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Why You need to Dry Out Moldy Areas Before Mold Cleanup InspectAPedia®  -          How and Why to Dry Moldy Areas Before Mold Cleanup or Mold Remediation Begins The importance of correcting sources of water or moisture before cleaning up mold

This section of our "How to Clean Mold" article discusses the importance of drying the surfaces to be cleaned. If an expensive mold remediation effort is begun before the moldy area has been dried and leaks stopped, it is likely that the cleanup cost will have been wasted as mold growth will simply recur. Our photo above shows a recently-flooded home in Jasper TX. You can see that the floor is still wet. Demolition of moldy materials can begin but mold cleanup can't be successfully completed before the building has first been dried.

This article offers advice on cleaning mold found on surfaces of un-finished wooden building materials such as framing lumber (rafters, floor joists, wall studs), and building roof, wall, and floor sheathing such as plywood, tongue-and groove pine boards, and other structural wood surfaces in buildings. We discuss the pros and cons of using fungicidal sealants and bleach on wood surfaces and give sources and list types of those products. We also discuss common errors made when cleaning wood surfaces, such as relying on bleach or performing expensive and unnecessary cleaning on cosmetic black mold on wood surfaces.

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2. DRY THE SURFACE - Dry the cleaned, previously moldy surface

No mold remediation project can be successfully completed unless:

1. The causes of mold growth in the building have been eliminated - such as building leaks or moisture traps
2. Wet and damp building surfaces and materials have been properly dried.

When can mold cleanup begin in a building?

Certain steps can begin immediately and in some cases are essential:

1. The building must be safe to enter, structurally as well as regarding environmental hazards. If significant mold levels are present, appropriate protective clothing and equipment should be used.
2. Establish containment to prevent unaffected building areas from cross-contamination. This step can be taken before any other work has begun on the building and should be done even if cleanup work is not to begin for some time. The sooner mold containment is established the greater the chance that the mold cleanup will not have to include cleaning of other, apparently unaffected, building areas.
3. Stop any active building leaks and remove standing water
4. Begin demolition: Demolition and removal of ruined, soaked, and obviously to-be-discarded building contents and building materials, such as wet carpeting, moldy drywall, soaked furniture, can begin as soon as practical.
5. Dry out the building: the moisture level in interior wood surfaces needs to be well below 18% before cleaning and any final fungicidal sealing (if used) can be completed.
6. Finish final cleaning: remove all loose demolition debris and complete the physical cleaning of all remaining surfaces.
7. Check for ongoing leaks: don't close down a mold cleanup job if there are ongoing leaks - the cost and effort may be wasted as mold growth can recur quickly - in as little as 24-48 hours.

What we are emphasizing, however, is that while initial demolition and even some cleaning can begin before the building has been successfully dried and protected from further leaks, no mold remediation project can be completed under those conditions. If the building remains wet, mold growth will recur on remaining building materials and surfaces.

How Dry do Things Have to be in a Building to Complete Mold Cleanup?

Let the cleaned lumber or plywood surface dry thoroughly. 18% moisture level or less in wood is usually acceptable; normally inside of a building that has been closed to weather and heated or air conditioned, moisture levels will be way below this point, perhaps at 2 to 6% in wood and in any remaining drywall.

When lumber surfaces have been washed or otherwise are wet, they should be dry (less than 18% moisture content) before further treatment.

For wood framing and sheathing surfaces which have been cleaned of problem mold, a simple contact probe system or Tramex moisture encounter system is adequate since wood surfaces are directly accessible. In more broad investigations we measure moisture in wood and drywall using either a pin-probe type moisture meter such as the Delmhorst™ model BD-7, the Tramex Compact™ or for impenetrable surfaces such as tiled walls and floors we use the Tramex moisture encounter which uses a pair of pads and an electrical signal to perform non-destructive moisture detection.

The Delmhorst moisture meter also offers sets of long pin probes which can penetrate a wood frame wall or ceiling to sense moisture within insulation or on the far side of that cavity.

We also use the Exergen infra-red scanner to find moisture based on variations in temperature. A study comparing the effectiveness of various moisture measuring tools in the detection of moisture in inaccessible building cavities and a comparison of use of these instruments, a bore scope, and direct visual inspection by test cuts has been completed.

Remember when measuring moisture that looking only in the center of a surface, such as 4 ft. up a drywall-covered partition, is not the full story. :Moisture may still be present at problem levels in slow-to dry areas including building wall and ceiling cavities and on drywall behind wood trim. Measure at the locations most-likely to still be wet, not the locations most-likely to be dry, if you're trying to avoid an indoor mold problem.

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• Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

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MOLD ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT MOLD

FUNGICIDAL SPRAY & SEALANT USE GUIDE
  FUNGICIDAL SPRAY ADVANTAGES
  MOLD SPRAY WARNINGS
  MOLD SPRAY SOURCES & TYPES

MOLD ACTIVITY in buildings
MOLD AGE - Old is the Mold?

MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE
MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD
MOLD CLASSES, HAZARD LEVELS
MOLD CLEANERS - WHAT TO USE
MOLD CLEANUP COMPANIES
MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD
MOLD CLEANUP - BLEACH
MOLD CLEANUP - HEALTH RISKS
MOLD CLEANUP - LIMITATIONS
MOLD CLEANUP - MISTAKES to AVOID
  UNNECESSARY COSTS
  INADEQUATE REMEDIATION PLAN
  INCOMPLETE CLEANUP, RELYING ON SPRAYS
  CROSS CONTAMINATION
  USING BLEACH on MOLD
  USING OZONE to KILL MOLD
  HOW TO PREVENT FUTURE MOLD
  COSMETIC MOLDS
MOLD CLEANUP - MEDIA BLASTING
MOLD CLEANUP - SAFETY WARNINGS
MOLD CLEANUP - WOOD FLOORING
MOLD CLEANUP - WOOD FRAMING & PLYWOOD
  CLEAN MOLDY SURFACES
  CLEANING SMOOTH WOOD
  CLEANING IRREGULAR SURFACES - MEDIA BLASTING
  CLEANING MOLDY WOOD TRUSSES
  SANDING WOOD TO REMOVE MOLD
  DRY THE MOLD-CLEANED SURFACE
MOLD CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
• Environmental Health & Investigation Bibliography - our technical library on indoor air quality inspection, testing, laboratory procedures, forensic microscopy, etc.
• Adkins and Adkins Dictionary of Roman Religion discusses Robigus, the Roman god of crop protection and the legendary progenitor of wheat rust fungus.
• Kansas State University, department of plant pathology, extension plant pathology web page on wheat rust fungus: see http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/path-ext/factSheets/Wheat/Wheat%20Leaf%20Rust.asp
• "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
• US EPA - Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building US EPA
• US EPA - Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo - en Espanol

Allergies, Allergens, Allergy Testing in buildings - References & Products

• Air Conditioning System Blower Fans & Filters Cascading for Optimum Indoor Air Quality
• Allergen Tests in buildings advice about how to test, what to look for, in evaluating the level of dog, cat, or other animal allergens in a building
• "IgG Food Allergy Testing by ELISA/EIA, What do they really tell us?" Sheryl B. Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, Clinical Laboratory Director, Bastyr University Natural Health Clinic - ELISA testing accuracy: Here is an example of Miller's critique of ELISA http://www.betterhealthusa.com/public/282.cfm - Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients
  The critique included in that article raises compelling questions about IgG testing assays, which prompts our interest in actually screening for the presence of high levels of particles that could carry allergens - dog dander or cat dander in the case at hand.
  http://www.tldp.com/issue/174/IgG%20Food%20Allergy.html contains similar criticism in another venue but interestingly by the same author, Sheryl Miller. Sheryl Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, is an Immunologist and Associate Professor of Basic and Medical Sciences at Bastyr University in Bothell, Washington. She is also the Laboratory Director of the Bastyr Natural Health Clinic Laboratory.
• Allergens: Testing for the level of exposure to animal allergens is discussed at http://www.animalhealthchannel.com/animalallergy/diagnosis.shtml (lab animal exposure study is interesting because it involves a higher exposure level in some cases
• Allergens: WebMD discusses allergy tests for humans at webmd.com/allergies/allergy-tests
• Animal Allergens: Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Cleanup & Prevention Information for Asthmatics and regarding Indoor Air Quality.
• Atlas of Mold Related Illness Symptoms & Complaints - long list of both documented, studied mold related illness, and complaints ascribed to mold contamination or allergens in buildings
• Cat Dander: how to inspect and test a building for past or current presence of cats, cat hair, cat dander, and cat allergens
• Clinical Atlas of Mold Toxicity - An Online Description of Toxic, Pathogenic, Allergenic Fungi, Fungal Diseases
• Fiberglass Insulation Contains Mold© 2005 comments about a field study in process, & more about health hazards from fiberglass insulation
• Humidity: What indoor humidity should we maintain in order to avoid a mold problem?
• Mold Action Guide detailed guide on finding, removing, and preventing indoor mold contamination
• Odors, Odor Detection, Smells, & Gases how to find and identify sources of noxious or toxic odors and gases
• Other environmental risks, Our much longer list: Asbestos, carbon monoxide, electromagnetic fields, etc.
• Ozone: The Use of Ozone Indoors for Control of Odors and Mold Removal in buildings: A Summary of Hazards and False Claims.
• Pollen Allergens: identification, plant pollen and indoor air quality
• Products to Reduce Mold & Allergy Problems to reduce indoor mold or allergen levels: air cleaners, air purifiers, dust mite covers, vacuum cleaners, crawl space vents
• Recognizing Allergens: What various indoor allergens look like - identification photos to help identify pollen, dust mites, animal dander, toxic or allergenic mold - Common Mold and other Allergens, Irritants, Remedies & Advice
• Rodent control issues, including dander, fecal, and urine contamination of buildings and Building insulation are discussed at our
• Sewage and Septic backup contamination in buildings: inspection, testing, remediation, & references to expert sources
• Action Guide: What to do about mold, mildew, and other indoor allergens
• ...

Mold Contamination Testing, Cleanup, Prevention: references & products

• The Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold in buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems
• Aerobiology, Building Science, Microscopy, & Laboratory References, an extensive technical bibliography
• Allergens: what they look like in buildings
• Associations: Sick House, Sick Building, SBS - Air Quality, Government, Private Associations and Information Resources
• Atlas of Clinical Fungi, 2nd Ed., GS deHoog, J Guarro, J Gene, & MJ Figueras, Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, 2000, ISBN 90-70351-43-9 (you can buy this book at Amazon)
• Atlas of Mold Related Illness: Index of Symptoms and health, physical, neurological, psychological, and other complaint which people suspect may be mold or building-related.
• Atlas of Indoor Mold, Online Clinical Mold Atlas, Toxins, Pathogens, Allergens and Other Indoor Particles - Medical Health Effects of Mold (separate online document)
• Black Mold that is Harmless Photos of recognizable, usually harmless black mold on wood, bluestain, ceratocystis, ophistoma
• Building Floods: quick steps after a building flood or plumbing leak can prevent costly mold contamination
• Classes of Mold: what types of cosmetic, allergenic, or toxic mold are a problem? Can mold be cleaned-up successfully?
• Clinical Mold References - Detailed bibliography of mold reference texts
• "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
• "Disease Prevention Program for Certain Vegetable Crops," David B. Langston, Jr., Extension Plant Pathologist - Vegetables, University of Georgia (PDF document) original source: www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/209797.html
• "Disease Prevention in Home Vegetable Gardens," Patricia Donald, Department of Plant Microbiology and Pathology, Lewis Jett
  Department of Horticulture, University of Missouri Extension - extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6202
• "Management of Powdery Mildew, Leveillula taurica, in Greenhouse Peppers," Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, British Columbia - Original source: www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/peppermildew.htm
• Environmental Health & Investigation Bibliography - our own technical library on indoor air quality inspection, testing, laboratory procedures, forensic microscopy, etc.
• Fiberglass: Mold in Fiberglass Insulation© 2005 comments about a field study in process, & more about health hazards from fiberglass insulation - DJF
• Fifth Kingdom, Bryce Kendrick, ISBN13: 9781585100224, is available from the InspectAPedia online bookstore - we recommend the CD-ROM version of this book. This 3rd/edition is a compact but comprehensive encyclopedia of all things mycological. Every aspect of the fungi, from aflatoxin to zppspores, with an accessible blend of verve and wit. The 24 chapters are filled with up-to-date information of classification, yeast, lichens, spore dispersal, allergies, ecology, genetics, plant pathology, predatory fungi, biological control, mutualistic symbioses with animals and plants, fungi as food, food spoilage and mycotoxins.
• Fungi, Identifying Filamentous, A Clinical Laboratory Handbook, Guy St-Germain, Richard Summerbell, Star Publishing, 1996, ISBN 0-89863-177-7 (English) (buy at Amazon)
• Looking for Mold Procedure: what mold is often found where in buildings - simple technical presentation
• Meruliporia: the house eating fungus or "poria"
• Mold Action Guide: Step-by-Step Instructions, What to do about mold, mildew, and other indoor allergens
• MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE Photos of what mold looks like in buildings
• MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD Photos of NOT-mold material that is sometimes mistaken for mold
• MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX, Pathogens, Allergens and Other Indoor Particles - Medical Health Effects of Mold (separate online document)
• MOLD BY MICROSCOPE Mold under the microscope - photo identification of the most common indoor molds found in buildings
• Mold FAQs Answers to Most Questions about Indoor Mold, Mold Related Illness, Mold Cleanup, Mold Prevention
• US EPA: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building US EPA
• Mold spores in the Home - a Photo ID Library for detection and identification of mold allergens
• Mold Test Kits - How to Collect and Send Your Own Mold Sample to our mold testing lab or to any mold lab you wish
• Most Common Indoor Molds Found in buildings, A Table of
• Mycology, Fundamentals of Diagnostic, Fran Fisher, Norma B. Cook, W.B. Saunders Co. 1998, ISBN 0-7216-5006-6 (buy this book at Amazon)
• Ozone Warnings - Use of Ozone as a "mold" remedy is ineffective and may be dangerous.
• Rot concerns in buildings-some building mold such as Meruliporia incrassata "Poria" risks serious rot and hidden structural damage
• US EPA: Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo - en Espanol

OTHER IAQ ISSUES: How To Find and Address Other Indoor Air or Indoor Environment Contaminants Besides Mold

Mold or allergens may not be the only or even the main indoor environmental contaminant. Don't let media attention to mold cause so much enviro-scare fear that other, possibly more urgent hazards go un-addressed.

• Fiberglass building insulation and HVAC duct work insulation hazards
• Sewage and Septic backup contamination in buildings: inspection, testing, remediation, & references to expert sources
• Other environmental risks: Asbestos, carbon monoxide, electromagnetic fields, environmental illness, fiberglass, MCS - multiple chemical sensitivity, toxic gases, etc
• Indoor Gas Sampling Plan for Residential buildings lists a number of toxic indoor gases which we test for, depending on the building complaint and building conditions
• Ozone Warnings - Use of Ozone as a "mold" remedy is ineffective and may be dangerous.
• Pet control - if you can't say goodbye to your bird, cat, dog, guinea pig, hamster, tropical fish, then limit the areas they occupy and limit the airflow from that area to sleeping or other areas of the building, use allergenic bedding, eliminate wall-to-wall carpeting, improve housecleaning including use of a HEPA-rated vacuum cleaner. For more details see our article Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Information for Asthmatics and Indoor Air Quality
• Rodents, Mice, Squirrel Control - I find high levels of mouse and rodent dander, fecal dust, and urine-contaminated dust in some buildings, and high levels of these materials in building insulation in those locations. If you have a mouse problem, particularly if mice and their waste (fecals or urine) are contaminating the building HVAC or building insulation, may need both steps to clean up or remove infected materials and steps to stop an ongoing rodent problem. If squirrels are a problem, the cleanup needs to include closing off entry openings into the building. Get some help from a licensed pest control expert.