Living with Building Mold

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Osborn Casey
7 years ago
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1 Living with Building Mold Momentum Is Building Conference February 13 Bill Warren Building Science Project Manager msolve 919/

2 msolve Building science consulting to manage building risk. Specializing in moisture and mold management Best practice and investigations msolveservices.com Parent company Kestrel Management Services, Madison, WI kestrelmanagement.com 2

3 Is Mold A Problem For You? 3

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5 Problem Risk Assessment Damage is low, medium or high cost Problem is isolated, recurring or widespread Owner/occupant exposure Repair and remediation: Simple vs. complex Problem is well understood Remediation is effective Owner/occupants are supportive 5

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7 WHAT IS MOLD? Fungi: Molds, yeasts and mushrooms 100,000 species Fungi = 25% of earth s biomass Reproduce via spores Digest organic material 7

8 Conditions for Mold Growth Food: Organic materials Cellulose and porous building materials (wood, paper faced gypsum board) Temperature: 59 to 122 degrees F Exposure to excess & sustained moisture Water: flooding, roof and plumbing leaks Water vapor: Mold grows above 70% RH Visible mold within in 72 hours after wetting 8

9 How Mold Grows 9

10 Molds are everywhere. They grow on virtually any substance, if moisture is present. 10

11 Known Health Effects Allergic reactions: allergies and asthma CDC: 75% increase reported asthma: Infections Irritant: eye, skin, respiratory tract Respiratory disease in workers with high mold exposure: Farmers Lung disease 11

12 WHAT IS TOXIC MOLD? Illness caused by breathing or eating mycotoxins Mycotoxins are poisonous chemicals made by fungi to poison other fungi 12

13 U.S. CDC Position Exposure to moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Some people are sensitive to molds. Molds can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or, in some cases, skin irritation. People with mold allergies may have more severe reactions. Immune-compromised people and people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may get serious infections in their lungs. 13

14 U.S. CDC Position A link between other adverse health effects, such as acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage among infants, memory loss, or lethargy, and molds, including the mold Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys atra), has not been proven. 14

15 Hilton Hotels agrees to pay former guests over mold problem December 29, 2005 Hilton Hotels agreed to pay nearly $2 million to former guests over a mold problem. Back in 2002, Hilton Hawaiian Village shut down its Kalia Tower after the mold problem was discovered. The $55 million cleanup took more than a year. 15

16 How do buildings get wet? Water Bulk Wicking Water vapor Air leakage Vapor diffusion Condensation 16

17 Wood Moisture Content 8-12% Dry healthy wood Above 14%: Wood boring insects Above 19-20%: Surface molds Above 28-30%: Rot (structural decay fungi) These numbers generally apply to paper faced gypsum board as well 17

18 Gypsum board MC # s similar to wood Dry 8-12% Elevated 16-20% Wet above 20% Mold food Paper facing Paint and primer Structural softening of gypsum core 18

19 Moisture resistant GB 19

20 What is condensation? Happens when humid air hits a cold surface (below the dew point temperature) Stop condensation by raise the surface temp or reducing the humidity of the air Cold surface temperatures causes include: Cold weather Air conditioning and refrigeration 20

Mold Questions and Answers Questions and Answers on Stachybotrys chartarum and other molds

Mold Questions and Answers Questions and Answers on Stachybotrys chartarum and other molds Questions and Answers on Stachybotrys chartarum and other molds Questions and Answers 1. I heard about "toxic molds" that grow in homes and other buildings. Should I be concerned about a serious health