Mold?!

[kyonu]

Hey fellas,

So last month I had a large water leak behind the toilet that I was able to fix. It was so bad you could feel sloshy wetness all around the bed frame in the bedroom. We have since repaired the leak and the carpet has been dry.

BUT, my girlfriend keeps getting really bad allergies which are quickly alleviated when she steps outside (and she is very sensitive, so being outside as a reprieve must mean something). This tells me that there is something IN the RV causing problems. I am assuming this is a mold problem underneath the carpet where the water was, and possibly the wooded areas where the water came from.

How would I go about looking at this? I live in it, and don't have the money to get a place to live for weeks while Camping World (only reputable place near me) fixes it. Even then I've heard some damning things about their "repair" crew.

Please help! I need to know what I can do. I am a DIY'er so can fix many things, just need a start. Should I rip up the carpet and scrub-a-dub dub? Should I burn it to the ground? This is infuriating, and the two air purifiers (each rated for a large room) can't even cleanse the whole RV.

Thanks in advance!

[dockmasterdave]

"Who has $50k to "Level 3 Hazmat Remediate" mold? Somebody won a lawsuit against insurance company, now many exclude mold on their policies."

I agree that black mold is probably the only dangerous one, or at least the most common, dangerous one.
There are lots of people down here complaining of allergies and sickness that can, and have been, proven to be from black mold.
Perhaps this is the reason I suggested a simple, under $10 mold test from Home depot, about 2 pages ago.
Pretty cheap for a first step, then take it anywhere you want to go.
Saying " I don't know anyone who got sick, so it isn't real" is a pretty dangerous gamble, when you could find out for sure so easily.
There are an awful lot of people on here with no LEGITIMATE training what so ever, telling people to do stupid things. In my humble opinion.
Sorry for ever getting involved in this thread.

[DiskDoctr]

What happened? Insurance.

Who has $50k to "Level 3 Hazmat Remediate" mold? Somebody won a lawsuit against insurance company, now many exclude mold on their policies.

Second thing, Flooding and the Media.

People built in Mississippi river bed, houses flooded (duh!), and then expected insurance to replace and remove every spec of dust, dirt, mold, etc.

Third thing, "Black Mold"

Dark, deadly, secret cause of all health problems, sneaks up on you at night, carries your children off into the forest...

Not saying mold isn't a bad thing, but if you believe all the hype, you'd never step outside of your padded rooms for fear a giant ball of blue ice from an airplane toilet is going to get you!

OP- Go to Home Depot, ask to see their mold removal products, and use them. Much better than bleach. Can be DIY with reasonable cost and precautions.

[John_Joey]

The sky is falling the sky is falling. :E

You're right about asbestos, my FIL used it a lot when he would sweat pipes near wood. I'm sure it would have killed him if the cigarettes didn't get him first at 82.

Mold seems to be an ever present problem in humid Florida. Wonder how they survive. I think if you really looked hard at an RV that is used a lot you'll notice mold on the window frames. Wonder if they should be claimed as a bio hazard then prior to going to some consignment place for a cleanup and sale?

[dockmasterdave]

What did we do before we knew asbestos was dangerous? Oh yeah we got cancer and died from it.
How do they handle mold in third world countries? Oh yeah, they get sick and sometimes die from it.
You do it any way you want.

[John_Joey]

Wonder how we all survived mold in the old days :h. I guess it was some major unknown health hazard, or maybe there was just a few real bad mold cases that lead to a billion dollar industry. Is common sense out the window, and internet fear is in charge?

I also wonder what people do in other countries around the world when it comes to mold :h. If they follow the same mold standards as the US does, and if they don't what is their outcome.

YMMV, do what makes you feel safe and remember free advice is worth every penny you pay for it.

[dockmasterdave]

"I wore a $40 respirator (with two filters on the mask) from Lowe's, rubber gloves and sealed eye protection. I didn't find a full suit unfortunately".

The respirator (with purple cartriges) that is certified for mold, and the tyvek suits are available easily at Sherwin Williams and probably any good paint store.
Your family's health is the most important thing.
Most of what doxiemom posted is correct and very good advice.
there are several other pubkications on mold remediation incl nyc dept of health.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/epi/epi-mold-guidelines.pdf

probably the most concise is the epa guide

http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.html

also there is the osha guide

https://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib101003.html

I think what we are trying to tell you is this is a serious matter, you can probably do it yourself (albeit illegally), just try to think saftety, and hazards in the air. They will come down everywhere for several days.
You can also Google FL mrsr 1394 to see if I am qualified to give advice on this.

[Yukoners]

Westend, excellent site thanks for the link:)

[westend]

Your Govt's EPA Guidlines and information about mold.

[dockmasterdave]

I don't care what someones brother in laws, father taught them about cleaning mold.
There are comprehensive mold remediation techniniques, approved by the center for disease control.
If you want the real answers I will be happy to send them to you.
I have studied Micro biology lately, and am licensed to remove mold.
This is a hazardous material situation.
You can do it the way someone recommends, or you can research it and do it correctly and SAFELY.
When you disturb the mold, you will have about 100 times as much mold in the air as you have right now.
Your choice.

For instance mold does not require "no air movement", or "darkness" to thrive.
All it needs is moisture and a biodegradeable food source.
Yes there are better solutions than bleach. A simple Google search will give you the names of many.
NO mold remediation Co. is using bleach, because their lives and jobs depend on doing it right, and safely.

[westend]

Water-Bug wrote:
Bleach releases mold spores. There are better products available.

Sodium hypochloride (bleach) is a listed chemical for a mildicide. Don't know where you are getting this information about spore release that only occurs from using bleach. The active mold colony is continually releasing spores and any agitation may increase that release. Bleach will kill mold spores fairly fast when combined with water.
FWIW, our atmosphere is filled with mold spores. They are so small that they stay suspended for a long time, pushed by wind and kicked up from the ground by traffic or weather. The reason the spores don't propogate into another active colony is that they don't get to the narrow, correct environment to reproduce. This is why removing humidity, changing temperature, or adding ventilation is effective against mold.

If the OP was using a humidifier, I would suggest to stop using it until the mold is known to be gone. Also, some humidifiers have percentage settings and if you're not measuring the interior air with a separate humidistat, those settings may be getting your air too humid. 50% is also on the high side of comfortable but a lot depends on where you are and how it all works.

[kyonu]

Okay, so here is what I have done:

I started by cleaning the area where the leak started first. my toilet is in a separate room from the shower, and the shower room + bathroom room can be closed off with a door on either both sides. (basically a large bathroom with a sectioned off toilet).

I took a bleach + detergent cleaner, 50 parts bleach, 40 parts detergent, 10 parts water. I understood that bleach released spores, but it kills the area the spores were resting in. The detergent helps keep the area clean and helps the bleach solution stick to not let mold grow back. I researched this heavily before selecting this option, and it was the best option for me at the time.

I wore a $40 respirator (with two filters on the mask) from Lowe's, rubber gloves and sealed eye protection. I didn't find a full suit unfortunately.

The bathroom is linoleum, and I checked the area where the leak was and there was no damage underneath, which was good. It appeared to be stopped since the linoleum was bent upwards, and funneled it to the carpet. I scrubbed every inch of the floor, walls, toilers, cabinets, shelves, sink, shower, ceiling, etc. You name it. After I was done, it felt clean in there, and the girlfriend could breath.

She is still having some difficulty, so I bet I hit the source real good, now I just need to hit the army! Will be ripping out the carpet tomorrow to check underneath. Will check padding and any insulation there.



NOTE: When the issue first happened, I took every measure to dry the wetness. All windows open, GF put a blow dryer down on the carpet to stipend the wetness, and we laid many a towel to keep it dry. Plenty of air flow, but it was wintery so it was probably not effective. This was all we were able to accomplish, but now major changes need to be made.

We turned off the humidifier tonight and clogged the top with a pillow. Will leave it this way for a few days and see how it goes.

[doxiemom11]

Any disturbance to the mold spores will release them into the air. They require, moisture, no air movement and darkness to grow. You have to elimiate the environment they like to grow in. The most likely culprit is the padding under the carpet. There are commercial companies that do mold remediation and there are also special cleaners to kill mold. Do not scrub with anything but a mold product, you will just spread the spores. Wear protection for your respiratory system, eyes and skin. Tear out the carpet and padding and discard it. If you see no signs of mold on the floor under that, clean with a mold product while wearing your protective gear. Let a fan run to move the air, after cleaning, and make sure everything is throughly dry before recovering the floor. You can also open all blinds, etc to let light in and place a dehumidifier in the room. If there is mold in the wood after lifting the carpet and pad, tear wood out and inspect lower walls for moisture and mold. Continue going until you have only dry wood.

[Water-Bug]

Bleach releases mold spores. There are better products available.

[John_Joey]

Carpet cleaner with a 5-10% hot water bleach solution. See how it goes after that.