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Chlorine Bleach: Not Effective in Mold Remediation

Short Time Kill - Chlorine will flash and not have a long contact time. A longer contact time is needed when it comes to the stronger strains of bacteria and fungi found in the IAQ area. Some bacteria and fungi need a minimum of thirty minutes contact time to be eliminated. Even after using bleach there are still viable micotoxins and spores left circulating in the area, which are unaffected.

Evaporation - Chlorine will evaporate within a short period of time. If the area is not dry when the chlorine evaporates, or moisture is still in the contaminated area, (humidity, outside air, dampness) you could start the contamination process immediately and to a greater degree.

Corrosion - Chlorine will accelerate the deterioration of the material and wear down the fibers. Replacement of the affected material will be premature.

Off-gassing - Chlorine off gases for a period of time. Chlorine off-gassing can be harmful to some people. It has been known to cause pulmonary embolisms in low resistant and susceptible people.

Bleach is 99% water. Water is one of the main contributors of the growth of harmful bacteria and mold. Current situations using bleach regenerated mold and bacteria in a short period of time that showed twice the CFU counts than were originally found. Bleach is an old method used for some bacterial and mold. It is the only product people have known for years. The strains now associated within the Indoor Air Quality issue are resistant to bleach.

Chlorine has no wetting ability on porous surfaces. Porous surfaces are where the majority of the stronger strains of bacteria or fungal growth are found. Wetting ability is the capability to penetrate the fibers or the pores of building materials (brick, block, carpet, wood, fiberglass insulation, fire-proofing, ceiling tile) to remove the contamination.

A statement by John Banta, CAIH, of Restoration Consultants:
"Just a reminder, the bleach, or quats, are for bacteria. I have not found it to be effective for fungal remediation (nor has the EPA hence their recommendation that the use of chlorine bleach during mold remediation is not recommended.)"



KILZ: Not Effective in Covering Visible Mold


We are inspecting a large number of crawl spaces where KILZ has been used to cover areas affected with microbial growth. KILZ is an encapsulant that does not breathe. This means that it traps moisture under the coating. This moisture actually accommodates the mold spores, providing the necessary environment for growth: moisture and a food source (wood). Air is not necessary for mold colonization.

Applying KILZ in this manner will result in a higher cost to remediate since soda blasting is required to remove the coating of KILZ before remediation can be performed.

Servpro is currently offering an optional application after remediation has been done. Enviroshield™is similar to an encapsulant but it differs in that the perm rating verifies that is does breathe and allows moisture to evaporate from under the coating. This product is EPA registered. It comes with a lifetime, transferable warranty from EnviroCare®, the manufacturer.

 

TECH SCIENTISTS CONCLUDE BLACK MOLD TO BE TOXIC

Scientists at Texas Tech prove for the first time that black mold in homes and buildings can be toxic to people.

Scientists and doctors have believed for years that stachbotrys, or black mold, was making people sick. But a team of scientists at Texas Tech are the first people in the world to conduct a study that proves it.

Dr. David Straus, a professor in the Microbiology and Immunology Department at Texas Tech, has been trying to prove for years that toxins from black mold can get in the air and make people sick.

"We always have believed these mycotoxins that stacybotrys produces are what make people sick," he said. "We didn't have the equipment that would allow us to collect high concentrations of air until the Spincon came along."

The Spincon was initially built back in 2001 after the 9-11 attacks, when anthrax threats swarmed the U.S. Straus and four other scientists heard what the Spincon could do and decided it was just the machine they needed to prove black mold is toxic.

"What we have shown is when mold produces, and they actually are inhaled and get into human beings, it causes tissue damage," said Straus.

Straus says some of the symptoms of exposure to black mold toxins are stomach problems, hair loss and mental confusion. He says using the Spincon to prove black mold is toxic means fewer people will be exposed in the future.

"What this study allows people to do is to alert occupants that poisons are present in the building," he said.

Dr. Straus says black mold grows in houses and buildings after some type of water damage. He says if you think you have a mold problem, do not try to remove the mold yourself; hire professionals to do it or you could easily inhale the dangerous toxins.