A first-ring suburb of Columbus, Bexley is known for its
historic and close-knit neighborhoods, its highly ranked public school system,
its classic and walkable Main Street environment, the prestigious private
schools located within its borders, and its status as the home of Capital
University.
The historic homes in Bexley are very popular these days and
seem to be under constant remodel and renovation. Case in point, the DIY
project some homeowners completed overhauling their standard closet and
creating a large walk-in closet. The project had been complete for several
months and everything appeared normal. What the homeowner could not see was all
of the moisture that was building up in the wood behind the new drywall they
had installed. The Ohio winter weather has been very wet this year with all of
the rain, snow and ice. All of this moisture finds its’ way into your home
through holes in the roof, cracks in the walls, drafty windows, the basement
and crawlspace. In this old house, the moisture had saturated the wood
structure and began absorbing into the new drywall. The excess moisture in the
drywall, coupled with the warm interior air in the home, led to mold growth.
Once the homeowner saw the mold, they called The Basement Doctor call center
and scheduled a
free estimate with one of our Project Managers.
Upon arrival
Ed Meyer, Senior Project Manager, found that
the homeowners DIY project had
unknowingly created the ultimate breeding ground
for mold. When they enlarged the closet, they included a furnace register in
the area. Since the door was typically closed on this closet and warm air was
being pumped into the area with no circulation, the closet was quickly over
ridden with mold due to high humidity levels. But no worries, The Basement
Doctor is on the job!
Once our Foreman and his crew arrived at the house, they
installed a zipper door to prevent the mold spores from contaminating the rest
of the home during the remediation process. As they began deconstructing the
closet shelving, it was clear that the mold was spreading everywhere. Once the
mold covered drywall was ripped out, it exposed high wood moisture content
feeding the outbreak. The maximum wood moisture should be between 15% to 16%.
The wood supports measured nearly 30% and the outside wall measured 66%. These
dangerously high moisture levels were then reduced to
a safe 15% or less by
drying the building materials with a combination of blowers and dehumidifiers.
Next we treated the affected areas with
Anabec Disinfectant killing any
remaining mold, hepa vaced the closet space and finished off the remediation
process by sealing and protecting the surfaces with Anabec X-70 Plus microbial
coating to ensure the mold cannot return. Now that the area was dry and clean,
we properly insulated between the posts using Basement Doctor
Spray Foam. We
also added high and low vents to ensure air circulation allowing for a
consistent temperature to that found throughout the home. The area was then
refinished with new dry wall and a fresh coat of paint leaving the customer
with a drier, cleaner, safer and healthier closet.
What are molds?
Molds are fungi that can be found both indoors and outdoors.
No one knows how many species of fungi exist but estimates range from tens of
thousands to perhaps three hundred thousand or more. Molds grow best in warm,
damp, and humid conditions, and spread and reproduce by making spores. Mold
spores can survive harsh environmental conditions, such as dry conditions, that
do not support normal mold growth.
How do molds affect people?
Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people,
exposure to molds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation,
wheezing, or skin irritation. Some people, such as those with serious allergies
to molds, may have more severe reactions. Severe reactions may occur among
workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as
farmers working around moldy hay. Severe reactions may include fever and
shortness of breath. Some people with chronic lung illnesses, such as
obstructive lung disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs.
Specific Recommendations:
- Keep humidity levels as
low as you can—no higher than 50%--all day long. An air conditioner or
dehumidifier will help you keep the level low. Bear in mind that humidity
levels change over the course of a day with changes in the moisture in the
air and the air temperature, so you will need to check the humidity levels
more than once a day.
- Use an air conditioner
or a dehumidifier during humid months.
- Be sure the home has
adequate ventilation, including exhaust fans.
- Add mold inhibitors to
paints before application.
- Clean bathrooms with
mold killing products.
- Do not carpet bathrooms
and basements.
- Remove or replace
previously soaked carpets and upholstery.
Dehumidification
is the solution to preventing these issues by maintaining the humidity in your basement at the proper level. Dust mites and mold thrive in environments with
relative humidity that is above 50 percent. A dehumidifier would allow you to maintain
relative humidity at a much healthier percentage. But, not all dehumidifiers
are created equal. The standard dehumidifiers found at most home improvement
stores are not as effective as they should be. Below are four key factors that
make a professional grade dehumidifier, like the one pictured, the better investment for your home and
your health.
