Hi Guys
This is from an American web site, you may find something of interest.
http://www.doityourself.com/info/blackmold6.htm
This is from an American web site, you may find something of interest.
13 Common Breeding Grounds for Mold and Mildew
Problem #1
Leaky air-conditioning duct joints, especially those running through a hot attic, create a moist environment for mildew.
Solution: Seal all duct joints with the special flexible mastic available heating and cooling supply stores.
Problem #2
In warm environments, impermeable vinyl wallcoverings can trap moisture-laden air as it moves from the warm exterior to the cooler interior. Mold degrades the drywall and adhesive behind the vinyl wallcovering.
Solution: Use paint or apply wallcoverings with permeable paper backings that don't trap moisture on exterior walls.
Problem #3
When washing machines in a room without a floor drain overflow or hose connections burst, water with no point of exit will soak into adjacent carpet, drywall and insulation.
Solution: Always provide a floor drain near the washing machine. Install an overflow pan directly under the machine or install a 1-in. lip at the doorway to contain overflows in main-level or second-story laundry rooms. (An overflow pan is available for about $125 plus shipping from AMI, 800-929-9269.)
Problem #4
Water-resistant drywall used as a the backer quickly degrades once subjected to moisture.
Solution: Install cement backer board, which will remain structurally sound even if repeatedly subjected to moisture.
Problem #5
Poorly ventilated bathrooms allow surface mold to grow.
Solution: Install a bathroom fan (or at least, open a window) to exhaust moisture. Remove surface mildew by scrubbing the area with a 1/2 percent bleach solution. When the area is dry, prime it with an alcohol-based, white pigmented shellac, such as Zinsser Bullseye, and use a paint containing mildewcide.
Problem #6
Poorly constructed crawlspaces promote mildew growth. Bare earth floors transmit huge amounts of moisture.
Solution: There are many regional differences and solutions. Cover bare earth with 6-mil poly sheeting. Heat, cool and humidify the area the same as the rest of the house.
Problem #7
Freshly cut firewood stored indoors emits huge amounts of moisture.
Solution: Store it outside.
Problem #8
Humidifiers (especially reservoir-type central units and portable units) provide both a growth medium and a distribution system for mold and mildew.
Solution: Clean and treat the reservoir often with an antimicrobial solution, available at most hardware stores.
Problem #9
The condensation pan directly under the coil of your central air conditioner can harbor mold.
Solution: Before each cooling season, clean the pan with a 1/2 percent bleach solution and make sure the continuous drain is working.
Problem #10
Finished concrete basements that haven't been thoroughly waterproofed from the outside are problematic. When moisture migrates through the earth and non-waterproofed concrete walls, it can get trapped behind vapor barriers, carpet, layers of insulation and drywall.
Solution: Thoroughly waterproof the exterior of concrete walls before backfilling. Install 6 in. of gravel under concrete floors during construction to prevent moisture from wicking up through concrete floors and into floor coverings.
Problem #11
Yards that slope toward foundations invite water to enter basements and crawlspaces.
Solution: Regrade yard surrounding house so it slopes away at a rate of 1 in. per foot.
Problem #12
Improperly flashed or caulked windows (and those with large amounts of surface condensation) let moisture seep the surrounding wood, drywall and insulation.
Solution: Properly flash and caulk windows during installation; minimize condensation with good ventilation and airflow.
Problem #13
Leaky flashings and shingles allow rain to infiltraes and other areas that can trap moisture and be difficult to inspect.
Solution: Perform yearly roof inspections--even if you do it from the ground with binoculars.
Besides damaging your house, mold can cause severe health problems.
It's Doing That to My Health
One consultant we interviewed confessed he crawls around in moldy places day after day, month in and month out, and never suffers ill effects. Others--some estimate about 10 percent of the population--are severely allergic to mold. It's primarily the dinky reproductive spores that people react to. Twenty of them sitting side by side could fit across the period at the end of this sentence. That means they're hard to filter out. The spores also have an incredible "hang time" (as my teenage son would say); they're able to stay suspended in midair for hours on end. That means they're easily inhaled.
With even slight exposure to molds and spores, sensitive people may experience headaches, runny noses, skin rashes, nausea, sinus problems, memory loss and coughs. They may feel listless for long periods of time. In short, they feel as though they have a perpetual case of the flu. Newborns, the elderly, the sick, and those with compromised immune systems can be affected severely, even fatally. Babies and toddlers, who love to crawl around on possibly moldy carpets and stick possibly moldy things in their mouths, also are highly vulnerable to mold-induced illnesses. Super-sensitive people often go to extremes to rid their houses of the materials that harbor the dirt and dust that molds feed on. They'll replace soft, textured materials with smooth, hard surfaces that are easier to keep clean and less likely to trap debris and moisture. Out go the carpets and draperies; in come hardwood floors and metal window blinds. Out go the cushy couches; in come the vinyl chairs.
Tightly sealed newer houses may be better at holding in heat, but they're also more likely to trap moisture and spores. Mechanical ventilation, like an air-to-air heat exchanger, is critical for healthy air quality in tightly sealed new homes.
Problem #1
Leaky air-conditioning duct joints, especially those running through a hot attic, create a moist environment for mildew.
Solution: Seal all duct joints with the special flexible mastic available heating and cooling supply stores.
Problem #2
In warm environments, impermeable vinyl wallcoverings can trap moisture-laden air as it moves from the warm exterior to the cooler interior. Mold degrades the drywall and adhesive behind the vinyl wallcovering.
Solution: Use paint or apply wallcoverings with permeable paper backings that don't trap moisture on exterior walls.
Problem #3
When washing machines in a room without a floor drain overflow or hose connections burst, water with no point of exit will soak into adjacent carpet, drywall and insulation.
Solution: Always provide a floor drain near the washing machine. Install an overflow pan directly under the machine or install a 1-in. lip at the doorway to contain overflows in main-level or second-story laundry rooms. (An overflow pan is available for about $125 plus shipping from AMI, 800-929-9269.)
Problem #4
Water-resistant drywall used as a the backer quickly degrades once subjected to moisture.
Solution: Install cement backer board, which will remain structurally sound even if repeatedly subjected to moisture.
Problem #5
Poorly ventilated bathrooms allow surface mold to grow.
Solution: Install a bathroom fan (or at least, open a window) to exhaust moisture. Remove surface mildew by scrubbing the area with a 1/2 percent bleach solution. When the area is dry, prime it with an alcohol-based, white pigmented shellac, such as Zinsser Bullseye, and use a paint containing mildewcide.
Problem #6
Poorly constructed crawlspaces promote mildew growth. Bare earth floors transmit huge amounts of moisture.
Solution: There are many regional differences and solutions. Cover bare earth with 6-mil poly sheeting. Heat, cool and humidify the area the same as the rest of the house.
Problem #7
Freshly cut firewood stored indoors emits huge amounts of moisture.
Solution: Store it outside.
Problem #8
Humidifiers (especially reservoir-type central units and portable units) provide both a growth medium and a distribution system for mold and mildew.
Solution: Clean and treat the reservoir often with an antimicrobial solution, available at most hardware stores.
Problem #9
The condensation pan directly under the coil of your central air conditioner can harbor mold.
Solution: Before each cooling season, clean the pan with a 1/2 percent bleach solution and make sure the continuous drain is working.
Problem #10
Finished concrete basements that haven't been thoroughly waterproofed from the outside are problematic. When moisture migrates through the earth and non-waterproofed concrete walls, it can get trapped behind vapor barriers, carpet, layers of insulation and drywall.
Solution: Thoroughly waterproof the exterior of concrete walls before backfilling. Install 6 in. of gravel under concrete floors during construction to prevent moisture from wicking up through concrete floors and into floor coverings.
Problem #11
Yards that slope toward foundations invite water to enter basements and crawlspaces.
Solution: Regrade yard surrounding house so it slopes away at a rate of 1 in. per foot.
Problem #12
Improperly flashed or caulked windows (and those with large amounts of surface condensation) let moisture seep the surrounding wood, drywall and insulation.
Solution: Properly flash and caulk windows during installation; minimize condensation with good ventilation and airflow.
Problem #13
Leaky flashings and shingles allow rain to infiltraes and other areas that can trap moisture and be difficult to inspect.
Solution: Perform yearly roof inspections--even if you do it from the ground with binoculars.
Besides damaging your house, mold can cause severe health problems.
It's Doing That to My Health
One consultant we interviewed confessed he crawls around in moldy places day after day, month in and month out, and never suffers ill effects. Others--some estimate about 10 percent of the population--are severely allergic to mold. It's primarily the dinky reproductive spores that people react to. Twenty of them sitting side by side could fit across the period at the end of this sentence. That means they're hard to filter out. The spores also have an incredible "hang time" (as my teenage son would say); they're able to stay suspended in midair for hours on end. That means they're easily inhaled.
With even slight exposure to molds and spores, sensitive people may experience headaches, runny noses, skin rashes, nausea, sinus problems, memory loss and coughs. They may feel listless for long periods of time. In short, they feel as though they have a perpetual case of the flu. Newborns, the elderly, the sick, and those with compromised immune systems can be affected severely, even fatally. Babies and toddlers, who love to crawl around on possibly moldy carpets and stick possibly moldy things in their mouths, also are highly vulnerable to mold-induced illnesses. Super-sensitive people often go to extremes to rid their houses of the materials that harbor the dirt and dust that molds feed on. They'll replace soft, textured materials with smooth, hard surfaces that are easier to keep clean and less likely to trap debris and moisture. Out go the carpets and draperies; in come hardwood floors and metal window blinds. Out go the cushy couches; in come the vinyl chairs.
Tightly sealed newer houses may be better at holding in heat, but they're also more likely to trap moisture and spores. Mechanical ventilation, like an air-to-air heat exchanger, is critical for healthy air quality in tightly sealed new homes.