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Is This An Adequate Solution To The Mold Problem?

Question: I work in a 100 year old wooden building that suffered from flood conditions last fall. The basement is a dirt floor and has very high spore counts and visible mold. The upstairs suffered from visible mold and high mold counts. The remedial work that has taken place is to put a polythene vapour barrier between the basement and the upstairs. Is this an adequate solution to the problem.

Thank you.

Answer: The solution you’ve described sounds inadequate. Any material with visible mold should have been cleaned or replaced if it could not be easily cleaned. The cause of flooding should also have been investigated and corrected. Since there are no mold remediation standards most mold remediators and restoration contractors follow existing mold guidelines. All the guidelines outline procedures to be followed to clean up the mold. Below are some Mold Guidelines and other useful resources.

  • Guidance for Clinicians on the Recognition and
    Management of Health Effects Related to Mold Exposure and
    Moisture Indoors 

     

  • Fungal Contamination in Public Buildings:
    Health Effects and Investigation Methods 

    Health Canada – This document is a revision of an
    earlier version published by Health Canada and the
    Federal-Provincial Advisory Committee on Environmental and
    Occupational Health (CEOH) in 1995.

  • Mould Guidelines for the Canadian
    Construction Industry 

    Canadian Construction Association (CCA) – Recent
    rerelease of CCA 82. Hard copies can also be purchased from
    your local construction associations.

  • Environmental Abatement Council of Ontario (EACO) Mould Abatement Guidelines.
  • Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of Mold in Indoor EnvironmentsNew York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Canadian Mould Remediation Guidelines

There are a number of mould remediation guidelines in Canada. These include:

Mould Remediation Guidelines for the Canadian Construction Industry

The mould remediation guidelines prepared by the Canadian Construction Association offers practical advice on mould-related issues (legal, insurance, and health considerations). It also offers helpful information on how to minimize mould growth, identify and measure it, and step-by-step instructions on remediation.

The guide is free to download from the CCA website http://www.cca-acc.com/documents/electronic/cca82/cca82.pdf and hardcopies can be purchased from your local construction associations.

EACO Mould Abatement Guidelines

Environmental Abatement Council of Ontario prepared this mould remediation guidelines to assist building owners, constructors, contractors, subcontractors and workers who have duties under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its Regulations to safely perform work activities involving Mould (Microbial) Abatement and remediation. 

OAA Mould Control Practice Guide

The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) issued the Mould Control Practice Guide to assist and educate its members with respect to certain matters related to mould and mould in buildings. 

Mold Testing Services In Saskatchewan

Like in most other Canadian provinces, mold is a problem in Saskatchewan. The Saskatchewan Health and the Occupational Health and Safety Division of Saskatchewan Labour have developed a mold fact sheet for private residences, public buildings and workplaces available at the Saskatoon Health Region website. Mold testing services in Saskatchewan are offered by private small to medium-sized companies. These companies use Mold & Bacteria Consulting Laboratories (MBL) Inc., for mold laboratory testing. The microbiological team at MBL is actively directed by Dr. Jackson N. Kung’u, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. In over 30 years of practicing his profession, Dr. Kung’u has analyzed thousands of mold samples from across Canada. MBL is rated proficient by AIHA for EMPAT fungal culture and fungal direct microscopic examination of air, bulk and surface samples. The Environmental Microbiology Proficiency Analytical Testing (EMPAT) Program is a voluntary performance evaluation program, administered by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), for environmental microbiology laboratories.

Mold Testing Services In Saskatchewan

As mentioned earlier, there are many companies offering mold testing services in Saskatchewan. They provide mold assessment and mold removal services to individuals and institutions who are concerned about possible mold contamination. These clients have included homeowners, property mangers & landlords, Schools, Government Institutions, and many others.

Most Mold Testing Companies In Saskatchewan Offer the Following Services:

  • Indoor Air Mold Testing of Residences Affected by Flooding and Water Damage: Air samples may be taken to identify the presence of hidden mold. Water damage and flooding issues that have not been remediated soon enough, or in some cases not at all, can possibly lead to mold growth in hidden areas such as drywall and insulation.
  • Indoor Air Mold Testing Of Residences Involved in Marihuana Grow Operations: Mold testing services are provided to confirm that mold remediation and environmental restoration were performed properly and that acceptable conditions have been met.
  • Mold Assessment Services and Supplies For Contractors and Consultants: Instrument rentals and small quantities of sample media are supplied to contractors and consultants interested in performing their own mold assessments. The sample media is then taken to the Mold & Bacteria Consulting Laboratories (MBL) Inc., for analysis and results interpretation.

Mold Testing Strategies Employed By Mold Testing Companies

Residences are inspected for visible signs of mold and water damage, followed by interviews of the homeowners, to establish a guideline for the development of effective sampling strategies appropriate for each residence. Air samples are taken from both inside the house and outside to establish a comparison for results. Other samples may be taken if visible mold is suspected, such as bulk, tape or swab samples, to confirm mold growth and to identify the mold species present. Both the results from samples taken and interpretation are provided to the client to assist them in what may possibly be further mold investigation.

If you have a mold problem contact us at (905)290-9101 and we shall direct you to companies that can test the mold for you.

Mold Removal Guidelines

Once mold has grown in a building, it has to be removed (also referred to as mold removal, mold remediation, or mold abatement). There are various mold removal guidelines:

  • Mould Guidelines for the Canadian Construction Industry (2004): by Canadian Construction Association.
  • Mould Abatement Guidelines (2004): by Environmental Abatement Council of Ontario (EACO).
  • Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of Fungi in Indoor Environments (2008): by the New York City Department of Health.
  • Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Mold Remediation (IICRC S520): by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).
  • Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings (2001): by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Some of these mold removal guidelines can be obtained free online. When determining appropriate mold remediation level, one has to consider the total area affected (the perimeter of affected materials) and the density of the mold growth. The Guidelines for the Canadian Construction Industry recognizes 3 remediation levels for building finishes and components (e.g., drywall, ceiling tile, carpet, etc.). These are:

  • Level 1 (Small Scale): Areas less than 1 square metre (10 square feet)
  • Level ll (Medium Scale): Areas between 1-10 square metres (10-100 square feet)
  • Level lll (Large Scale): Areas greater than 10 square metres (≥100 square feet)

For more details about mold removal consult the various guidelines and/or consult a professional. For those working in the fields of mold investigation and remediation, you may want to register for our mold training course entitled “How To Recognize Indoor Mould, Develop Effective Sampling Strategies, Interpret Laboratory Results, And Remediate Mould Contamination“. For the course details and available dates click http://www.moldbacteria.com/training.html

For more information regarding mold removal please contact us at 905-290-9101 in Ontario or 604-435-6555 in British Columbia.

 

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