick Building Syndrome, and the problem has recently been referred to as the asbestos of the new millenium. Though molds have been present on earth for millions of years, the heath problems they can cause or complicate are only now becoming understood. We would like to thank author and mold expert Richard F. Progovitz for providing such a thorough introduction to the problems that mold can cause, precisely when the public needs it.
About the Author
Author Richard F. Progovitz is a Certified Mold Inspector and Mold Contractor, with over forty years experience in the study of mycology (the science of fungi). He holds two patents, over a dozen inventions, and has published many technical papers in his twenty five years as a Mechanical Engineer (Retired 2002 - IBM). He has been the President of the Susquehanna Valley Mycological Society for the past nine years and recently served as the Vice President of the Northeast Mycological Federation. He has also created two sets of wild mushroom identification flashcards � edible and poisonous � and lectures frequently on mold, mushrooms and related topics. He is well-known and well-liked throughout the mycological community. Richard is on-call with the
Black Mold: Your Health and Your Home
is available through ZephyrusBooks. Please use the above link to purchase using our secure checkout in our store.
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The EPA maintains a very helpful website as well. You can find it HERE. Sections on their site include:
Molds produce tiny spores to reproduce. Mold spores waft through the indoor and outdoor air continually. When mold spores land on a damp spot indoors, they may begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods. When excessive moisture or water accumulates indoors, mold growth will often occur, particularly if the moisture problem remains undiscovered or un-addressed. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.
The key to mold control is moisture control. It is important to dry water damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth. If mold is a problem in your home, clean up the mold and get rid of the excess water or moisture. Fix leaky plumbing or other sources of water. Wash mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely. Absorbent materials (such as ceiling tiles & carpet) that become moldy may have to be replaced.
Ten Things You Should Know About Mold
Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposures include allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory complaints.
There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.
If mold is a problem in your home or school, you must clean up the mold and eliminate sources of moisture.
Fix the source of the water problem or leak to prevent mold growth.
Reduce indoor humidity (to 30-60% ) to decrease mold growth by: venting bathrooms, dryers, and other moisture-generating sources to the outside; using air conditioners and de-humidifiers; increasing ventilation; and using exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing, and cleaning.
Clean and dry any damp or wet building materials and furnishings within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.
Clean mold off hard surfaces with water and detergent, and dry completely. Absorbent materials such as ceiling tiles, that are moldy, may need to be replaced.
Prevent condensation: Reduce the potential for condensation on cold surfaces (i.e., windows, piping, exterior walls, roof, or floors) by adding insulation.
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).
Molds can be found almost anywhere; they can grow on virtually any substance, providing moisture is present. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods.
Molds can trigger asthma episodes in sensitive individuals with asthma. People with asthma should avoid contact with or exposure to molds.
Mold growth may be a problem after flooding. EPA's Fact Sheet: Flood Cleanup: Avoiding Indoor Air Quality Problems - discusses steps to take when cleaning and repairing a home after flooding. Excess moisture in the home is cause for concern about indoor air quality primarily because it provides breeding conditions for microorganisms. This fact sheet provides tips to avoid creating indoor air quality problems during cleanup.
How do molds affect people?
Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation. Some people, such as those with serious allergies to molds, may have more severe reactions. Severe reactions may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as farmers working around moldy hay. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath. Some people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs.
Allergic Reactions
Moisture Control
Water in your home can come from many sources. Water can enter your home by leaking or by seeping through basement floors. Showers or even cooking can add moisture to the air in your home. The amount of moisture that the air in your home can hold depends on the temperature of the air. As the temperature goes down, the air is able to hold less moisture. This is why, in cold weather, moisture condenses on cold surfaces (for example, drops of water form on the inside of a window). This moisture can encourage biological pollutants to grow.
There are many ways to control moisture in your home:
Fix leaks and seepage. If water is entering the house from the outside, your options range from simple landscaping to extensive excavation and waterproofing. (The ground should slope away from the house.) Water in the basement can result from the lack of gutters or a water flow toward the house. Water leaks in pipes or around tubs and sinks can provide a place for biological pollutants to grow.
Put a plastic cover over dirt in crawlspaces to prevent moisture from coming in from the ground. Be sure crawlspaces are well-ventilated.
Use exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens to remove moisture to the outside (not into the attic). Vent your clothes dryer to the outside.
Turn off certain appliances (such as humidifiers or kerosene heaters) if you notice moisture on windows and other surfaces.
Use dehumidifiers and air conditioners, especially in hot, humid climates, to reduce moisture in the air, but be sure that the appliances themselves don't become sources of biological pollutants.
Raise the temperature of cold surfaces where moisture condenses. Use insulation or storm windows. (A storm window installed on the inside works better than one installed on the outside.) Open doors between rooms (especially doors to closets which may be colder than the rooms) to increase circulation. Circulation carries heat to the cold surfaces. Increase air circulation by using fans and by moving furniture from wall corners to promote air and heat circulation. Be sure that your house has a source of fresh air and can expel excessive moisture from the home.
Pay special attention to carpet on concrete floors. Carpet can absorb moisture and serve as a place for biological pollutants to grow. Use area rugs which can be taken up and washed often. In certain climates, if carpet is to be installed over a concrete floor, it may be necessary to use a vapor barrier (plastic sheeting) over the concrete and cover that with sub-flooring (insulation covered with plywood) to prevent a moisture problem.
Moisture problems and their solutions differ from one climate to another. The Northeast is cold and wet; the Southwest is hot and dry; the South is hot and wet; and the
How to Identify the Cause of a Mold and Mildew Problem
Mold and mildew are commonly found on the exterior wall surfaces of corner rooms in heating climate locations. An exposed corner room is likely to be significantly colder than adjoining rooms, so that it has a higher relative humidity (RH) than other rooms at the same water vapor pressure. If mold and mildew growth are found in a corner room, then relative humidity next to the room surfaces is above 70%. However, is the RH above 70% at the surfaces because the room is too cold or because there is too much moisture present (high water vapor pressure)?
The amount of moisture in the room can be estimated by measuring both temperature and RH at the same location and at the same time. Suppose there are two cases. In the first case, assume that the RH is 30% and the temperature is 70oF in the middle of the room. The low RH at that temperature indicates that the water vapor pressure (or absolute humidity) is low. The high surface RH is probably due to room surfaces that are too cold. Temperature is the dominating factor, and control strategies should involve increasing the temperature at cold room surfaces.
In the second case, assume that the RH is 50% and the temperature is 70oF in the middle of the room. The higher RH at that temperature indicates that the water vapor pressure is high and there is a relatively large amount of moisture in the air. The high surface RH is probably due to air that is too moist. Humidity is the dominating factor, and control strategies should involve decreasing the moisture content of the indoor air.
And many other very helpful sections. Be sure to bookmark that site for much more comprehensive information and resources.
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Black Mold: Your Health and Your Home
is available through ZephyrusBooks. Please use the above link to purchase using our secure checkout in our store.
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Mold Remediation requires monitoring the humidity and dehumidifying the area, among other important steps.
Below are links to these products on Amazon:
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Black Mold: Your Health and Your Home
is available through ZephyrusBooks. Please use the above link to purchase using our secure checkout in our store.