Is toxic black mold lurking in your home renovation project?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ivan Seeking
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the discovery of toxic black mold during a home renovation project, focusing on health implications, identification methods, and remediation strategies. Participants share personal experiences, propose safety measures, and explore the historical context of mold-related health issues.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Historical

Main Points Raised

  • One participant recounts experiencing health issues after exposure to suspected toxic black mold while renovating, expressing concern about the potential neurological effects of certain mold types.
  • Another participant suggests that it is beneficial to discover mold during renovations rather than after it has spread, recommending professional testing to confirm the type of mold present.
  • Some participants discuss the importance of proper safety measures, including wearing respirators and sealing off contaminated areas to prevent spore spread.
  • A participant mentions the use of a black light test to identify toxic black mold, noting that it glows yellow under UV light.
  • There are references to historical texts discussing mold and its health implications, suggesting a long-standing awareness of the issue.
  • One participant shares findings from a study indicating that chronic sinus infections may be linked to mold exposure, emphasizing the health risks associated with mold.
  • Discussions about spore sizes indicate that Stachybotrys chartarum spores are approximately 5 microns, leading to recommendations for appropriate safety equipment.
  • Participants express varying levels of confidence in handling mold remediation themselves versus the need for professional assistance.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the best approach to mold remediation, with some advocating for professional help while others feel capable of managing the situation themselves. There is also uncertainty regarding the identification of the mold type and its health effects.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the reliance on personal experiences and anecdotal evidence regarding health effects and remediation methods, as well as the potential for varying definitions and interpretations of mold types.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals involved in home renovations, those concerned about mold exposure, and readers interested in health implications of mold may find this discussion relevant.

  • #31
Moonbear said:
Oh, the other sneaky thing is when they actually sell the bulk items at a higher unit cost than the individual or smaller items. People just assume buying in bulk is cheaper, but it isn't always.

Yep! I often do the shopping, and like you, a visit to the grocery store is an exercise in arithmetic. And I find the same thing. They play every sort of game imaginable, all designed to trick you into spending more for less, but by law they have to post the unit price [per oz. or whatever] and you can always tell the best deals; as long as items like bleach still list the concentrations! I looked again and there is nothing on this Safeway brand bottle. Hmmm, I might just do a little checking on this. I really don't think that's legal.
 
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  • #32
Moonbear said:
Yeah, I noticed that recently. I was looking for just cheap bleach to whiten the driveway and sidewalks (it also worked a heck of a lot better than all those expensive herbicides for killing off the weeds growing in the driveway cracks) and was comparing concentrations on the different generic bleaches and realized they are calling "ultra" bleach the 5% stuff now,

It turns out that I was using Clorox in the bathroom. I had grabbed the bottle from the laundry room, but the bottle in the bathroom was purchased quite some time ago for the well stock. It's a 6% mixture.
 
  • #33
Boy, I found this mixture at a site for remodeling; lost the link but it appeared to be a respectable site.

2/3 cup of trisodium phosphate
1/3 cup of detergent
1 quart of house holds bleach
Enough water to make a gallon
Caution: Wear rubber gloves

One other interesting note about the biblical reference. Just by chance I checked another version, and apparently the "spreading mildew" [TBM] was considered to be a form of "house leprosy".