Re: Air testing on condo questions

[Guest guest]

Seems like a lot of sampling and a lot of killing for a mold and spore removal

job.

Steve is right there was really no need to kill anything just correct the

moisture source and collect and remove the mold and mold spores.

You'll continue to collect spores in a spore trap samlpe until you focus on

collecting and removing the condition 2 spores that appear to be in the area

sampled.

I do think I would stop removing drywall and focus on the S-520's process of

cleanng to collect and remove mold and mold spores.

Tell your remediator to go back and get his cow... A bit of an inside joke.

>

> Responses imbedded below...

> Steve Temes

>

> In a message dated 6/24/2010 10:50:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

> jocbr8@... writes:

> > Hi, Everyone,

> > We're living in a 1500 sq. ft. condo, in Cal., affected by mold due to

> > slab leak and poor remediation techniques (starting a couple of months ago).

> > (The HOA management company had an environmental company do air tests and

> > inspection about 15 days ago.) Recommendations were to run air scrubbers and

> > cut out more dry wall and remediate concrete in hall closet.

> > Yesterday the property management hired their own CMC to do more air tests

> > and an inspection. Last week, more dry wall was cut in the living room,

> > kitchen, and hall closet. Professional, yesterday, was a certified microbial

> > consultant. Five-minute air samples were taken out front, out back, in the

> > kitchen, 2 bedrooms and the loft. Plus 2 air samples were taken in the

> > living room (that had a containment area set up dividing the room in half).

Oh,

> > hall closet that is contained was air tested too.

> > Anyway, A Microban bomb was set off in the living room (contained half)

> > and in kitchen (containted) for an hour. Then, immediately after the bomb

was

> > done, the air tests were done in the contained areas and then the rest of

> > the condo.

>

> In my opinion, there was no need to disinfect anything unless there are

> concerns about pathogens. Spores should be removed, not killed. The fogging

> was likely to be for the purpose of getting better air sampling results as

> the aerosol droplets will settle due to gravity and " wash " some airborne dust

> out of the air. If the " bomb " was also a deodorizer, it just added volatile

> chemicals to the breathing zone.

>

> > The CMC professional was here for 3 hours doing air tests, visual

> > inspections of all the rooms ( plus closets and cabinets) , and using a

moisture

> > meter with probes on the dry wall and baseboards.

> > It took 3 hours since the professional was doing alot of explaining to

> > property manager about the techniques( while doing air samples and

> > inspection).

> > A report will be given to property management today (24 hrs turnaround)

> > with line item recommendations for further remediation.

> > So, looks like CMC is not cultivating any of the spores in the air tests.

>

> Yes, the samples will be analyzed by direct microscopy and not cultured.

> >

> > 1. What is the impact of not cultivating spores collected during air

> > samples, and what is the possible impact on the recommendations for further

> > remediation of the condo?

>

> The spore trap samples collected will contain both viable and non-viable

> spores. Culture methods only permit the detection of viable and culturable

> (on the selected media at the incubation temperature) spores. Total spore

> measurements using spore traps are therefore better for detecting the presence

> of residual spores, post-remediation, than culture methods..

>

> > 2. Is it typical for the CMC to take photos of the contents of our rooms,

> > closets, and cabinets while checking drywall and baseboards for moisture?

>

> Yes. There may later be questions about cleaning of content items.

>

> > 3. Property management wants all the carpet steam-cleaned throughout the

> > condo after mold remediation is completed (introducing water into the

> > environment). Carpet in living room is brand new (installed 3 weeks ago).

Any

> > methods that are more effective for cleaning carpet after mold remediation

is

> > done in the condo?

>

> New carpet, if not directly impacted by liquid water and supporting fungal

> growth, should be cleanable. Often, vacuuming is all that is needed if the

> concern is only that there is settled dust containing spores in the carpet.

> Steam cleaning is a better carpet cleaning method provided all water is

> quickly extracted.

>

> > 4. Is it true that cardboard file boxes and books create dust problems in

> > the air because dust mites like to eat mold spores and cardboard and books

> > easily grow mold? (Even when not in the garage?)

>

> I doubt it. If it were a true/false question, I would choose " false " . It

> is true that cardboard and books easily support fungal growth because they

> are made of " pre-digested " cellulose (wood pulp) = fast food for mold.

>

> > Thank you for your help over the last couple of months (and five years

> > ago when our family home was totally remediated due to a freeze and break of

> > a water pipe).

> >

> > Thank you for your experience and comments,

> > Jocelyn

> >

> >

> >

> >

>