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ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS GUIDE
AIR POLLUTANTS, COMMON INDOOR
ALLERGEN TESTS for BUILDINGS
ALLERGY TESTS for PEOPLE
ALLERGY TEST ACCURACY
ACCURACY OF VARIOUS MOLD TEST METHODS
ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT INDOOR MOLD
ALLERGEN TESTS for BUILDINGS
ALLERGY TESTS for PEOPLE
ALLERGY TEST ACCURACY
CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS - MOLD CLEANUP
DO IT YOURSELF MOLD CLEANUP
ENERGY SAVINGS in BUILDINGS
FIND MOLD in BUILDINGS, HOW TO
FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-priorities
FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP
FUNGICIDAL SPRAY & SEALANT USE GUIDE
HIDDEN MOLD, HOW TO FIND
HUMIDITY CONTROL TO PREVENT MOLD
INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS
INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE
INDOOR AIR QUALITY METHODS COMPARED
LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE
MILDEW in BUILDINGS ?
MILDEW ERRORS - MOLD PHOTOS
MILDEW REMOVAL & PREVENTION
MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS
MOLD: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO MOLD
MOLD ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT MOLD
MOLD AGE - Old is the Mold?
MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE
MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD
MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX
MOLD BY MICROSCOPE
MOLD CLASSES, HAZARD LEVELS
MOLD CLEANERS - WHAT TO USE
MOLD CLEANUP COMPANIES
MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD
MOLD CLEANUP with BLEACH
MOLD CLEANUP by MEDIA BLASTING
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
FUNGICIDAL SPRAY & SEALANT USE GUIDE
  FUNGICIDAL SPRAY ADVANTAGES
  MOLD SPRAY WARNINGS
  MOLD SPRAY SOURCES & TYPES
MOLD CLEANING MISTAKES
  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 LIMITATIONS
MOLD CLEANUP HEALTH RISKS
MOLD CLEANUP MISTAKES to AVOID
MOLD REMEDIATION CLEARANCE INSPECTION
MOLD DETECTION & INSPECTION GUIDE
MOLD DOCTOR?
MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE
MOLD EXPOSURE RISK LEVELS
MOLD EXPOSURE STANDARDS
MOLD FAQ's
MOLD FREQUENCY in BUILDINGS
MOLD GROWTH on SURFACES
MOLD INSPECTORS & MOLD TESTERS
MOLD KILLING GUIDE
MOLD LEVEL REPORTS
MOLD LEVELS IN BUILDINGS
MOLD by MICROSCOPE
MOLD ODORS, MUSTY SMELLS
MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE
MOLD RELATED ILLNESS GUIDE
MOLD RELATED ILLNESS SYMPTOMS
MOLD SPRAYS, SEALANTS, PAINTS
MOLD STANDARDS
MOLD TEST KITS
MOLD TEST KITS for DIY MOLD TESTS
MOLD TEST PROCEDURES
MOLD TEST REASONS
MOLD TESTING METHOD VALIDITY
MOLD TESTING SERVICES
NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE
ODORS, Smells, Gases in Buildings-Diagnosis & Cure
RENTERS & TENANTS GUIDE TO MOLD
SEWAGE BACKUP TEST & CLEANUP
STAIN DIAGNOSIS
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THERMAL TRACKING

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Pre-Cleanup moldy basement framing

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?
Our site offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at InspectAPedia.com/appointment.htm.

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 2010 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

Photograph of sub microscopic debris and fiberglass insulation fragments encapsulated by a fungicidal sealant The mold remediator/cleaner may elect to apply a fungicidal sealant such as Fosters™ 4020 or 4051, the Anabec™ two-step cleaner-sealer system, or non-sealant fungicides may be applied in an effort to reduce the chances of future mold growth on the cleaned surfaces. But readers should review the advantages and warnings about using fungicides and fungicidal sealants described next.

The photograph shown here was taken in our forensic lab during examination of a mold remediation clearance dust sample.

The photo shows how a clear fungicidal encapsulant (mold sealant) can encompass and immobilize small particles, in this case fragments of fiberglass insulation and sub-micron microscopic debris which were coagulated and encapsulated into now-solidified droplets of a clear commercial mold encapsulant/sealant.

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

Photograph of clear fungicidal sealant on building framing and subflooring This photograph, taken during a mold remediation clearance inspection, shows the use of a clear fungicidal sealant applied to previously-cleaned building framing and subflooring. The shiny coating makes evident where the coating has been applied.

The transparent nature of the coating permits the inspector, building owner, or a subsequent buyer of the property to view the quality of the cleaning job. Clear encapsulants have this advantage of showing the condition of the coated surface, assuring us that the mold remediator didn't simply "spray-over" a dirty moldy surface.

On the other hand, white or pigmented fungicidal paints and sprays are easier to detect, and it's easier to see if the application missed any surfaces that were supposed to be coated.

Good mold cleanup job (C) Daniel FriedmanOur 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

Mold spray applied after cleanup (C) Daniel Friedman

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.

Directory of Producers of Mold Remediation Products, Fungicidal Sprays, Sealants, Biocides, Washes

We have no financial interest in any of these products. This data was discovered by internet search. We have no independent scientific data as yet regarding the effectiveness, toxicity, chemical composition, nor durability of these products.

  • Anabec Systems - 9393 Main St. • P.O. Box 433 • Clarence, NY 14031 see http://www.anabec.com/index.cfm Tel: 800-369-8463 Anabec NG2000™ and Bioshield BST Protectant RTU75™ are also products used in mold remediation projects.
  • Bioshield BST - Bioshield Technologies - Bio Shield Technologies
    P.O. Box 15, Clarks Summit, Pa 18411, Tel: 717-489-1728 Fax - 717-489-0228
    Email – info@bioshieldtech.com
    Web – www.bioshieldtech.com - http://www.bioshieldtech.com/Contact-Us-a/138.htm The company indicates that it
    "... offer a wide assortment of ... antimicrobial and personal protection products .... We work with only the industry’s leading manufacturers—DuPont, Agion, Discovery Medical, Anabec Systems, Woodward Labs, ..."
  • Fiberlok Technologies, Tel: 800-342-3755 - http://www.fiberlock.com/products/8360.html
    MSDS sheets for the company's products can be found at http://www.fiberlock.com/products/msds.html
    The company refers website visitors to a dealer locator network and states
    "In the event you are unable to locate a distributor near you, please call us at 1-800-342-3755 "
  • Foster Products, 1105 Frontenac St., Aurora IL 60504, Tel: 800-231-9541, Email: fosterproducts@hbfuller.com - http://www.fosterproducts.com/ -
    MSDS sheets for the company's products can be found at http://www.fosterproducts.com/default.aspx?PageID=msds
  • Microban Antimicrobial Products - http://www.microban.com/. The company indicates that
    "Microban® antimicrobial protection is built-in to products during manufacturing to provide continuous antimicrobial product protection. Microban protection can be found in hundreds of consumer, industrial and medical products around the world."
  • Protex 63, Trask Research, W.M. Barr, P.O. Box 1879, Memphis, TN 38101, - http://www.traskresearch.com/contact.html - Tel: 1-866-370-2499 The company indicates that
    "Protex 63 is an EPA registered fungicidal sealant that seals against mold, mildew, and green algae" and
    "Protex™ 63 is a durable, sealant and coating that resists mold, mildew and algal growth. Protex™ dries clear and does not affect the appearance of most surfaces. Protex™ is especially formulated for exterior use."
    MSDS data sheets are available from the manufacturer.
  • Rocima™40, produced by Dow Chemical Company's subsidiary Rohm and Haas, is a
    "Broad spectrum, non-metallic liquid fungicide for a wide variety of fungal organisms"
    http://www.rohmhaas.com/wcm/products/product_detail.page?display-mode=tds&product=1120851
    The MSDS can be found at http://www.rohmhaas.com/wcm/products/product_detail.page?display-mode=msds&product=1120851

Other Mold Cleaning Products, Paint Additives, Fungicidal Sealants, Paints, Coatings

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Technical Reviewers & References

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MOLD CLEANERS - WHAT TO USE
MOLD CLEANUP COMPANIES
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

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

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