mold recognition and remediation · and lack of stable humidity in the indoor environment flooding...

April 16th, 2015

IAHA Maintenance Clinic

Steve Driscoll, CR

Certified Restorer

MOLD

CONTAMINATIONAND REMEDIATION

ABOUT US

• Flirting with 40 years in business, established 1977

• General Contractor & Cleaning/Emergency Service Contractor : All aspects of fire, storm, water, mold, trauma, vehicle damage, remodeling & consulting

• Two locations to serve your needs: Normal, IL (Bloomington & Surrounding areas) & Morton, IL (Peoria & surrounding areas)

• 65+ full time employees on staff (carpenters, painters, dry-wallers, cleaning techs etc.)

• 8 project managers dedicated solely to Disaster Restoration, all are Certified Mold Remediation Technicians

• 24/7/365 emergency response-15 minute response & 2 hours on-site

• Complete over 1,500 projects per year

• Only company with a Certified Restorer (CR) on staff in the area

• Office hours: 6:59 am-6:59 am, Monday through Monday

WHAT’S ALL THIS TALK ABOUT MOLD?

RECENT HEADLINES

• Shocking News: Brittany Murphy’s Mother Claims Toxic Mold May Have Killed Star-2010

• Murphy’s husband dies 5 months later

• Dangerous state of military housing making service members sick across the U.S-November 08, 2012

• Family wins mold lawsuit-Center Street home mold allegedly caused severe respiratory problems for girl who lived there. $1.2MM in damages awarded

• Mold Forces Family Out Of Home - 4/9/2010

• Mold Blamed For Serious Illnesses - 4/8/2009

• Parents Look To Close Mold Infested School - 4/8/2007

RECENT HEADLINES

• Officials Seek Mold Link In Illnesses - 4/3/2002

• Expert: Poor IAQ May Have Killed Woman - 2/22/2002

• $32 MM Landmark Mold Judgment Upheld - 10/31/2001

• Mold Contamination? Burn The Building - 8/2/2001

• Rihanna Wins Key Point in Lawsuit Over Leaky Mansion 1/2014

Rihanna has won a key point in her legal war over a $6.9MMBeverly Hills mansion she bought that leaked, ruining her customfitted sound system and sprouting mold on her designer clothes.

SCHOOLS?

NEW YORK POST?

Mold Contamination?

Burn the Building

CMM Online

• 48 hours

• Dateline

• Wall Street Journal

• Internet sources• CDC website www.cdc.gov/mold

• CMM Online www.cmmonline.com

• Tens of thousands of published articles

HEIGHTENED MEDIA ATTENTION

• Ballard vs. Farmers Insurance- $32MM*

• Ed McMahon: 'Death Mold Killed My Dog‘-ABC News

*Cleaning Maintenance and Management Magazine

• Google “Mold Attorney” About 6,140,000 results 3-17-2015 in .31 seconds

LAWSUITS

HAS ANYONE BEEN INVOLVED IN A MOLD SITUATION?

• Commercial/Restaurant, East Peoria, IL

• Church, Hopedale, IL

• Grade School, Peoria, IL

• Temple, Peoria, IL

• High School, Peoria, IL

• Condominium Assoc, Peoria, IL

• School, Eureka, IL

• Shelter, Varna, IL

• Hotels, Central IL

RECENT MOLD REMEDIATION PROJECTS

• Restaurants

• Private Clubs

• Long/Short Term Health Facilities

• Municipalities (Police & Fire)

• Retail Stores

• Grade Schools

• Universities

• Property Management Firms

• Condominium Associations

WE’VE ALSO REMEDIATED PROJECTS FOR:

•Why are we just now becoming aware that mold is a problem?

• If mold has been here since the dawn of time, why all the recent attention?

TWO QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT BE ASKING YOURSELF

It is ubiquitous in the environment.

That is:

It is found everywhere.-e.g.: landfills, on our pets, in our homes, on our furniture, etc.

MOLD HAS INDEED BEEN AROUND SINCE THE DAWN

OF TIME...

• Leviticus 13:47-59

• Regulations About Defiling Molds

• “47 As for any fabric that is spoiled with a defiling mold—any woolen or linen clothing, 48 any woven or knitted material of linen or wool, any leather or anything made of leather”

MOLD IN THE BIBLE

• According to the Insurance Information Institute, an industry organization based in New York, there are more than 10,000 mold related lawsuits pending in state courts across the country.

LAWSUITS GROW ON MOLD

WHY IS MOLD A PROBLEM TODAY?

•Heating & Cooling Systems - reduced ventilation rates to save energy

ENERGY EFFICIENT HOMES AND BUSINESSES:

Tightly sealed buildings without windows are prime targets for

mold contamination.

USE OF SYNTHETIC BUILDING MATERIALS AND FURNISHINGS

(PLASTIC & OIL BASED PRODUCTS)

• In older buildings, the plaster used for construction of interior walls is less likely to provide a good breeding ground for mold. In newer buildings, where wallboard (drywall) is commonly used for interior and exterior walls. The paper backing provides an ideal environment for mold if that paper becomes wet.

BUILDING MATERIALS

USE OF CHEMICALLY FORMULATED

PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS,

PESTICIDES AND HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS WHICH ARE WATER BASED

IMPROPER DRYING TECHNIQUES

Usually the result of

uneducated individuals

and/or technicians

This mold formed as a

result of a water damage

that was improperly

handled by the owner

• Central Illinois experienced some of the worst flooding in recent history, April 17th, 2013

• 600 emergency calls in 5 days

• November 17th, 2013 EF4 Tornado, Central Illinois

• January 7th, 2014, Polar Vortex-300 commercial floods

• Unfortunately, we have seen the effect of improper drying and lack of stable humidity in the indoor environment

FLOODING & DRYING

• Some are actually valid cases

• Unfortunately, some are the result of a feeding frenzy by “mold contractors”, attorneys, public adjusters and property owners

10,000 BAD FAITH MOLD LIABILITY CASES TODAY

WHY ELSE ARE WE MORE AWARE OF MOLD ISSUES?

Today, Americans are spending as much as 90% of their time indoors, including more hours in the office at work.*

*EPA Studies of human exposure to air pollutants

LIFESTYLES ARE CHANGING

• Most people know that outdoor pollution can damage their health but many do not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant adverse health effects.

• EPA studies have proven that indoor air pollution can be 2-5 times, and occasionally more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY

AT LEAST 90,000+ SPECIES OF FUNGI (MOLDS, YEASTS, MILDEWS) HAVE BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY IDENTIFIED

THE MOST COMMON OUTDOOR AND INDOOR TYPES OF MOLD

FOUND IN THE MIDWEST

• Cladosporium

• Pennicillum

• Alternaria species

• Stachybotris - The only toxic household mold (black mold or slime mold)

• Mold naturally grows indoors.

• Mold spores may enter your house by pets, open windows, heating and ventilation.

WHERE DOES THE MOLD COME FROM?

• When spores land on places with excessive moisture, such as from leaky roofs, pipes or flooded areas, they will grow and multiply.

HOW DOES MOLD GROW?

LONG TERM EXPOSURE

LONG TERM LEAK

IMPROPER DRYING TECHNIQUES

LEAKING WATER LINE

DRYER VENT IN CRAWLSPACE(2 gallons per large load)

WHAT DOES MOLD NEED TO GROW?

1. “FOOD” FOR MOLD

• Soil

• Leaves

• Wood

• Drywall

• Painted Drywall

• Insulated Duct Work

• Carpet & Pad

• Insulation

• Glues-Latex

• Almost any

material

• Leaky Roof

• Damp Basement

• Broken Pipes

• Flood Damage

• HIGH HUMIDITY

• ExcessiveCondensation

2. MOLD REQUIRES MOISTURE TO FLOURISH

• Mold only needs 48 hours to begin growing

• Any of the occurrences previously mentioned will result in mold growth if not tended to quickly

3. MOLD REQUIRES TIME TO GROW

• Basement Walls

• Bathroom Tiles

• Windows Where Moisture Exists

COMMON SITES FOR INDOOR MOLD GROWTH

Long-term water intrusion through a sliding glass

door resulted in mold contamination to subfloor,

joists and sill plate.

• Flooding

• Leaking Roofs

• Ice Damming

• Backed Up Sewers

• Poor Clothes Dryer Ventilation*

• Bathroom Ventilation Fans*

• Uncontrolled Humidity Stachybotris will grow on wet hay

COMMON CAUSES OF MOLD IN A BUILDING

• Architectural Design Flaw (60% in 5 years)

• Broken Pipes

• High Condensation

• Poor HVAC Control

• Leaking System, such as dishwasher, water heater, etc.

• Shower Leaks

• Poor Building Maintenance

Sump Pump Failure

Sheathing damaged from excess

condensation due to improper ventilation.

DOES MOLD ALWAYS CAUSE HEALTH CONCERNS?

ALL FUNGI ARE OF HEALTH CONCERN WHETHER THEY ARE

VIABLE (LIVING, OR CAPABLE OF) OR NON-VIABLE (NON-LIVING)

All species of mold should be treated as hazardous. It is wise to err on the side of caution.

Three Types of Exposures

• Skin Contact

• Ingestion

• Inhalation

HEALTH EFFECTS

The type and severity of health effects that mold may produce are

usually difficult to predict.

HEALTH EFFECTS

The health effects of mold generally fall into four categories:

• Allergies

• Infections

• Irritations

• Toxicity

HEALTH EFFECTS

Allergic reactions are the most common.

Symptoms Include:

• Eye, Nose and Throat Irritations

• Chest Tightness

• Breathing Difficulties

• Headache

ALLERGIES

Infections are not as common as allergic reactions, and primarily affect persons with compromised immune symptoms

due to disease or drug treatment.

INFECTIONS

Symptoms include infections to the:

• Skin (rash, dermatitis)

• Eyes

• Lungs

• Other Organs or Systems

ASPERGILLUS FUMIGATUS IS A WEAK PATHOGEN THAT IS THOUGHT TO CAUSE INFECTIONS.

INFECTIONS

Irritations are caused by Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds (MVOC’s), which emit highly toxic gases that can emanate from

material such as wallpaper glue.

IRRITATIONS

The toxic gases, which may be pungent, are released into the air,

creating the musty smells we associate with mold and mildew.

IRRITATIONS

Some, but not all, molds can emit mycotoxins.

Types of mycotoxic* molds include:

• Aspergillus

• Stachybotris

*Not all mold genera has been tested for toxins.

TOXICITY

• Toxicosis

• Cold and Flu-like Symptoms

• Carcinogenic Symptoms

• Nosebleeds

• Headaches

• Chronic Respiratory Symptoms

• Inflammation

• Airway Restrictions

• Nasal Congestion

• Dermatitis

• Heart Problems (Endocarditis -Inflammation of the Heart)

• Neural Damage (Ballard vs. Farmers)

TOXICITY

Possible symptoms of toxic

molds include:

People are affected differently depending on the exposure levels and the condition of their health

prior to exposure.

HEALTH EFFECTS

• Infants & Children

• Elderly People

• Individuals with respiratory conditions or sensitivities to allergies, and asthma.

• People with weakened immune systems due to disease or drug treatment.

AT-RISK GROUPS

HOW CAN WE PREVENT OR LIMIT MOLD GROWTH?

Stop water leaks, condensation, excess humidity or flooding!

MOISTURE CONTROL

• Use an air conditioner or dehumidifier during summer months

• Adequate ventilation in kitchen and baths - the “steam effect”

• Proper extraction and dehumidification or desiccation during water losses

• 50% humidity level or less*

SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS:

Proper drying techniques are critical in

preventing mold growth.

DRYING COMMERCIAL CARPET W/O PADDING.

Proper drying techniques are critical in

preventing mold growth.

Proper drying prevents damage

from moisture.

What can one do if mold already exists?

MOLD REMEDIATION

• Building History- Is the mold pre-existing?

• Loss Date

• Water Source

• Apparent Scope of Damages

• Symptoms

• Verbal/Written Complaints?

• Recent Remodeling/Repairs?

What are your concerns?

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER BEFORE REMEDIATING

Some things to look for:

• Recent remodeling/repair work

• Roofing/plumbing issues

• Exhaust fans improperly installed (vented indoors)

• Roof vents/sky lights improperly installed

• Windows and doors improperly installed

• Improper drying from previous water damage

ADDITIONAL ISSUES

Can this be remediated in-house or is a professional remediator needed?

MORE THINGS TO CONSIDER

Call a Certified Mold Firm (credentials and references), an Industrial Hygienist,

etc., to perform an inspection

STEP 1:

In addition to visual inspection, the firm will likely take air/swab samples

STEP 2:

Air sampling and/or swab sampling will likely be performed where water

intrusions have resulted in visible mold growth.

STEP 2 CONTINUED:

Structural sampling may be required to determine the infestation in wall cavities.

For example, the firm may cut out a sample portion of drywall or carpeting for further

inspection and testing, or may use an air scope.

STEP 2 CONTINUED:

Develop an Established Baseline

In an area where mold presence is likely, tests are taken in and around the area (in both

affected and non-complaint areas) to determine the level of colony-forming units

(CFU’s) before remediation begins.

STEP 2 CONTINUED:

The firm will develop a Protocol (Fungal Abatement Specifications) based on

his/her inspection, using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US

EPA) Guidelines.

STEP 3:

U.S. EPA Guidelines for Remediating Building Materials with Mold Growth

There are three different levels of remediation according to the U.S. EPA.

Total surface area affected

less than 10 square feet

SMALL AFFECTED AREAS

•Need to be HEPA Vacuumed

•Cleaned with TSP

•HEPA Vacuumed Again

•Discarded

CONTENT & BUILDING MATERIALS

•Minimum Respirator (half-mask)

•Gloves

•Goggles

MINIMUM PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

No containment required for small affected areas

CONTAINMENT TYPE

Between 10 and 100 square feet

MEDIUM AFFECTED AREAS


•Cleaned with Water & TSP Solution


•Discarded


•Limited to Full

•Use Professional Judgment

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

•Full Containment

CONTAINMENT TYPE

Air Scrubber

creating

negative air

pressure

MEDIUM CONTAINMENT WITH A ZIPPER WALL

Total surface area greater than 100 square feet.

LARGE AFFECTED AREA


•Cleaned with TSP/Professional Cleaning Solutions


•Discarded


FULL

•Full-Mask Respirator

•Tyvek Suit

•Rubber or Latex Gloves

•Seal any opening in protective covering to protect skin


•Full 5-stage Containment

CONTAINMENT TYPE

CONSTRUCTION OF 5-STAGE CONTAINMENT

Based on these considerations, what is a typical protocol like?

Typical Protocol for

Fungal Abatement

Other issues to consider based upon the protocol

Prior to remediation, all parties must agree to an established acceptable

level of mold spore CFU’s to be allowed after remediation is considered

complete.

There is no such thing as a100% mold-free environment

AGREEMENT AMONG ALL PARTIES

AIR SCRUBBER

HEPA Vacuum

Hooded Tyvek SuitsFull-mask RespiratorsRubber/Latex Gloves


CONTAINMENT

How do you know when you are done with remediation and cleanup?

•Air Samples

•Swab Samples

TESTING & REVIEWING DATA

RE-CLEANING STRUCTURE AS NEEDED

Final Report with Air Samples

Who gets the final reports?

SAMPLE OF A FINAL REPORT

Recap of Mold Remediation Projects

RETAIL STORE

CONDOMINIUM

SCHOOL

SHELTER

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Last Chance

Thank You

We hope you learned a lot and had fun!

mold recognition and remediation · and lack of stable humidity in the indoor environment flooding...

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