Mold Assessment / Remediation
Mold Assessment (FL) - Answer -A process performed by a mold assessor that includes the physical
sampling and detailed evaluation of data obtained from a building history and inspection to
formulate an initial hypothesis about the origin, identity, location and extent of amplification of mold
growth greater than 10 square feet.
Mold Remediation (FL) - Answer -The removal, cleaning, sanitizing, demolition or other treatment,
including preventative activities, of mold or mold -contaminated matter greater than 10 square feet
that was not purposely grown at that location.
Mold Assessment (NY) - Answer -An inspection or assessment of real property that is designed to
discover mold, conditions that facilitate mold, indicia of conditions that are likely to facilitate mold or
any combination thereof.
Mold Remediation (NY) - Answer -Conducting the business of removal, cleaning, sanitizing, or surface
disinfection of mold, mold containment, and waste handling of mold and materials used to remove
mold from surfaces by a business enterprise, including but n ot limited to, sole proprietorships. Mold
remediation for the purposes of this article shall not include remediation of the underlying sources
of moisture that may be the cause of mold that requires expertise not specific to acts authorized
under this arti cle.
Project (NY) - Answer -Means mold remediation, mold assessment or mold abatement of areas
greater than ten square feet, but does not include (a) routine cleaning or (b) construction,
maintenance, repairs or demolition of buildings, structures or fixtures un dertaken for purposes other
than mold remediation or abatement.
Sanitization - Answer -Reduction of the microbial population on an inanimate object to levels judged
safe by public health standards; usually, the object is cleaned with an antimicrobial.
Remediation - Answer -The act of removing damaged construction materials when said materials are
irretrievable or nonsalvageable. Such remediation should be done with precaution due to health
concerns for the occupants and the contractor who is doing the wo rk.
What is Mold? - Answer -Molds are fungi which may grow on environmental surfaces, in porous
materials, on/or within living organisms and in decaying organic matter.
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The Kingdoms - Answer -1. Animals
2. Plants
3. Protozoa
4. Fungi
5. Bacteria
6. Viruses
Fungi - Answer -Mold is a particular type of fungus.
Fungi are a distinct and unique group of organisms that are classified into an individual kingdom.
Most Common Indoor Fungi - Answer -• Aspergillus
• Cladosporium
• Penicillium
• Asper/Pen
When Molds Grow - Answer -Most fungi are composed of microscopic filaments called HYPHAE ,
which branch to eventually form a network of hyphae, called a MYCELIUM (colony). The mycelium
extends over or through whatever substrate the fungus is using as a sour ce of food.
Digestive Systems of Molds - Answer -Fungi secrete digestive fluids that decompose the substrate,
making nutrients available.
When the environmental conditions are right, molds/fungi have all the food they need to grow and
colonize.
Toxic By -Products (Mycotoxins) - Answer -• Large group of toxins produced by some fungi, located on
or in the spores.
• Toxins can be cancer causing and suppress the immune system.
• "Secondary Metabolites" of mold growth are, essentially, the by -products of mold growth.
Toxic Molds - Answer -Stachybotrys Chartarum primary.
Just because it's black doesn't mean it's Stachybotrys
Isolated primarily from water damaged building materials and cellulose contents (discard)
Mycotoxin producer, toxic to many
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Requires an ongoing water source.
Secondary metabolite of this is Trichothecene, a mycotoxin. (Some other obscure molds produce
this same bi -product.) Other water damage -related molds may be toxic including Fusarium,
Chaetomium, Trichoderma and Memnoniella.
Additional molds found to have toxins include Aspergillus and Penicillium, Cladosporium and more.
Mycotoxins are not always produced.
What are VOCs? - Answer -VOCs are invisible gases that are emitted from solids and liquids found in
the home, such as building materials, cooking sources, gasoline and fuel, air fresheners,
paints/varnishes, drycleaning, laser printers, carpeting, adhesives , cleaning solutions, and many
other sources. These chemicals can build up in houses, especially in the winter and summer months
when homes are generally closed up. Repeated exposure to VOCs can cause blurred vision,
headaches, nausea, dizziness, coughing, lethargy, burning eyes, respiratory irritation, skin rashes,
reduced lung function, respiratory illness, concentration difficulties, depression, and, in extreme
cases, loss of consciousness and suffocation. Higher exposure can lead to liver damage, kidney and
central nervous system irregularities. Some VOCs can cause cancer.
What are MVOCs? - Answer -MVOCs are gases (chemicals) produced by actively growing mold. Just as
humans expire gases, so do molds. These chemicals can be monitored to determine the level of
actively growing mold in the house. A Home Air Check measurement is an excellent way to
determine the level of mold growing in a house - even behind walls. This is possible because Home
Air Check is a chemical analysis of the air, and chemicals move more freely through a house than
mold spores (particulates) which can be trapped by walls and thereby go undetected. When mold
levels are elevated and there is chronic exposure in the home, some individuals can experience
negative health effects, or worsening of existing illnesses, that could run the gamut from mild to
serious. These health effects could include allergies, skin irritations, asthma, respiratory infection,
and toxic poisoning. In addition, individuals with suppressed immune systems may be particularly
vulnerable to illnesses caused by mold contamination.
Volatile Organic Compounds - VOC - Answer -Chemicals that easily evaporate into the air
Some VOC's have industrial origins, e.g. housekeeping products but sourcing is often difficult
because these come from most building components and many contents in a home or building.
Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds - mVOC - Answer -Produced during fungal growth as a waste
by-product so they elevate primarily when a mold is in an active state.
Their production is dependent on the substrate and environmental conditions and are easily
detected even when no visible mold is present.
Conditions Needed for Mold Growth - Answer -Temperature (ideal - 40°F to 100°F)
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Moisture (ideal - H2O or RH <%40 -60%>)
Nutrient base (ideal - less organics)
How Do Molds "travel" ? - Answer -Like other IAQ contaminants, mold spores and mycotoxins travel
in the air with:
Moisture (H2O or RH)
Convection (dryer heat rising)
Air Movement (pressure)
Air Infiltration (inside or outside)
From Outdoors (drifting in behind us)
What Changed? - Answer -Energy crisis of 1970's
600% rise in energy costs
"Building Energy Thermostat Settings" (BETS) -"Thermostat police"
High cost of air conditioning outside air reduces outside air requirements and therefore produces a
"toxic soup"
Energy efficient practices created early shut -downs and late start -ups ('coasting')
Variable Air Volume (VAV) systems became a common modification to recycle air more "Value
engineering" emerges which lead to devalued projects and buildings
We begin "sealing our homes with deadly precision" says one Doctor.
New building materials use polymers, resins, formaldehyde and other emitted chemicals, off -gassing
Computers & copiers produce ozone Technological changes introduced, new building materials &
products
VOC's and sub -micron particles
Structures built in late 1970's with 're -thought technology' are now aging faster than normal
When Assessing, Factors to Review - Answer -Energy Conservation Strategies
Construction Materials/Furnishings Technological Changes Lifestyle Changes Lack of IAQ
Management Lack of Sanitization Protocols
Body Response to Contaminants - Answer -Allergic --> Disease --> Toxic
Productivity Affected by Responses - Answer -Dollars Lost Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
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