An Experts' Opinion On Remediation

After seeing 4000 patients with Stachybotrys, I can tell you most objects cannot be cleaned, if the patients are exposed to there contaminated household object/fomites, they continue to be ill, and there levels continue to increase. There are many good articles showing that mycotoxins and spores are not one and the same (e.g. look up Stachybotrys on PubMed to MedLine). Either one can be separate or they may coexist. Cleaning off the superficial spores does not remove the absorbed mycotoxins. Blowing Stachy spores through a Hepafilter kills Boar sperm on the other side, etc. We have documented many cases of mycotoxicosis when the Stachy spore counts are zero, but the mycotoxins are high. Our general rule, which we have seen clinically many times over, is that there are enough mycotoxins in one piece of contaminated paper, to make someone sick for three days. Yellow rain, for example, has no spores, but one drop absorbed through the skin can be very serious.

Remember that it's not the spores that cause the illness (other than allergy and infection). The spores in mycotoxicosis are used as an indicator that there is the potential for a problem. Outdoor spores are not a usual cause of toxicity, (except for allergies and infection), but when growing inside, molds produce toxins, which are in much higher concentration and can cause illness. Indoor mold spores indicate mold growth, which indicates mycotoxin production. Currently, we can measure spores, identify spores, but it is difficult to measure mycotoxins. This is because of the number (e.g. Stachy produces at least 170 known mycotoxins, and probably more that have not been identified. This is very expensive to measure, and the difficulty doing the tests to date. There are labs working on testing methods that will be commercially available for a reasonable cost. Like you say the problem can become worse when the mold dries. The mold dries and the mycotoxins production increases with Stachy up to 40,000 times.

Dr. Gary Ordog

Closer Look Inspections Has The Experience Needed...

to not only perform bulk and air sampling in the suspected building, we have the experience of inspecting over 3000 structures throughout the Greater Cleveland area. The visual examination of any home suspected of containing toxic molds is an important issue. It can then be reasonably determined if further testing is needed. It is also important to begin remediation as soon as possible. If bulk and air samples are taken, you may not want or need to wait for the complete results to begin the cleanup process. If it is found by laboratory analysis that stachybotrys atra or any other toxic mold is found, we can supply you with a list of area doctors and hospitals that are knowledgeable in this type of bio-aerosol contamination so that further testing on persons may be performed.  

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If you suspect that your home is contaminated with toxic mold, call Closer Look Inspections today at 440-946-7191 to begin the process of finding out. Waiting could continue exposing yourself and your family to toxic mold and leave you at risk for health problems. Closer Look Inspections can help you find the problem, create a plan to get rid of it and help you find the source of it so you can prevent further contaminations.

 Remediation

Mold will grow in 3 days!

Mold growing inside a building is unhealthy, no matter what kind. All molds produce chemicals, which can be released to cause allergies, or mycotoxicosis inside a building. Molds growing inside building are not growing in their ideal environment. Eventually, for example, the water source or food source is shut off. The mold is threatened, and starts to die. It does the only thing it can, that is produce and release spores and chemicals. For example, it has been shown that the levels of trichothecenes, some of the toxic chemicals called mycotoxins, increase in amount up to 40,000 times, when growing inside a building compared to outside. Thus the fact that it is growing inside the building makes the mold toxic. All molds do this to some degree. You should not have "mold" in an inhabited building. Mold signifies mold growth and the proper conditions for this to occur.

Spores from the outside, which are normally far, less in count (assuming that the air is filtered in the inside air), are not considering a health hazard. Outside spores are generally considered nontoxic, when they enter the HVAC (heating ventilation air conditioning) system, and get into the indoor air. They generally come from a long ways away; they are cleaned by the outside air, diluted, etc. so that outside air spores are not generally a health hazard. Usually over 90% of then will be filtered out by a properly maintained and functioning HVAC system.

You should not have high humidity (over 70%) or water intrusion in an inhabited building. This leads to "mold". When high humidity or water intrusion occur inside a building, then the spores that are a benign part of the normal indoor air environment, can start to grow as "mold". Thus the big factor is water. Water intrusion must be taken care of properly, or mold will grow. Proper treatment of water intrusion involves things such as removing the wall panels and drying out all of the wall components within this 3 days, etc. Mold will grow in 3 days. One should not have water intrusion in a building - one should not have mold growth within a building. These are defined as being unhealthful. The common ingredient is water; the mold makes you sick, no matter what type.

Avoid Circulating Potentially Dangerous Fungus Mold releases toxin spores into the air. Stachybotrys atra thrives on water-soaked paper wood and cotton products. Releasing toxin spores into the air.

When wet, Stachybotrys atra looks black and slimy with white edges. Once the mold dries, the fungus ceases to grow. However, the black toxin dust can spread rapidly throughout a building through the Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning system via airborne spores.

Many fungi (e.g., species of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Trichoderma, and Memnoniella) in addition to SC can produce potent mycotoxins, some of which are identical to compounds produced by SC. 1, 2, 3, 4 Mycotoxins are fungal metabolites that have been identified as toxic agents. For this reason, SC cannot be treated as uniquely toxic in indoor environments.

People performing renovations/cleaning of widespread fungal contamination may be at risk for developing Organic Dust Toxic Syndrome (ODTS) or Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (HP). ODTS may occur after a single heavy exposure to dust contaminated with fungi and produces flu-like symptoms. It differs from HP in that it is not an immune-mediated disease and does not require repeated exposures to the same causative agent. A variety of biological agents may cause OTDS including common species of fungi. HP may occur after repeated exposures to an allergen and can result in permanent lung damage.

The focus of this guidance document addresses mold contamination of building components (walls, ventilation systems, support beams, etc.) that are chronically moist or water damaged. Occupants should address common household sources of mold, such as mold found in bathroom tubs or between tiles with household cleaners. Moldy food (e.g., breads, fruits, etc.) should be discarded.