This is a curious thing about these "experts". They don't agree on these things. It is like republican and democrat thing.
Some doctors are known to push mold thing aside.
It just means a lot of weird stuff and nothing concrete. It is not like mold intends to kill us but it messes with our bodily functions. Even Stachy probably evolved to benefit indirectly from its toxin.
It is like HIV. Nobody cares for it until there are enough people suffering. You know Italy is suffering from malaria since it is getting warmer in parts. It is like West Nile virus. Perhaps we have that problem as it is generally warmer and moist than before?
In NY state, a panel of "experts" met and developed a conflicting advisory opinions. But they do recommend to remediate Stachy solely. I believe Deutsche Bank is being destroyed because of the mold; whole building. They mention black splotches which Stachy is known to create. I found the blog article of the mold tester of DB.
There are a lot of people divided over mold's harm. And it is difficult to prove it in the court for lack of research. But there have been cases of deaths from Stachy and there have been legal cases where lawyers made a lot of money.
People read different cases. Some say Asper/Pen causes death. Stachy causes death in infants.
It is best to say we should have clean air and clean water. From that standpoint, mold is bad as fine particulates and as breeding and aggresive organism.
What experts say?
Mold ilness symptoms
http://www.ehow.com/about_5112306_symptoms-mold-illness.html
Different individuals react differently. I get red eyes and headache. I feel disoriented sometimes. Another person has severe running nose blowing every few minutes. Some people have soft stool. If you are exposed long time and you have sickness, mold can affect those who are weak. It can cause active infection and even worse.
It is difficult to diagnose from my experiences with doctors and specialists. I have been exposed to Stachy, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Aspegillus, and Penicilium. They are brothers in arm. Wherever you find Aspergillus and Penicilium, others follow.
Control moisture and leaks, you can control mold problems.
Most dangerous molds
The Most Dangerous Spores
While all molds can be detrimental to the human body, certain mold and spores have been recognized as the most dangerous. These dangerous indoor molds include Alternaria, Aspergillus, Chatomium, Cladosporium, Fasarium, Mucor, Penicllium and Stachybotrys. These mold spores are known to be toxic in humans and animals, and can result in disease or death when exposure occurs. These toxins are known as mycotoxins. Mycotoxins poison their hosts by attacking the host's deficiencies. In humans, mycotoxins attack immune systems by seeking out vitamin deficiencies, caloric deprivation, alcohol abuse and infectious disease. These toxins generally affect babies, the elderly and immune-compromised or already sick individuals.
Correct way to remove mold on drywall
The whole procedure is to do one thing; prevent mold from releasing spore in millions.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2059114_remove-mold-drywall.html
Read several parts first. You rub sticky things so mold don't release spore. You contain areas so whatever is released does not contaminate other areas. Also you notice to dry areas you worked.
So, stop feeding water and stop reproduction.
Poor man's Remediation
Pro mold remediation works like this;
- fog with products like Concrobium (basically baking powder with some soap). It has to be atomized (fogging).
- scrub air. pro scrubber is expensive.
- hepa vacuum after
DIY
- fog with concrobium (home depot rental). It runs $40 plus Concrobium. A gallon is about $35 on 9/1/2009. The key is not to over-apply. It suggest 15 minutes and depending on the size of the room, just 5-10 min is enough.
- make air scrubber. it is easy. Buy $35 floor fan (square one). Get activated carbon filter for furnace. I bought one for $9.95 from HomeDepot or Lowes. Tie the filter on the fan. You have 3-speed air scrubber. run it overnight
- vacuum after
It is important to scrub right away and for awhile. Pros don't scrub long because they don't have time. They use bigger fan like 5800 CFM. So they don't do better job but larger fan will lift particulates and filter it. You do better if you move your DIY scrubber up and down and catch all floating encapsulated particulates.
Given you need to move all your furniture around. It is best to run the scrubber several days.
You need to wash everything. Clorox does not kill mold unless it is in direct contact and there is enough chlorine. You should wash clothing 1 part Clorox to 10 part water in addition to detergent. Use color safe bleach if you need to.
Considering mold situation in New York city
Mold problem has been on the rise. Our recent test in Clinton Hill has revealed full spectrum of molds including Stachy Botrys. The client has experienced what he thought pneumonia but it is probably some mold related infection or asthma attacks. We won't know until they are tested.
Here are some NY Times articles related how people are dealing with mold issues and how laws are trending.
The bad news, he added, is that remediation can be expensive — as can the reconstruction you might need to undertake after moldy walls or roofing is removed. Check your homeowner’s insurance; if you’re not covered, he said, “you need to buy a mold rider, and $50,000 of insurance is an appropriate amount.” the linkRecent court decisions on mold problems.
A NEW YORK CITY Housing Court judge has rendered a pair of decisions that send a mixed signal to landlords, tenants and their lawyers about a landlord's liability for mold.
Managing mold and lawsuits
That is because the newer buildings are often airtight. "And in buildings that have mold problems," he said, "central heating and air-conditioning systems can spread mold spores throughout the building."
New York Mold Task Team
Think of mold, one expert on the subject explained, as a weed. They are both equally ubiquitous: A little bit of mold grows everywhere, indoors and outdoors, year round, primarily in warm, dark and damp locations. There are thousands of different types of mold, but the one that has received the most attention from the media and health officials in recent years is Stachybotrys chartarum, a green-black mold that produces what are known as mycotoxins and is often referred to as toxic mold.
Recap of 2009 summer
New York state where we live is not famous with mold issues but there have been rising number of requests for testing.
People report various allergic reactions and have requested our testing. It seems there is a slight rise of mold issues. With unusually wet spring time and bursts of rains, people have been having moisture issues.
We keep most of clients on testing schedules as a part of testing and see if their situations are improving. Except one case, most of allergic molds discovery is related to Aspergillus, Penicillium.