We had roof damage from a storm - tree fell on roof roof leaked - We have wet areas in several places in the upstairs bedrooms ceilings and upper walls. Mold is growing in several places - mostly on the ceiling tile but also on some of the walls. Much of the mold is in areas that don't appear to have been wet from the roof leaks. I am getting conflicting information from my insurance adjuster who says the mold will go away when we get the roof fixed. Some of the contractors say the whole upstairs needs to be gutted and all the wet/damp celulose insulation removed. Others say paint with Killz or Binz. Some say bleach will kill the mold and others say it only makes it white and that the mold will come back if every last spore is not removed. I'd like to bring in a mold expert but don't know how to find one I can afford. My insurance adjuster says it is a waste of time. I live near Kalamazoo and battle Creek in south west Michigan. Let me know if you have any knowledge that would help.

-- Mike Livingston (livingstonmike@earthlink.net), November 29, 2001

Answers

regardles,, the water leak must stop. depending on the type in insulation, it may dry, if vented well,, or,, may be easier to R/R. Your going to have to play the insurance game, take pictures now,, let them pay for what they will,, and if/when the mold returns,, file an addmentment with them,, with new pictures. Thats my best advice,, from north west of you near Cadillac, Mich

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), November 29, 2001.

Sorry to hear of your troubles, Mike.

I am no mold expert, but if this happened to me, I would find a way first of all to have the molds analyzed, because there are some molds that are highly toxic to have in your living area. I just finished reading an article about a family who have permanent (or so they say) immune system damage from breathing household molds. I don't mean to frighten you, but many times you must be very agressive with insurance companies to get what you need done, so don't let them push you around.

Best of luck to you.

-- Earthmama (earthmama@yahoo.com), November 29, 2001.

I am a mold expert and you need to remedeate the mold it can be very toxic. it can run into a lot of money but most insurance compannes cover it if it was a sunden accurance not a on going maintance problem. the the two you should be most cocerned with is stachybotrys (black and splochy) and aspergillus (green) check out aeroteclabs.com please email me for more help in short on time right now Shaun

-- shaun cornish (shaun-terri@juno.com), November 29, 2001.

I did not understand these things till I moved to calif.We moved to this house and found this started happening.My land lord told me this, take a spary bottle put plain vinger no water in it. spray on it ,it will kill the spurs from that.spray thickly. go back after 24 hours clean with soap now remember leave a crack in your window it does not have to leave a big crack but but must have this so it will not form again.This is some thing to know for any house that sweats in summer or winter.

-- Pastor Hughes (hbchurch@brightok.net), November 29, 2001.

After you stop the leak, use the kilz. You can even have the store tint it to the color you want to use. I had a similar problem in my bathroom. I put the kilz on it a year ago, after bleaching the walls and ceiling with a spray bottle. I had the store tint the kilz a color so I wouldn't be looking at white (gray) walls and the mold hasn't come back in over a year. Before this I would spray bleach and the mold would come back, after adding the kilz it hasn't. Did this make any sense? The walmart brand is less expensive, but the smell of it is not to great.

-- monkeyface (leaves8@hotmail.com), November 29, 2001.

Mike does your insurance company let you pick how much you pay for homeowners? Say you don't want to pay this month since it is Christmas? Well then why would you allow them to pick and choose what is written in your policy, on what they are going to pay for? Water damage is water damage, it has ruined the ability of the insulation to do its job, sure cover it up with kilz it is still there, then when the mold becomes a health problem you have already signed the check and the insurance company is no longer responsible! Pull down some of the ceiling and walls and see what kind of shape the insulation is in. You nor you insurance agent have xray eyes. You may find more or less damage than either one of you thought possible, especially on a top story with the pitch of the roof sending the water even down the walls to the first story. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), November 29, 2001.

I thought i would post this here also because it seems to be such a problem these days. Hello again I hope you call but if not I'll send the (new York standard ) this is the standard most indoor air qualities professionals used for years. It is now recommended to remove all affected substrate (siding drywall and such) scrub all wood studs and replace after spore count is down to ambient air levels. if I go out on a mold investigation it's $300 and $100 a air sample average 2 per house $50 a tape sample (used to identified species) 2 to 3 depending on what i see. this can be done by the home owner but should try to limit the spread of mold spores by using proper abetment procedure including but not limited to containment of area using 4 mm ploy sheeting and negative pressure. use a respirator with hepa filtration. if you have no medical problems that would prevent you from using one this is very important . their is no state or Federal standards in place yet but in CA. the gov. just singed a bill making it a disclose able idem when selling a home I hope this helps fell free to contact me with any questions you may have. (p.s. this is a copy) Remediation has been much the same through out history and continue even today. Unlike chemicals used in the home or work place that have strict guidelines of use and disposal, there are no known applications (there are studies underway) for mycotoxins to date. Regulatory agencies have set some guidelines but have not started regulating remediation or disposal practices. One suggested method of remediation is as follows. Removal of Moldy Materials After fixing the moisture source and removing excess moisture, the cleanup can begin: · Wear gloves when handling moldy materials · Remove porous materials (examples: ceiling tiles, sheet rock, carpeting, wood products) · Carpeting can be a difficult problem -- drying does not remove the dead spores. If there is heavy mold, disposal of the carpet should be considered · Bag and discard the moldy substances · Allow the area to dry 2 or 3 days · If flooded, remove all sheet rock to at least 12 inches above the high water mark. Visually inspect the wall interior and remove any other intrusive molds. (This step may have to be carried out by a licensed contractor). Before disinfecting contaminated areas, clean the areas to remove as much of the mold (and food it is growing on) as possible. · Wear gloves when doing this cleanup · Use a non-ammonia soap or detergent, or a commercial cleaner, in hot water, and scrub the entire area affected by the mold · Use a stiff brush or cleaning pad on block walls or uneven surfaces · Rinse clean with water. A wet/dry vacuum is handy for this. Disinfect Surfaces · Wear gloves when using disinfectants · After thorough cleaning and rinsing, disinfect the area with a solution of 10% household bleach (e.g., 1½ cup bleach per gallon of water). Using bleach straight from the bottle will not be more effective · Never mix bleach with Ammonia - the fumes are toxic · For spraying exterior large areas, a garden hose and nozzle can be used · When disinfecting a large structure, make sure the entire surface is wetted (floors, joists, and posts) · Avoid excessive amounts of runoff or standing bleach · Let disinfecting areas dry naturally overnight -- this extended time is important to kill the entire mold.

-- shaun (shaun-terri@juno.com), November 29, 2001.

You need to consult with an expert. If you ask 10 people you will get 10 different opinion on what to do. If you had leaks you may have mold growing, either way you must eliminate all leaks and all remaining wetness inside the attic and walls. If you lived in California you could contact AQ Management, web site www.hazwaste.com, phone 213-386-4540. They do testing, advice, and cleanup, and offer turnkey solutions. If you cleanup yourself or use a handy man doing an insufficient job you man have to do a cleanup again in the future. Its best to do a check and cleanup as soon as possible, mold can spread fast in walls and hidden spaces. But first eliminate the leaks and wetness. God luck.

-- Ron Zemo (rz@earthlink.net), January 23, 2002.