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How to Clean Mold on Building Framing Lumber or Plywood Sheathing and Use of Fungicidal Sealants on Wood Building Materials
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• How to Clean Mold on Building Framing Lumber or Plywood Sheathing and Use of Fungicidal Sealants on Wood Building Material

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

This article offers advice on cleaning mold found on surfaces of un-finished wooden building materials such as framing lumber (rafters, floor joists, wall studs), and building roof, wall, and floor sheathing such as plywood, tongue-and groove pine boards, and other structural wood surfaces in buildings. We discuss the pros and cons of using fungicidal sealants and bleach on wood surfaces and give sources and list types of those products. We also discuss common errors made when cleaning wood surfaces, such as relying on bleach or performing expensive and unnecessary cleaning on cosmetic black mold on wood surfaces. We include photographs of surfaces which have been cleaned during a good mold remediation project, and we provide photos of the effects of use of fungicidal sealants as encapsulants, particle immobilizers, and clear (or pigmented) surface sealants. © Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Resources.

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1. CLEAN MOLDY SURFACE - How to remove mold from wood framing, plywood sheathing, tongue and groove subfloor or roof decking

The object in cleaning mold from a wood surface is to remove all fungal material from the surface of the wood: fungal spores, hyphae, and conidiophores (the spore producing structures of mold). It is not necessary to remove all stains from wood. Microscopic examination of stained wood fragments will generally show that what remains in these wood cells are sterile fungal hyphae. If the wood surface is cleaned thoroughly and building leaks, high moisture, or other water sources are prevented, keeping the humidity at the proper level, growth of problem mold on the cleaned surfaces is quite unlikely. The first photograph above shows mold growing on wood framing lumber and even on electrical wiring insulating jackets in a wet basement before these surfaces had been cleaned by the mold remediation contractor. The second photo shows wood framing and subfloor that have been adequately cleaned, without any application of a fungicidal sealant. At this inspection we found that although the mold cleanup looked complete to the naked eye, the remediation containment barriers had been removed before a successful mold remediation clearance inspection and test. Testing in the crawlspace below the opened floor we found over 120,000 P/A spores/M3 - a rather high level of airborne mold. In the adjoining basement we found 7000/Pen/Asp spores per M3 of air. The rest of the house interior was low when tested immediately after containment removed. Our opinion was while cleaning had been well done, poor containment management meant that there was a high risk of recontamination. Additional airing-out, air scrubbing, surface vacuuming, and re-testing were needed because of the mis-handling of containment, despite good cleaning work.

Cleaning mold from smooth wood surfaces

Perfectly adequate cleaning may be accomplished by wiping or (where feasible) power-washing or media blasting. Where wiping a moldy surface, take care not to spread moldy debris from a moldy surface onto a previously uncontaminated surface by making the mistake of re-using the same moldy rag over and over on all surfaces. Professionals use "steri-wiping" which takes care to avoid spreading moldy debris by always folding and using a clean side of the wipe when moving to a new spot.

Where the framing lumber is indoors or otherwise in a location where water spillage is a concern, wipe the areas of heaviest mold to remove any loose mold from the surface of the lumber. Unless professional area-containment has been set up (barriers, negative air), do not use violent cleaning methods such as power-washing or sandblasting indoors, as you will spread moldy debris throughout the building and you'll increase the ultimate project cleanup cost. (Where the framing lumber is outdoors where water spillage and the creation of aerosolized mold spores is not an issue, pressure wash the infected lumber to remove surface mold.

"Cleaning" in this case can be simply wiping with a sponge wet with water or detergent. See my warnings below about using bleach. The object of cleaning is to remove most of the loose moldy particles. The object (except in medical facilities) is not to produce a particle-free sterile surface. However beware of cross-contamination. Wetting a rag and wiping a very moldy surface off is fine but if you then use the same dirty rag to wipe another fairly clean surface you may be in fact spreading moldy debris around. A professional uses sterile wipes and folds to a clean side of the wipe for each wiping stroke. For a small homeowner non-critical project this may be overkill but think about and avoid spreading moldy debris by your cleaning procedure.

Cleaning mold from irregular or hard-to-reach wood surfaces - media blasting

If mold needs to be removed from a roof deck through which roofing nails penetrate, hand wiping is not feasible. Power cleaning using spray equipment such as media blasting using baking soda or dry ice is very effective for these surfaces. (See our media blasting article at "More Reading" below).

However spraying anything in an attic creates a secondary problem: contamination of building insulation. Our experience is that if attic conditions have been wet enough to produce problem mold justifying a professional cleaning of those surfaces, the insulation is probably contaminated and needs to be replaced.

Unless a building is being totally gutted to its framing, power-washing with water or any other liquid is problematic in a building attic where the procedure risks leaks into and wetting contents of the building below the work area. Dry-process spray cleaning works well in these areas. Typical high pressure sprays use baking soda or frozen C02, followed by HEPA vacuuming of the work area and probably of other building areas.

More Reading on methods for cleaning mold from difficult to access areas or removing mold from irregular building surfaces:
Mold Removal by Media Blasting - A test report (complete article, with illustrations) on the effectiveness of baking soda media blasting for cleaning fungal contamination in buildings, Daniel Friedman, Dennis Melandro, originally published in Indoor Environment Connections, Rockville MD, June 2003

Cleaning mold from wood trusses and cross-bracing

In an area of high levels of mold growth or moldy dust and debris, the irregular surfaces formed by wood trusses and also by older wood cross bracing between floor joists prevents thorough cleaning of surfaces and creates many dust collection points.

A similar construction detail where significant moldy dust reservoirs may be left in place is the upper surface of wood furring which has been nailed across the under-side of floor joists to support (now removed) ceiling tiles.

Because the surfaces formed by trusses and cross bracing can form a significant dust and debris reservoir, I always check these areas during a mold remediation clearance inspection. If work has been hasty or incomplete, these are among the first areas to be under-cleaned.

Spray process cleaning and HEPA vacuuming are effective for these areas.

Sanding wood surfaces to "clean" mold

I often see remediators attempting to clean up mold by sanding surfaces, by hand or by power sander.

Sanding wood surfaces to remove mold is physically possible for smooth surfaces but in our opinion this is a slow, labor intensive procedure which is impractical for any large area cleanup. Spray processes are significantly faster and more thorough.

Sanding by hand is 1.) probably completely unnecessary and 2.) may indicate inexperience or a response to an improperly informed and frightened building owner. Clean the surface mold, dry the building, and if you like, use a sealant as discussed below. The fungal material left inside of wood framing or sheathing and which forms visible stains is not going to affect building occupants provided the building is kept properly dry and free of leaks. Even if you removed all of the stain by deep sanding, future building leaks will still \ produce new mold growth, so sanding is in most cases a wasted effort.

An exception I make to this general advice is where exposed beams are cleaned or sanded for cosmetic reasons. Still in that case media blasting cleans better and faster.

More Reading:
Mold Levels: allergenic or toxic mold: how much means a problem
Mold Removal by Media Blasting - A test report (complete article, with illustrations) on the effectiveness of baking soda media blasting for cleaning fungal contamination in buildings, Daniel Friedman, Dennis Melandro, originally published in Indoor Environment Connections, Rockville MD, June 2003

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2. DRY THE SURFACE - Dry the cleaned, previously moldy surface

Let the cleaned lumber or plywood surface dry thoroughly.

When lumber surfaces have been washed or otherwise are wet, they should be dry (less than 18% moisture content) before further treatment.

For wood framing and sheathing surfaces which have been cleaned of problem mold, a simple contact probe system or Tramex moisture encounter system is adequate since wood surfaces are directly accessible. In more broad investigations we measure moisture in wood and drywall using either a pin-probe type moisture meter such as the Delmhorst(TM) model BD-7, the Tramex Compact(TM) or for impenetrable surfaces such as tiled walls and floors we use the Tramex moisture encounter which uses a pair of pads and an electrical signal to perform non-destructive moisture detection. The Delmhorst also offers sets of long pin probes which can penetrate a wood frame wall or ceiling to sense moisture within insulation or on the far side of that cavity. We also use the Exergen infra-red scanner to find moisture based on variations in temperature. (A study comparing the effectiveness of various moisture measuring tools in the detection of moisture in inaccessible building cavities and a comparison of use of these instruments, a bore scope, and direct visual inspection by test cuts has been completed and is in process of being added to this website.)

Remember when measuring moisture that looking only in the center of a surface, such as 4 ft. up a drywall-covered partition, is not the full story. :Moisture may still be present at problem levels in slow-to dry areas including building wall and ceiling cavities and on drywall behind wood trim. Measure at the locations most-likely to still be wet, not the locations most-likely to be dry, if you're trying to avoid an indoor mold problem.

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3. TREAT & SEAL - cleaned lumber or plywood if used indoors - an optional step to reduce retard future mold growth

Optionally, you may elect to treat cleaned lumber by coating its surfaces with a sealant intended for that purpose and following the recommendations of the manufacturer.

Applying Fungicidal Sealants after Mold Remediation

The mold remediator/cleaner may elect to apply a fungicidal sealant such as Fosters(TM) 4020 or 4051, the Anabec(TM) two-step cleaner-sealer system, or non-sealant fungicides may be applied in an effort to reduce the chances of future mold growth on the cleaned surfaces. But readers should review the advantages and warnings about using fungicides and fungicidal sealants described next. The photograph shown here was taken in our forensic lab during examination of a mold remediation clearance dust sample. The photo shows how a clear fungicidal encapsulant (mold sealant) can encompass and immobilize small particles, in this case fragments of fiberglass insulation and sub-micron microscopic debris which were coagulated and encapsulated into now-solidified droplets of a clear commercial mold encapsulant/sealant.

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ADVANTAGES - of applying a fungicidal sealant to retard future mold growth

This photograph, taken during a mold remediation clearance inspection, shows the use of a clear fungicidal sealant applied to previously-cleaned building framing and subflooring. The shiny coating makes evident where the coating has been applied. The transparent nature of the coating permits the inspector, building owner, or a subsequent buyer of the property to view the quality of the cleaning job. Clear encapsulants have this advantage of showing the condition of the coated surface, assuring us that the mold remediator didn't simply "spray-over" a dirty moldy surface. On the other hand, white or pigmented fungicidal paints and sprays are easier to detect, and it's easier to see if the application missed any surfaces that were supposed to be coated.

Here are some advantages of using a fungicidal sealant following mold remediation

• Funcidical or other sealants may reduce future moisture-uptake in wood, making it less quick to support future mold growth
• The use of sealants after a mold cleanup project can immobilize particles left in hard to clean crevices
• Fungicidal or microbial sealants contain a chemical which the manufacturers claim retard future mold growth. However the long-term chemical stability, thus the durability or "lasting power" of the chemical effects may be in doubt. I have been unable to find any long term study of the enduring effect of the fungicidal or microbial effect, and some studies, such as those done on microbially-treated fiberglass duct insulation indicate that the treatment is not long-lived.
• The few remaining particles not removed by cleaning are immobilized (see photos in the previous text above) - sprays and sealants are never a substitute for cleaning however.

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WARNINGS - about using fungicidal sealants to control mold growth

• Remember to clean: Fungicidal sealants or non-sealant fungicides should not be used as a substitute for physical cleaning of moldy or suspect surfaces and materials. Application of fungicides without cleaning risks leaving high levels of toxic or allergenic particles in the building. Even if a fungicide could "kill" every mold spore, which in my experience is unlikely, non-viable spores may still be toxic or allergenic.
• Biocides or Fungicides which are not sealants have the same shortcomings as sealants and more: they are unlikely to kill 100% of their target, they do not immobilize remaining dust or debris on a surface and they do not provide future moisture resistance.
• Possible health risks of fungicides and disinfectants: If your contractor is planning to use a disinfectant or fungicide on building surfaces be sure to review the chemicals to be used as possible irritants or hazards themselves. The remediation industry is of mixed opinion regarding the efficacy and advisability of using such treatments. Some people have allergic reaction to these chemicals. The contractor should be asked to provide documentation identifying the chemical(s) used, the concentration and manner of application, and the areas where they were applied, as well as providing pertinent health information from the manufacturer, as some occupants or owners may prefer to avoid these chemicals.

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SOURCES & TYPES - of fungicidal or microbial sealants and paints to prevent future mold growth

• http://environmentsensitive.com/air.html Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate (DOT)
• http://www.wwenvironmental.com/paint.htm paint additive that includes a mildewcide, website includes MSDS and some product info
• http://www.allergystore.com/mold.htm - Sure Cote [we do NOT recommend using the mold test kit sold by this website
• http://www.allerx.com/x158.htm = AllerX X-158 claims to protect from mold for 180 days
• Waterglass (Sodium Silicate) used as a binder in paints may also be a possible coating. It is water soluble and produces a "heat resistant and intumescent" film. However to date we have no data regarding its use in this application.
• Fungicidal sealant paints such as Fosters 40-51™ clear coating (here's the Fosters 40-51 MSDS for Foster's 40-51) or Microban™ (here's Microban's web, a typical MSDS for paint containing Microban, and here's a paint supplier's claims)

• (Readers are welcome to contribute additional products to this list.)

We have no financial interest in any of these products. This data was discovered by internet search. We have no scientific data as yet regarding the effectiveness, toxicity, chemical composition, nor durability of these products. We do not recommend using thick plaster or cementious coatings as these are more likely to later crack or leak, trapping moisture inside against the wood and promoting worse mold growth.

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4. CLEANING MISTAKES people make when cleaning-up moldy building materials and moldy surfaces:

This discussion lists common mold remediation or mold cleanup errors specific to attempts to clean mold from contaminated framing lumber or building sheathing such as plywood or pine boards used for subfloors or roofs. Inadequate cleaning and cross contamination are the two most common mistakes we find when inspecting and testing sites to perform a post remediation clearance for mold cleanup. Using bleaches, sprays, or ozone instead of cleaning are close behind in frequency of mistakes. Other mold remediation errors such as performing only demolition and failing to clean up the dust and debris caused by that step, are important but are not discussed in this moldy wood cleaning document.

Mold Cleanup Workmanship, Procedures, & Asbestos: But before discussing these (below) we add that you should be alert for other building contaminants that might need attention and which can be most-economically addressed by combining them into the mold remediation project. A common example is the discovery of asbestos pipe or surface insulation in a building which because of its location or condition needs to be encapsulated or removed. Since the technology for mold remediation involves similar containment and cleaning standards, if you have an asbestos problem at a different area on a moldy building you should discuss adding that work to the job. If asbestos materials are in the mold-remediation area and will be disturbed by the mold cleanup process, removing and cleaning this material will probably be unavoidable and will, unfortunately, add to the cost of the job.

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CROSS CONTAMINATION - Be sure to protect from mold spore cross contamination of other areas when cleaning up mold

Protect the areas outside or around the one being cleaned from mold contaminationby following published mold remediation guidelines such as the NY City Mold Cleanup guidelines. For large products (more than 30 sq.ft. of contaminated contiguous surface), the procedure involves tenting or sealing off the work area using plastic barriers, combined with establishing negative air pressure inside the work area so that particles and dust do not tend to escape the work area.

It is important that you protect workers performing remediation using appropriate masks, clothing, etc. Occupants, particularly people at extra risk of mold-related illness should not perform nor be present during this work.

Don't spray or power-wash moldy wood or other moldy surfaces without proper containment as you may be simply spreading mold spores around the indoor environment where you will infect other materials.

Small work projects (less than 30 sq.ft.) can normally be handled as a simple building cleaning or renovation project. But during a "small project" you should remain alert for the discovery of a previously unrecognized large area of contaminated materials. If the small project discovers that it has become a large one, work should stop to permit set-up of proper dust and particle containment.

More Reading:
Mold Remediation & Cleanup Standards
Mold Levels: allergenic or toxic mold: how much means a problem
Mold Cleaning, Remediation, & Clearance Testing Standards list of documents

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USING BLEACH - Bleach as a "Mold Medicine" to try to kill mold or prevent mold in buildings

Bleach, diluted bleach, or bleach sprays used in cleaning may be appealing but they are unnecessary, potentially dangerous (if you get bleach in your eyes), and the use of bleach tends to lead to improper and inadequate cleaning - if you substitute "spraying bleach" for actually cleaning or removing the mold your cleanup will not be successful.

The object of mold remediation is to clean, or remove, the majority of the mold particles (spores, conidiophores, hyphae, mycelia) from the target surface. The operative word to fix in mind is to "clean" or "remove" the problem mold. "Killing" the mold is not the object - first of all because my lab work shows that you're unlikely to kill all of the mold on a surface using bleach, unless you use it at a concentration and duration which is so strong that you're likely to completely destroy the "bleached" material, and second of all because even if you could "kill" every mold spore, you are at risk of leaving toxic or allergenic particles in place - they may be dead but still toxic.

Finally, "mold removal" only works if you're cleaning a relatively hard, non-porous surface such as finished wood, painted metal, or plastic. Soft materials like Sheetrock(TM) or drywall which have become moldy generally should be removed, the exposed surfaces cleaned, and then new drywall can be installed (after you've also corrected the reason for the mold growth in the first place).

Spraying anything if spraying of fungicides or sealants is to be used in place of actual cleaning or removal of mold is an improper and inadequate practice which risks leaving a reservoir of toxic or allergenic particles in the building.

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USING OZONE - to "Kill" mold to "remove" or prevent mold in buildings

Ozone Generators are another futile attempt to "kill" mold instead of cleaning it up. This "magic bullet" approach does not work and can destroy some building materials as well as the health of building occupants. Because of the trouble and cost of performing an effective mold cleanup in buildings, some vendors offer what sounds like an attractive alternative, offering to "kill all building mold" using ozone. One Midwest company offers to tent the building and follow a mold extermination procedure.

As with the "bleach" and other "kill the mold" approaches we described above, this process fails to remove the problem reservoir from the building, leaving toxic or allergenic particles. One of our clients, in an effort to remove odor and mold problems from their building, rented a commercial ozone generator ran it aggressively in closed rooms in their home. The ensuing odors, which we tested and traced to oxidized carpet padding, were so severe that the building was no longer habitable. Carpeting had to be removed as well as other oxidized rubber and foam products which had been "ozone treated." Worse, the underlying cause of the original complaint, which we traced to a history of flooding basement and wet building materials there, had gone unrecognized and still needed to be addressed.

There are valid applications of ozone as a disinfectant but it is not a valid treatment for mold in buildings.

More Reading:
The Use of Ozone Generators Indoors for Control of Odors and Mold Removal in Buildings: A Summary of Hazards and False Claims

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PREVENT FUTURE MOLD - Failure to Prevent future mold growth wastes mold cleanup dollars

How Much Mold Must Be Removed - How Clean Do Surfaces Need to Be?

Following a proper mold cleanup, if there is a future mold problem in a building it is unlikely to be due to having left behind an "inoculation" of problem mold. The standard for physical removal of moldy debris varies by material. For drywall we remove all visibly moldy material and continue removing drywall to no less than the next adjacent stud, rafter, or joist. For insulation which has been wet, we remove all suspect insulation and all insulation within 24" of the suspect material. However if moldy and wet conditions were long-standing in a building, removal of all of the insulation may be necessary. Generally it is less costly to remove and discard more material than to "finish" the job and then discover that it needs to be done over again because the initial work was insufficient.

Does the building need to be sterile? Is the object to reach a mold spore count level of zero?

No washing, sanding, scraping, or other surface cleaning will remove all mold spores from wood where mold was previously found. It is unlikely that most construction materials, even when new, are free of mold spores, nor is "zero mold" a reasonable nor possible objective. Cleaning moldy framing lumber followed by application of a sealant may be the most cost effective alternative (where removal of the lumber is cost-prohibitive or otherwise not possible). While lumber replacement with apparently "clean" new lumber may sound appealing, it is likely to be cost prohibitive and in fact may include its own mold when it is unloaded at the work site.

Unless framing lumber has been actually damaged, such as by rot, replacing it due to mold contamination is not justified and would be improper.

Key Steps in Preventing a Return of Mold Problems After a Mold Cleanup Project

Prevention of water leaks or excess humidity in building interiors, including wall and floor cavities, is critical if you want to avoid a mold growth problem in a building. Even following the most thorough mold remediation, future roof, plumbing, or cooling condensate leaks or any other source of water entry all risk future mold growth and related cosmetic, structural, health problems and economic costs.

More Reading:
What indoor humidity should we maintain in order to avoid a mold problem?
MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE: Correct the Causes of Mold and Prevent Indoor Mold or other indoor environment problems
Mold Prevention: Avoiding Mold Problems in Buildings by Using Mold-resistant Construction Products & Practices
Priorities for Preventing Indoor Mold Contamination in Buildings - responding to leaks and floods

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COSMETIC MOLDS - Avoid unnecessary & expensive "black mold" cleanup projects for cosmetic molds and stains

It's important to distinguish cosmetic Ceratocystis, blue stain mold, blue rot, from other problem molds which in fact might be "toxic black mold" such as Stachybotrys chartarum or harder to spot but often more problematic molds in buildings such as the Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus sp. families of molds. One of our clients had begun a $600,000. "mold remediation" project on their home. A careful investigation of the property found that all of the "black mold" which had frightened the owners and which had resulted in this expensive cleaning contract, was cosmetic "blue stain" mold which had been present on the lumber since the day of construction of the building. The mold was of no concern other than a cosmetic one. Other clients occasionally send "not mold" samples to our laboratory.

To be sure you're not incurring a big and unnecessary expense, be sure that the "mold" to be addressed is really mold, and further, that it's not just a cosmetic mold, read the articles below before undertaking a costly mold remediation project.

More Reading:
Stuff that is Not Mold,
Molds that are Harmless - Cosmetic
Mold Levels: allergenic or toxic mold: how much means a problem

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CLEANUP LIMITATIONS - of Moldy Wood Surfaces

The suggestions for mold cleanup of wood surfaces which are outlined below do not pertain to

• cleaning or treating moldy lumber which is used outdoors and where airborne mold exposure to humans is most often less of a concern
• cleaning wood surfaces which were previously finished with paint, stain, varnish, or similar coatings; usually these surfaces are simply washed or scrubbed clean and in some cases are re-coated with compatible paint, stain, varnish with or without adding a mildewcide or other chemical to retard future mold growth

These suggestions have not completed an extensive professional peer review - which is why they are being exposed here to invite commentary. Comments received so far indicate this is reasonable commonsense advice.

Some mold found on wood components in building interiors is likely to be of only cosmetic concern, such as Ceratocystis/Ophistoma sp. or "blue stain" molds. Others may be more of a concern, particularly to occupants who are at particular risk of certain illnesses or immune system problems. Allergenic/pathogenic molds often identified on construction materials exposed indoors include Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp., Stachybotrys chartarum (previously Stachybotrys atra), and numerous other species.

Depending in part on the particular species, the presence of mold growing on building materials risks contamination in the living environment and possible mold-related illnesses. This is true regardless of whether mold spores are merely allergenic (allergenic mold) or actually toxic (pathogenic mold) to humans, and regardless of whether or not mold spores present are viable (alive) or non-viable (dead). Where there is a concern regarding mold on building framing the following steps should be helpful at reducing the risk of future mold growth and therefore should reduce the chances of the subject mold will be the source of a future mold problem in the building:

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More expert information on this topic

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• Action Guide for Mold: what do I do about mold in my home? Step by step instructions.
• Humidity: What indoor humidity should we maintain in order to avoid a mold problem?
• Mold Levels: allergenic or toxic mold: how much means a problem
• Not Mold, Stuff that is harmless or cosmetic-only
• Ozone Generators Indoors, The Use of for Control of Odors and Mold Removal in Buildings: A Summary of Hazards and False Claims
• Prevention: Avoiding Mold Problems in Buildings by Using Mold-resistant ConstructionProducts & Practices
• Prevention of Mold list of articles on how to Correct the Causes of Mold and Prevent Indoor Mold or other indoor environment problems
• Standards: Mold Cleaning, Remediation, & Clearance Testing Standards list of documents

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