Archive for September 2007
Mold removal cost: About $40,000
September 30, 2007, 9:57 amUnfortunately the cost of mold removal can be really high. Here’s a starting story I found in the Charlotte Observer:
York County officials don’t know how moisture got into a York County Courthouse file room, but getting rid of the resulting mold will cost the county nearly $40,000.Mold was discovered on some York County Common Pleas Court files in mid-August, Assistant County Manager David Larson said. The company called to investigate the problem, WPC Engineering, Environmental and Construction Services, found the plaster walls in the auxiliary civil court file room were damp.
The County Council on Monday authorized the money needed to remove mold from the 93-year-old building and store files in a portable trailer while the area is cleaned. Removing the files, sanitizing and cutting off the water source are expected to take about two to three weeks, and Larson said work could start as early as Monday.
No employees have reported health problems associated with the mold, but the county isn’t taking any chances. “We can’t have people in that area,” County Manager Jim Baker said. “The contaminated section is preventing employees and others from accessing files.”
—Administrator | no comments
(posted in the Resources, News category)
A blog post on mold removal
September 30, 2007, 9:54 amAs more people become familiar with the dangers of mold and empower themselves to remedy the situation we see more and more successful stories, such as this one I found on an unrelated blog:
So when we saw what was underneath the cabinets and walls of our kitchen, CD and I had a profound ‘Holy Crap!’ moment. 80-year-old dust and mildew is not unexpected, but then again - who can be prepared for what we found?
After locking our son in his hermetically sealed environment with filters going an mach speeds, we consulted the Internet and our family doctor about what to do.
Short of doing a complete gut removal of the room (which we did with the back room of the house but couldn’t afford to do again) here’s the consensus that we followed.
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(posted in the Resources, General category)
Paperless drywall resists mold, has rougher finish
September 30, 2007, 9:48 amThis is an interesting technology that when implemented may dramatically reduce the potential for mold infestation in homes. Here’s a quote from an article from the Arizona Republic:
Paperless drywall is a fascinating product. Although traditional drywall with paper facing is fine in many instances, paperless drywall solves a few pesky problems that paper-faced drywall has had for years.
Traditional drywall has a firm gypsum core that is wrapped with special paper. Not all drywall has the same paper facing. Some drywall products have colored paper facing (blue or green) that inhibits the absorption of water that might soften the gypsum core.
Paperless drywall is covered front and back with fiberglass that is highly water resistant. It also comes with a moisture-resistant gypsum core. Not all traditional drywall has this type of core.
Paperless drywall was created to help minimize the spread of mold in homes. Is it moldproof? Absolutely not. It is mold-resistant, as the fiberglass mat that replaces the paper is not a food source for many common molds. Some molds feed on the paper facing of traditional drywall if the drywall becomes damp and stays moist.
—Administrator | no comments
(posted in the Resources, News category)
OSBI discovers mold problem
September 19, 2007, 6:45 amHere’s a tragic story from Lawton Oklahoma about another law enforcement agency plagued by mold:
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is without its home because the Lawton building is full of mold. So, OSBI is working out of a temporary office. The mold problem was discovered after routine maintenance was being done on its building just off of East Gore Blvd. New carpet and paint was being installed when it was discovered. It was so bad, the employees weren’t allowed inside the building, and no one is permitted to enter without a respirator.
“We didn’t realize the seriousness of it until we started moving away the heavy furniture and some of the laboratory cabinetry that was attached to the walls,” said Richard Goss, an OSBI inspector. He says an expert on mold said structural deficiencies and lab equipment generated too much humidity and causing the problem.
Their temporary office is in a building at the Lawton Police Department. At their mold infested building, new pipes are being laid to keep the drainage flowing smoothly so the structure won’t absorb so much water keeping the mold away and the employees in their own building. A slope will also have to be built along the sides of the walls to create a runoff so it won’t push water into the building.
—Administrator | no comments
(posted in the News category)
Detroit Metro Tower Controllers Sue Over Toxic Black Mold
September 17, 2007, 6:39 amMold in the workplace is an all to common tragedy. People being exposed without any choice on the matter given their need to earn a living. And from the news we’ve seen, any type of workplace can be vulnerable, including this article from the publication charterX regarding Detroit’s Wayne County Airport:
On Sept. 14, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said that controllers of the Detroit Metro Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) filed a lawsuit in Wayne County Circuit Court, alleging that toxic black mold has affected controllers’ health. According to the complaint, the problem goes back three years; controllers say black mold has caused sickness and many of them have haven’t been able to work–continuing to suffer breathing and other serious health problems. To refresh your memory of several health-related complaints made by NATCA facility representatives, refer to CharterX’s exclusive May report, “Deadly Fumes in ATC Towers: FAA Promises CO Detectors.”
Allegations made in the suit contend that contractors hired by the Federal Aviation Administration, which employ air traffic controllers, failed to properly remove mold, provide a work plan for effective removal of mold contamination, have a certified industrial hygienist present during remediation, conduct proper testing, including clearance testing, and to advise the FAA of the deficiencies in their efforts to remediate the mold. Further, the complaint contends that mold remains in the building today. According to FAA statements, the agency contends mold has been removed.
Parties named in the suit are MIS Corporation, Coach’s Catastrophic Cleaning & Restoration Services Inc., Tillotson Environmental Occupational Consulting, Clayton Environmental Consultants, Bureau Veritas North American Inc., Jacobs Facilities Inc., Safe Technology Inc. and Applied Environmental Inc. Law firms of Dodd B. Fisher, PLC, of Grosse Pointe, Mich., and Mancini, Schreuder, Kline & Conrad, P.C., of Warren, Mich., are representing the air traffic controllers.
According to Vince Sugent, Detroit tower NATCA facility representative, the problem began in January 2005, when efforts to remove mold and correct a moisture problem in the tower weren’t handled properly. Controllers allege that contractors’ actions in wiping down drywall with soap and water–not utilizing safety precautions to protect controllers during remediation and executing other work plans outside the scope of industry standards, protocols and guidelines–haven’t corrected the problems.
—Administrator | no comments
(posted in the legal, News category)
Black mold continues to plague some Mississippi Coast families
September 12, 2007, 12:31 pmThe Mississippi gulf coast was also hit hard by Katrina and thus is facing the mold problem left in its wake. Here’s an article from the Mississippi Press:
MOSS POINT — Despite clean-up efforts, some Jackson County homes still have mold festering behind walls and under leaky windows.
“It’s growing. It’s in the vents and the walls. It makes you itch all over,” said Perry Fountain.
Though she scrubbed her floors and walls with bleach over and over, her garage walls became coated from the inside out with black mold after Hurricane Katrina flooded her Moss Point home.
Mold can grow anywhere that is damp and warm and can feed on wood, wallboard, upholstery and dust.
After hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Center for Disease Control sponsored a study on mold prevention strategies and the possible health effects of mold contamination.
The study, released in July 2006, said that the amount of flooding caused by the storms made a massive mold contamination a certainty, and residents were told to air out their homes and clean the possibly infected areas with bleach.
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(posted in the News category)
Closure Of Tampa Traffic Court With Mold Affects Dozens
September 11, 2007, 12:23 pmThis article from the Tampa Tribune illustrates the dangers of mold infestation in public spaces especially the ones that most of us would rather not be:
TAMPA - Dozens of people, expecting the typical long waits and aggravation, showed up this morning for traffic court at the Floriland Business Center. For some, the closure of the facility last week due to a mold problem added to their aggravation. For others, it was a relief.
Douglas Bakke, an official with the Hillsborough County Clerk of Courts, said 25 to 35 people showed up for their 9 a.m. court hearing.
“They’re tickled pink when we tell them court is canceled,” Bakke said.
Another 75 people had shown up by about 9:30 a.m. expecting to set a court date or pay a fine. They were directed to satellite offices in Ruskin, Brandon and Plant City or to a temporary facility set up at the George Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa.
Court dates in Plant City will proceed as normal. The majority of Hillsborough County Traffic Court dates that are scheduled at Floriland are canceled for this week, Bakke said.
The mold found in the courtrooms last week will take a minimum of 30 days to clean up, Bakke said.
—Administrator | no comments
(posted in the legal, News category)
Hay fever season peaking
September 4, 2007, 12:08 pmThis is an item from ScienceDaily.com that illustrates the increased risk that allergy sufferers and those affected by mold face this time of year:
CHICAGO, Sept. 3 (UPI) — Last month’s downpour in the Midwest has triggered an increase in mold spores but dampened the U.S. pollen count — at least temporarily.
The hay fever season, which begins around Aug. 15 and ends with the first frost, is expected to peak this week, easing the suffering of millions afflicted with seasonal allergic rhinitis, better known as hay fever, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Monday.
In Chicago, recent rains increased the number of mold spores per cubic meter to a “very high” threshold Friday of 50,000, down from an Aug. 22 high for the season of 62,766 spores, the Sun-Times reported.
The rain kept pollen from floating in the air but helped boost the growth of weeds, which would spread pollen grains if hot, dry, windy air returns, said Dr. Joseph Leija, an allergist in Melrose Park, Ill.
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology advises hay fever sufferers to keep windows closed and use air conditioning, minimize outdoor activity, shower after being outdoors and avoid places where ragweed thrives, such as roadsides, empty lots and edges of woods.
—Administrator | no comments
(posted in the News category)