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Guide to Use of Fungicidal Sealants on Wood Building Materials InspectAPedia®  -     Use of Fungicidal Sealants and Anti-Mold Coatings to Kill Mold or Prevent Mold Growth Mold spray paints, mold prevention by painting?

This section of our "How to Clean Mold" article discusses the use of fungicidal sealants to reduce moisture uptake and retard future mold growth. 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. Our page top photo shows fungicidal paint sprayed on demolition debris in a building. The debris should have been removed before this sealant was applied.

For more about mold sprays, see MOLD SPRAYS, SEALANTS, PAINTS. Readers should also see MOLD KILLING GUIDE, see BLEACHING MOLD, Advice about and step by step mold cleanup advice at MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD and also MOLD CLEANING MISTAKES. See Crawl Space Dryout Procedures if your building is built over a crawl area.

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. © Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Resources.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

3. TREAT & SEAL - cleaned building surfaces such as lumber or plywood if used indoors - an optional step to reduce retard future mold growth

Optionally, you may elect to treat cleaned lumber by coating its surfaces with a sealant intended for that purpose and following the recommendations of the manufacturer.

Applying Fungicidal Sealants after Mold Remediation

ADVANTAGES - of applying a fungicidal sealant to retard future mold growth

Our photo (left) shows a moldy crawl space after expert cleaning, application of a clear fungicidal sealant on wood surfaces, and installation of a secure plastic barrier over a dirt and gravel crawl space floor.

Here are some advantages of using a fungicidal sealant following mold remediation

• Sealants may reduce future moisture-uptake in wood, making it less quick to support future mold growth
• The use of sealants after a mold cleanup project can immobilize particles left in hard to clean crevices
• Fungicidal or microbial sealants contain a chemical which the manufacturers claim retard future mold growth. However the long-term chemical stability, thus the durability or "lasting power" of the chemical effects may be in doubt. I have been unable to find any long term study of the enduring effect of the fungicidal or microbial effect, and some studies, such as those done on microbially-treated fiberglass duct insulation indicate that the treatment is not long-lived.
• The few remaining particles not removed by cleaning are immobilized - sprays and sealants are never a substitute for cleaning however.

WARNINGS - about using fungicidal sealants to control mold growth

Our photo (left) shows a white fungicidal sealant paint spray coating that has been applied to all surfaces in a building basement fas the last step in a mold cleanup project. The remediator did a great job of removing moldy materials, cleaning all surfaces, and leaving no demolition dust or debris in the building - all before this mold spray paint was applied.

• Remember to clean: Fungicidal sealants or non-sealant fungicides should not be used as a substitute for physical cleaning of moldy or suspect surfaces and materials. Application of fungicides without cleaning risks leaving high levels of toxic or allergenic particles in the building. Even if a fungicide could "kill" every mold spore, which in our experience is unlikely, non-viable spores may still be toxic or allergenic. (See our page top photo).
• Biocides or Fungicides which are not sealants have the same shortcomings as sealants and more: they are unlikely to kill 100% of their target, they do not immobilize remaining dust or debris on a surface and they do not provide future moisture resistance.
• Possible health risks of fungicides and disinfectants: If your contractor is planning to use a disinfectant or fungicide on building surfaces be sure to review the chemicals to be used as possible irritants or hazards themselves. The remediation industry is of mixed opinion regarding the efficacy and advisability of using such treatments.
  
  Some people have allergic reaction to these chemicals. The contractor should be asked to provide documentation identifying the chemical(s) used, the concentration and manner of application, and the areas where they were applied, as well as providing pertinent health information from the manufacturer, as some occupants or owners may prefer to avoid these chemicals.

Readers should also see MOLD KILLING GUIDE, see BLEACHING MOLD, Advice about and step by step mold cleanup advice at MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD and also MOLD CLEANING MISTAKES.

SOURCES & TYPES - of fungicidal or microbial sealants and paints to prevent future mold growth

See Crawl Space Dryout Procedures for a discussion of both that process and also detailed information on the use of fungicidal and biocidal sprays.

• http://environmentsensitive.com/air.html Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate (DOT)
• http://www.wwenvironmental.com/paint.htm paint additive that includes a mildewcide, website includes MSDS and some product info
• http://www.allergystore.com/mold.htm - Sure Cote [we do NOT recommend using the mold test kit sold by this website]
• http://www.allerx.com/x158.htm = AllerX X-158 claims to protect from mold for 180 days
• Waterglass (Sodium Silicate) used as a binder in paints may also be a possible coating. It is water soluble and produces a "heat resistant and intumescent" film. However to date we have no data regarding its use in this application.
• Fungicidal sealant paints such as Fosters 40-51™ clear coating (here's the Fosters 40-51 MSDS for Foster's 40-51) or Microban™ (here's Microban's web, a typical MSDS for paint containing Microban, and here's a paint supplier's claims)
• (Readers are welcome to contribute additional products to this list.)

We have no financial interest in any of these products. This data was discovered by internet search. We have no scientific data as yet regarding the effectiveness, toxicity, chemical composition, nor durability of these products. We do not recommend using thick plaster or cementious coatings as these are more likely to later crack or leak, trapping moisture inside against the wood and promoting worse mold growth.

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MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD
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
FUNGICIDAL SPRAY & SEALANT USE GUIDE
  FUNGICIDAL SPRAY ADVANTAGES
  MOLD SPRAY WARNINGS
  MOLD SPRAY SOURCES & TYPES
MOLD CLEANING MISTAKES
  CROSS CONTAMINATION
  USING BLEACH on MOLD
  USING OZONE to KILL MOLD
  HOW TO PREVENT FUTURE MOLD
  COSMETIC MOLDS
MOLD CLEANUP LIMITATIONS

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