I don't know anything about this but I have asthma from time to time and that certainly worries me in a covid world. My goal is have a cleaner home, lol, because asthma sucks! This house is 61 years old. Brick home built on a slab. Central heat and a/c. The house smells musty. Clothes removed from the home... I smell them elsewhere and they smell like the house... musty. I have found mold on the wall in the pantry and in a closet. Before I did anything, I bought a mold test kit. It didn't find anything terrible. Mild mold infection, really no big deal from the readings, and what is bizarre is I tested the pantry, which is a small enclosed pantry and it had mold on the wall! I figured it would be off the chart bad. After testing, I treated it with chlorox and it wiped it out but it slowly came back. This was couple of years ago. I sent the mold test off and got a report back. There was no warning of black mold or "Hey, sir, you have a problem; it was minor readings even in the pantry!' I will try to find that report and review again. I am going to remove the sheetrock from the pantry where the mold is. And in a closet that is rarely opened. Not much there, just a little. For brutally hot summers, the house also had radiant barrier (aluminum foil) installed in the attic decades ago. It was just rolled on top of the existing batt insulation loosely. After I feared mold growth, I feared the attic being a moisture trap and even though the aluminum foil radiant barrier had small holes poked it in during manufacture, I just removed it all. Back to the original insulation up there. The mold that is in the pantry is a direct imprint (see photo) behind an a/c vent that goes into the den where I sit all the time. So, I am worried that the central heat/air is moldy in the system and ducts. Or, at least, dust is being piped into the house all the time. I don't understand why mold would be growing behind that vent. It's obviously some physics going on there... moist due to the venturi effect or something (lol... I have no idea). Any idea what this means? Was wondering if anyone knows anything about this stuff. Do you think the ductwork could be cleaned out and lessen dust pumped in? If the entire central air/heat system were replaced, would that solve it? There is nothing wrong with the system but it's long in the tooth, it will have to be replaced anyway and that could happen any day. I see a date of manufacture of 1997 but I recall it being older than that. If that's correct, it's over 20 years old. Wonder how long they, typically, last? Replacing for a house this size will probably be $10-$15k I am guessing. Ouch. BTW, I had two inside dogs, big dogs. One died and I have one left and he sheds more than dog I have ever seen. I will find him a home if I can. Or build a fence for outside for him. The dog hair is a constant battle to vacuum. If I am going to stay in this house something has to change. I will even need to get a housecleaner come weekly. Don't want to but it is what it is. I always thought the black stuff is just mildew and mildew is just a mold but a google says they are cousins. If I can find the test report, I need to see if the species that is black mold was indicated at all in my house. Thanks if you know anything! Pic 1 is an a/c vent into the den Pic 2 is area is pantry behind the vent
Getting rid of mold/mildew on porous surfaces is tough to impossible. Clorox will kill on-the-surface and maybe part way into the surface, but not get all the little roots, so mold eventually comes back. Tear out an replace any sheet rock that is moldy and for a distance beyond - those roots will be in areas that aren't showing surface mold yet. You could also try a special paint like Kilz, but even that is only guaranteed for a short time. Makes sense that mold would grow in a cabinet or in any area that doesn't get good air circulation. You can get little microclimates of air with more moisture, and I would think an A/C duct could cause condensation in a still area (I'm not an expert, and don't even have any ducts in my house, so I'm just hypothesizing there). The ductwork, as a solid surface, should be easier to clean - easier as in killing the stuff not necessarily reaching it. It may be worth your time talking to a remediation company about cleaning the ducts out instead of trying to do it yourself or replacing. Once cleaned, using the right type of filter, replacing the filter when needed, and using a dehumidifier (if your A/C unit doesn't incorporate one in the system) should keep it at bay. Like I stated earlier, I am not an expert, and I haven't stayed at a Holiday Inn in the last 5 years, so this is only worth the price of the ink and paper it is written on
Thanks for your input, bogieb. I found the mold test results, which included mold counts of many different molds. It is a little encouraging in that I did not find any mention of the species that is, supposedly, the species for the deadly 'black mold.' Ah, but if I had black mold, I'd probably be dead by now anyway. Members here are knowledgeable about a lot of things, maybe somebody will chime in with more info. I am also going to try to find a forum for home remodeling or something along those lines where I can post this info. Bob Vila or whatever. I did reroute some water flow (drainage) away from this house. We get lots of rain from time to time, and water would stand next to the house at the slab/brick interface and I didn't like that. This house pad was built on a slope and the hill above the house kind of seeps water during wet conditions. Even if it stops raining, the hill will seep for a couple of weeks! This is not only a mold problem but a dust/dander problem. Another thing I will def have to do is replace the carpet in, at least, my bedroom with wood. I am sure it will be laminate because that is not too hard to do a self-install. The carpet is decades old, and an old shag type of carpet. Ugh, harbors tons of dust/dander. I also bought two air purifiers over the past couple of years. Another thing I will have to look into is buying an allergy type of air filter for the central heat and a/c system. I grew up in this house, bought it from my brothers, our folks are gone. I tell ya, an old house is a money pit. I could easily spend a small fortune updating this house. It's $10k needed, here, $10k there and it's a big list. If I chose to really get after it... driveway concrete, windows, door work, central heat/air, ductwork, insulation and air sealing, kitchen countertop/sink, a bathroom sink, repaint entire inside of house (already did outside), new roof (it's overdue), replace all carpet, insulation, knock out a wall to a room that is never used, yard drainage, remove dangerous large trees encroaching on house, and more. Wow, that is some buckaroos there. I count between $75k and $100k if I did all that.
You would get rid of your Buddy just because of some mold? Changing the filter on the furnace more often would help and the woodstove is more of the problem with dust than dog hair collecting to certain spots in the house. As for the mold i'd just take the wall down and deal with the main problem. Basement gotta smell? I think that would be the main, culprit but what do i know?
I hear ya about 'my buddy' but tThe remaining dog I have is a rescue, I saved him from the pound and he's had one heckuva great life and the intent was I was just a temporary parent, not permanent. He has 'issues' other than shedding, such as being destructive. I give him lots of leeway but if you give an inch, he takes a mile, tears stuff up. If I could find him a good home, it would be best. I don't have anyone to depend on to help take care of him and at my age, I have some traveling to do before it's too late. I take my dog almost everywhere in my truck and we both enjoy that but it is absolutely a PITA sometimes and sometimes, it is just not practical. I am a dog person, have saved several but this dog is a challenge. Plus, has a bit of an aggressive streak and I don't like that at all. I did not get him as a puppy. I don't have a woodstove; I do have a fireplace but that room is not open to the rest of the house. Your suggestion to change the filter more often is sound advice. No basement here, not likely one within 200 miles. It's on a slab.
Good of ya taking him in and sounds like if he got lucky again a farm would be a good spot for him. Did you go up in attic and have a look at where the insulation stops at the soffits? When we moved here years ago i found the original owners insulated over them and had very little air circulation. Used a hard rake and pulled it all back 6in.
Did you say? Are you running a dehumidifier ? Maybe a larger model, or a couple of them. Can you keep the pantry door open if it has one to allow some air flow? Do you have gutter's routing rain water away from the house? I wonder if setting your furnace fan to run every now and then on a timer would help dry things a bit. Random thought's! Old place's are a bugger! You live in a very humid environment compared to many of us as well.
Just a few thoughts. Do you have weep holes at the bottom of your brick walls at the foundation/slab? Maybe check and see if they are open. I've seen them caulked over, washed in with dirt and mulch. Maybe pick up a small digital thermostat that also measures humidity. You may get a better handle on where the humidity is worse. When reading this, I was thinking is there a gap at the duct work where it goes through the wall? Could be condensing on the wall where cold conditioned air goes through the duct and warm air from inside the wall meets up.
You can also get bags to hang in the closet or pantry thatbtake moisture out of the air. We have to use them as well. Should be able to get the duct work cleaned out.
