Mold Expert Phillip Fry
1. Ignoring possible toxic mold health symptoms being experienced by one or more residents or co-workers. Think “mold” if occupants experience unexplained health problems like ongoing itchy eyes, bloody nose, sinus problems, headaches, nose congestion, runny nose, skin rashes, skin sores, coughing, breathing difficulties, memory problems, feeling disconnected, chronic fatigue, and many other mold symptoms.
2. Not realizing that perhaps only one or a few occupants may experience toxic mold health symptoms, while others may have none, with all living or working in the same mold-infested area. People differ significantly in their sensitivity and body reaction to mold.
3. Not inspecting for mold maintenance problems and toxic mold clues. Inspect your home and workplace regularly for roof leaks, plumbing leaks, water damage, mold smells, visible mold growth, high humidity (above 70% some or all of the time), and a wet or damp basement, crawl space, or attic.
4. Assuming there is no toxic mold problem if there is no visible mold. The worst mold infestation problems are often the ones you cannot see inside floors, ceilings, walls, basement, attic, crawl space, and the heating/cooling equipment and ducts. In addition, airborne mold spores are invisible to the eye.
5. Not knowing that new homes and workplaces often have built-in toxic mold infestation from moldy building materials; no builder mold inspection during construction;
6. Believing that simply drying wet building materials is enough. If toxic mold spores and mold colony growths run out of moisture, they do not die. Instead, mold becomes dormant, patiently waiting for high humidity or a future water leak to resume mold growth. Even dormant mold and its smell can make some mold-sensitive persons sick.
7. Not realizing that bleach is ineffective to kill toxic mold on and in porous surfaces like building materials. In addition, bleach is not an EPA-registered fungicide.
8. Using other ineffective products to kill toxic mold---such as paint primers that hide water stains but do nothing to kill or control mold, regular paint (which mold eats as a snack food), paint containing a mildicide (if used as the sole mold remediation treatment), ammonia, and most other household cleaners and disinfectants.
9. Thinking that just spraying something on the toxic mold will take care of the problem. You need to both kill all visible toxic mold growth and invisible mold spores encountered in mold remediation, and remove and discard the mold-damaged building materials. In addition, the mold remediated area needs to be protected with a fungicidal coating.
10. Not understanding that many mold remediation contractors’
Read the 25 steps for safe and effective toxic mold removal and remediation at http://www.moldinspector.com/
For free answers for your mold questions and problems, email mold expert Phillip Fry phil@moldinspector.com, or phone 480-310-7970, and visit his mold education websites http://www.moldinspector.com, and http://www.airconditionermold.com , and http://www.workplacemold.com.
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