Thread: Educational Mold Post

Molds all kinds of goodness and all kinds of badness

By JeremyJohnson - Posted on August 25th, 2009
They are grown by the millions, but the wrong kind can kill you. They can threaten to destroy your home and even your body. Some can even have well known hallucinogenic effects on your mind. In death Molds will consume us all. Mold is natures great decomposer. There are fungus among us. There are at least 100 different kinds of fungus that grow with-in us on a regular basis. The most common types of fungus are penicillin, yeast, and mold. Over 25,000,000 people suffer from some kind of mold related allergic reaction based illness. Mold releases Mycotoxins and a unknown amount will be kill people everyday.
Mold remediation is a 3 billion dollar a year business. The goal of a remediation job is to lower the interior spore count so that it is lower than the exterior. It is impossible to obtain a mold free environment. Before mold remediation begins it is important to have a mold inspector on site to investigate the area of concern. Once the inspector confirms the presence of mold, he will take samples and send them to the lab for cross contamination evaluation as well as identification.
While the spore is the molds means of transportation it is also its main reproductive body, similar to a plants seed. From a spore, a hypha or a branch grows, a collective of the hyphe known as a mycelia is the molds root system. The part of the mold visible to the naked eye. The mycelia emits enzymes to break down its food, which in residential cases is a wall or kitchen cabinet. More spores more mold. Many people fear the notorious black mold. In fact many types of molds are black and even the numerous types of colorful molds are equally dangerous. Like a snake when threatened some molds will only release their toxins when they feel that the mold is in danger.
Mold needs two ingredients to thrive, nutrients and moisture. Moisture can be found in basements and bathrooms where humidity levels often rise above the 40%-60% acceptable level. The faster an area is dried the less likely it is that you'll have mold growth. Even bathroom mildew carries the same risks as any other mold growth, but is usually easier to clean. When cleaning mold..DONT USE BLEACH. The first step is to locate the issue and repair it. The second step is to dry the effected areas and kill the growth to ensure that it will not come back. The third and final step is to clean the area with any household cleaner besides bleach. Not all molds are dangerous in fact scientists are developing ways to use fungus to attack the common household termite. The only way you'll know for sure is to call a licensed mold inspector to determine the species and spore count that occupies your home. See more at http//:www.riversidehomeinspection.biz

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Originally Posted by Jeremy Johnson

Molds all kinds of goodness and all kinds of badness

By JeremyJohnson - Posted on August 25th, 2009
They are grown by the millions, but the wrong kind can kill you. They can threaten to destroy your home and even your body. Some can even have well known hallucinogenic effects on your mind. In death Molds will consume us all. Mold is natures great decomposer. There are fungus among us. There are at least 100 different kinds of fungus that grow with-in us on a regular basis. The most common types of fungus are penicillin, yeast, and mold. Over 25,000,000 people suffer from some kind of mold related allergic reaction based illness. Mold releases Mycotoxins and a unknown amount will be kill people everyday.
Mold remediation is a 3 billion dollar a year business. The goal of a remediation job is to lower the interior spore count so that it is lower than the exterior. It is impossible to obtain a mold free environment. Before mold remediation begins it is important to have a mold inspector on site to investigate the area of concern. Once the inspector confirms the presence of mold, he will take samples and send them to the lab for cross contamination evaluation as well as identification.
While the spore is the molds means of transportation it is also its main reproductive body, similar to a plants seed. From a spore, a hypha or a branch grows, a collective of the hyphe known as a mycelia is the molds root system. The part of the mold visible to the naked eye. The mycelia emits enzymes to break down its food, which in residential cases is a wall or kitchen cabinet. More spores more mold. Many people fear the notorious black mold. In fact many types of molds are black and even the numerous types of colorful molds are equally dangerous. Like a snake when threatened some molds will only release their toxins when they feel that the mold is in danger.
Mold needs two ingredients to thrive, nutrients and moisture. Moisture can be found in basements and bathrooms where humidity levels often rise above the 40%-60% acceptable level. The faster an area is dried the less likely it is that you'll have mold growth. Even bathroom mildew carries the same risks as any other mold growth, but is usually easier to clean. When cleaning mold..DONT USE BLEACH. The first step is to locate the issue and repair it. The second step is to dry the effected areas and kill the growth to ensure that it will not come back. The third and final step is to clean the area with any household cleaner besides bleach. Not all molds are dangerous in fact scientists are developing ways to use fungus to attack the common household termite. The only way you'll know for sure is to call a licensed mold inspector to determine the species and spore count that occupies your home. See more at http//:www.riversidehomeinspection.biz

Well, I must say that this is very familiar sounding. Unfortunately it is not completely accurate.

Jeremy, you might want to visit this website Mould Health Effects: State of knowledge (mold) This site can will help you to provide the correct information.

I do have a question:
What kind of license do you have for mould inspecting?

I'm only aware of one state (TX) that licenses folks that inspect and test for mould. Is CA now doing the same?

I like to direct folks the the EPA site U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for information on mould and how to handle it. I have found the EPA to be spot-on when it comes to common sense on how to handle it.

JJ: You may want to buckle up. CaoimhÃ*n P. Connell , et al., will be honing their razors and coming after you soon. Looks like SP has already taken a swipe . . .

Sounds like Jeremy's post is to attract business, and if so, he has come to the wrong board as he now just looks, as my 3 year old granddaughter would say "that's just silly".

Jeremy, if you are trying to sell something, sponsor some ads. If you are looking for education, read the site Scott P. linked to.

After reading that site, you will likely want to come back here and edit out all your incorrect information.

JJ my man... didn't you read the follow-up post on the NACHI forum regarding your post there????? Perhaps you should just concentrate on being a HI and forget about the mold thing for awhile. Here's the follow-up post on that forum (although I don't think most HI's have a cavalier approach to Mold). BTW and IMHO you should forget the nachi stuff and join CREIA right now. I mean it.

quote
"There is considerable misunderstanding in the home inspection industry regarding mold inspections. The idea that by taking a few samples in a home constitutes a mold inspection is wholly inaccurate and demeans the entire industry. A mold inspection is a water "intrusion inspection" which includes sampling of suspicious stains. Sampling of the stains is accepted as being only about 20% of the entire inspection. The physical inspection of the property, the interpretation of the laboratory results, the development of the reasons why the staining is present, and the repercussions caused by the infection are the main focus of a “mold inspection.� There are very specific protocols for these inspections published by the Indoor Environmental Standards Organization. “Standards of Practice for the Assessment of Indoor Environmental Quality� which provide a defensible guideline for reporting indoor air quality issues. IESO - Indoor Environmental Standards Organization - Home Page.

Just like in home inspections there is no licensing requirements for mold inspections in the State of California. Association affiliations, training and experience are the basis of your defense should an attorney take you to task. On what basis do you offer advice to your clients? Various laboratories have promoted sampling to home inspectors to keep their staff busy. The offer one-day courses to home inspectors entice them into performing mold inspections with the sole reason being to increase income to the laboratory, not to benefit the inspector’s clients. These one-day certifications mean nothing in a court of law. Most home inspectors know just enough to get them into big trouble.

A mold inspection in some ways is very similar to a home inspection but it differs in the reasons why a condition exists. Why is the stain there? Where did the water come from? Is there proper venting? Why, Why, and Why? A home inspector is trained to report what he sees without commenting on the reasons why. Once you cross this boundary you better know what you are doing. Most home inspectors are negligent in the cavalier way they characterize mold. Mold is a serious business.

I too, would be embarrassed to ask $150.00 for three samples. (I do not know what testing means). But I have no problem at all for charging $700-$1000 to go through a clients home taking samples, offering advice and information regarding the discovered conditions.

There are various certifications for indoor air quality. In my opinion the Indoor Air Quality Association iaqa.org is the premier association in the country. The American Indoor Air Quality Council The American Council for Accredited Certification is the certification body of the IAQA and is very strict on their requirements. It takes years of documented experience before they will let you take the closed book exam, and it is a bitch. http://www.iaqcouncil.org/certificat...ecertified.htm

If you are going to be in the business at least be aware of the associations and organizations that govern that business.

Brad Deal
20/20 Home Inspections
CIEC, CMC, CMR
end quote

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

...

After reading that site, you will likely want to come back here and edit out all your incorrect information.

I think it needs to be deleted instead.

Originally Posted by Mitchell Meeks

I think it needs to be deleted instead.

I agree, but that is up to Brian and Jeremy, and I doubt that Jeremy knows enough to know he does not know and that he should delete his post.

As I recall, he has posted the same BS here before.

Originally Posted by Jeremy Johnson

...When cleaning mold..DON'T USE BLEACH. ..

Anyone know what the (supposed) problem is with using bleach?

Originally Posted by John Arnold

Anyone know what the (supposed) problem is with using bleach?

Just guessing here, but ... ... you are spraying up and the bleach falls down?

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

I agree, but that is up to Brian and Jeremy, and I doubt that Jeremy knows enough to know he does not know and that he should delete his post.

As I recall, he has posted the same BS here before.

How has he posted the same BS before when it was his first post? Different name?

Originally Posted by Mitchell Meeks

How has he posted the same BS before when it was his first post? Different name?

I don't know how he did it, but I am sure that same post has been here before, and not real long ago either.

Anyone else remember a post just like that post, or very close to it?

Originally Posted by John Arnold

Anyone know what the (supposed) problem is with using bleach?

JA: Bleach is sodium hypochlorite mixed with water. Water, along with cellulose fiber, feeds mold. Make sense?

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

JA: Bleach is sodium hypochlorite mixed with water. Water, along with cellulose fiber, feeds mold. Make sense?

Actually the bleach will kill the spores, but that is it. It is also on the toxic side if you inhale enough fumes. Also bleach can damage some plastic pipes and will corrode some metals.

The key to removing mold is to kill the spores and remove and or encapsulate as much as possible. The dead spores still can cause allergy problems that is why just spraying bleach is not the best alternative. Timbor or Boracare are safe products to deal with mold, they kill, encapsulate and retard mold from returning.

FYI. Jeremy You will find that there is only one Building Inspection Lic. issued by the State of Calif for inspecting building for moisture.
Branch #3 WDO. Structural Pest Control Board.

Best

Ron
Santa Rosa California Home Inspection - Exterminating & Thermal Imaging

I guess we scared him off. I have not seen anything by him.