Saturday, October 21, 2006

Field Guide to Mold


Yup, M-O-L-D : the new dirty word (unless, of course, you're talking about a great Stilton cheese).
Remember R-A-D-O-N? Well, there are still areas of the country that DO, in fact, have real issues with radon. I can't exactly tell you what they are - this post is about mold.

More and more people are discovering how much of a role mold (or the lack of it) plays in one's health. More and more home inspectors are including mold testing in the home inspection services. So read up on it a little. Along with underground oil tanks, it can be a deal breaker.

Caution: also be careful whom you hire for mold remediation. It's become a "get rich quick" scheme for some - the same guys that were installing thousand-dollar water filters in homes in the late 1980's. Not all are evil, but deal with someone who's recommended to you. md

There's quite a bit of information here:
NAR info Centers Field Guide to Mold and Health Issues

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You had me going for a minute. I love moldy cheeses. I saw the picture and thought, "Wow, this guy's writing about cheese!" But no. Not cheese, moldy houses. Yuck.

I'll be at Southampton Publick House in November. Is there a cheese shop nearby where I can get a cheese like the one in the picture?

Michael Daly said...

Village Cheese Shop
Got 'ya! Funny you should ask. I googled the VCS and this is what came up.

Village Cheese Shop
11 Main St
Southampton, NY 11968
(631) 283-6949

The Southampton location is within walking distance of the Publick House (about three or four blocks, less than ten minutes by foot).

There's also a Citarella in Water Mill and East Hampton and a new shop in Sag Harbor on Division Street called Cavingolas.

Fyi, my favorite crakers are Carr's Whole Wheat-mmmmm, like cookies! md

Anonymous said...

Excellent! I know about the VCS in Mattituck, but I didn't know they had a location in the Hamptons. I definitely don't spend enough time on the south fork.

Luv those crackers too.

Thanks for the info. -Bill

Martin said...

Mold in florida, a growing Concern

Florida is one of mold favorite places to live in. Although molds can be found anywhere, mold relies on humid environments, or moisture and a food source such as building materials, dust, wood, paper and organic materials. Most mold types are likely to grow on a porous surface with high moisture content within the first 24-48 hours.

A tremendous percentage of all the properties in the state of Florida face some kind of moisture problem, many of those are a result from hurricane damages causing water intrusion in the property, many of those homes with water damages worsen during the period with no electricity, those thousands of homes with no power for a prolonged period of time are unable to run their air conditioner systems and properly remove humidity.

Proper maintenance and functioning of your A/C system is crucial for a healthy indoor environment, having your A/C unit serviced on regular basis may prevent you from a lot headaches in regards to mold.
When an A/C system is not functioning properly, weather is not cooling enough or no removing the humidity like it should, condensation problems may occur. Air conditioner systems should be one of the most important things to inspect during a mold inspection since this possible contamination is being spread out among the entire property possibly triggering allergic reactions, upper respiratory problems and many health hazards to those occupants susceptible to mold exposure.

Indoor air quality assessments in Florida such as mold testing, mold inspections and even mold remediation or removal have become a multi million dollar industry in the past few years due to all the media hype, newer studies on mold exposure and recent hurricane activity. Because of this dramatic growth in the industry a lot of companies have been taking advantage of this demand, and the fact that no laws, regulations or specific protocols for mold testing and or mold removal have been passed. When choosing a mold testing company this are the things you should look for:

• No conflict of interest ( do not use a company that does both remediation and testing)

• Look for companies that use the latest in technology such particle counters, infrared thermal cameras, moisture meters…

• Make sure they are certified indoor environmentalist or at least certified mold inspectors.

• Make sure they inspect the A/C system, attic, exterior, behind pluming fixtures, and moisture detection among entire property. Having a specific area tested with out investigation and environmental testing on the rest of the property is no on your best interest (a lot findings are not visible to the naked eye) that is why top of line equipment must be used.

• Pick a company that uses a accredited laboratory

• Make sure they provide a comprehensive report and lab results interpretation for a better understanding of the results and findings.

Mold Testing Florida
Mold Inspections Florida