Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests Moldy Basement

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There is a method of digging a trench around the perimeter of the basement. A perforated pipe is burried in it and trench is filled back in. The was runs down through the foundation, into the pipe and is pumped out. I don't know what the name for this is, but its bullet proof for stopping the leak.

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French Drain.

I fixed my basement water problem. I moved all of the gutters away from my house... 10 ft. I then put in beds all around so that water cannot sit near the foundation. I used basement sealer on all interior walls and installed a sump pump with batter backup. Even during the worst downpours the sump takes care of everything. I agree on the mold part. It can be very serious. I used a ton of bleach on all of the mold in the basement before I sealed it. Also install a dehumidifier. It will help prevent more mold growing and help air quality throughout the house.

If the mold problem was pretty easy to spot...or the water problem was def evident and the previous owners would have def known then you can sue then for not disclosing the problem.

"French Drain"
French drains do get clogged up after a few years.

"I moved all of the gutters away from my house... 10 ft."
You mean the extension outlet pipes for the gutters, don't you?

It can make you very sick :

Negative Health Effects of Mold are...

Immune system suppression

Respiratory problems including asthma and infections

Eye irritation with burning, watery or reddened eyes

Cough ââ?¬â?? dry and hacking

Nose or throat irritation or both

Skin rashes or irritation

Memory impairment

Irritable bowel syndrome

Body aches and pain (Chronic Fatigue)

Food Intolerances and allergies

Headaches

Mood swings

Nasal and sinus congestion

LInk

You're right. I should have clarified my response. The concern over toxic mold has been whipped into a hysteria by trial lawyers and mold remediation companies who claim that certain types of mold are responsible for a variety of ailments - anything from memory impairment to Irritable bowel syndrome. Millions and millions of dollars have been made from the mold hysteria industry.

Mold CAN be a serious problem for people with asthma or specific allergies to mold in question. But the same can be said for peanuts, milk products, grains, dog dander or any other number off things. There is no scientific evidence whatsoever to link mold with 95% of the ailments with which it has been linked.

I would urge the homeowner to be concerned but not to buy into the hysteria. If they tore down every home in America that had mold in the basement, we'd have a lot of homeless people. He should, however, contact the attoreny who did his closing and immediately notify his homeowner's insurance company.

Here is an interesting read from the
Tech Environmental e-Newsletter - September 2004

DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN "TOXIC MOLD" AND MOLD HYSTERIA

We have all heard the sound bites: "COUPLE BURNS DOWN HOUSE TO RID THEMSELVES OF TOXIC MOLD"; "TOXIC INTRUDER: BLACK MOLD PANIC HAS FAMILIES FLEEING THEIR HOMES", and "MOTHER WORRIES ABOUT TOXIC MOLD IN SCHOOL". But the question remains: Is mold really a problem? Separating the media hype from reality is often difficult.

It seems like everywhere you turn lately there is a story about "toxic mold" shutting down a city school or town hall. The news of building closings and stories about private homes being abandoned due to mold are on TV, in the newspapers, and in magazines. Individuals in biohazard suits and masks who you would expect to see at a hazardous waste site usually accompany these stories, making it difficult for the public to separate mold fact from fiction, and to determine if mold is really a "growing" concern.

IS MOLD A NEW PHENOMENON?

No. Basically, mold is present everywhere, both indoors and outdoors. Given the right conditions (excess moisture), mold can grow on almost anything. Cellulose materials such as paper and paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood, and wood products are particularly conducive for the growth of some molds. Mold always has been and always will be present in housing and public buildings.

WHY DOES MOLD SEEM MORE OF A CONCERN TODAY?

In addition to heightened awareness, mold and other indoor air quality (IAQ) issues have been increasing because of tighter building construction practices to save energy. These "green building" practices reduce ventilation rates and do not allow air to escape. Less infiltration means fewer air exchanges, which can lead to moist conditions where mold can grow.

IS MOLD TOXIC?

The Centers for Disease Control has noted that the term "toxic mold" is not accurate. Mold spores are typically not toxic, although certain molds are toxigenic, or toxin producing. There are actually very few reports of health concerns from toxigenic molds found inside homes and offices, and a causal link between the presence of the toxigenic mold and health conditions has not been proven.

IS MOLD HARMFUL?

Mold spores can be irritants to humans and can cause asthma or allergic reactions based on the concentrations present and a person�s individual tolerance level. In individual homes, irritant reactions are usually caused by large mold concentrations. For schools and other public buildings, where there are significantly more people exposed and therefore more chance of having a sensitive individual(s), the concern is possible at lower concentrations. People with compromised immune systems or lung disease are more susceptible to fungal infections.

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF MOLD SAMPLING?

As environmental professionals, we all know that exposure concerns and interpretation of sampling results are never as "black and white" as the simple comparison to a standard. Sampling and comparison to standards or guidelines are only one benefit of test data collection and analysis. Most indoor air quality experts agree that there should be mold exposure standards, and that there will be standards in the future. In the meantime there are many advantages to qualifying and quantifying mold prior to and after clean up.

Indoor mold sampling results compared to ambient conditions can identify mold spores and determine which molds are growing indoors. Swab or mold spore counts can determine growth rates and dominate species of concern, respectively. These data can help explain allergic or irritant reactions. In cases of toxigenic gas concerns, sampling of what the molds "exhale" or off-gas can determine exposure concerns and help assess insurance claims.

Given the media hype and fear about "toxic mold", there is a public backlash with people demanding complete and thorough mold remediation. Because of this, many projects are being performed with excessive remediation to ensure their ultimate success. The expense of full scale, dispose-of-everything, remediation is often unwarranted. Mold sampling can be used to determine the level of remediation that is necessary and to confirm that the level of remediation recommended and performed has been effective.

If you would like to discuss this article or if you have any questions about mold sampling, please contact us.
Dana C. Buske, PhD
Environmental Scientist
DBuske@TechEnv.com
Extension 109

Robert J. Rossi, PhD, CCM, QEP
Senior Atmospheric Scientist
RRossi@TechEnv.com
Extension 111

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"French Drain"
French drains do get clogged up after a few years.

"I moved all of the gutters away from my house... 10 ft."
You mean the extension outlet pipes for the gutters, don't you?

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The basement has a french drain and a perimeter drain. Since I have moved all of the outlet pipes out farther my basement has been very dry. That should prolong the french drains effectiveness. All of my outlet pipes are buried in the landscaping and empty just past the bed. The beds insure water stays 5 feet away from the house and forces water to run away from the house.

Everyone can debate back and forth but the bottom line is mold is a problem. Whether you want to ignore the health effects or not it hurts your resale value. Some people will refuse to purchase your house or require that the problem is fixed. When I first moved into my house and the basement was damp I had terrible allergies because the central air was sucking air from the basement and first floor and pumping it upstairs...even with a nice filter. Now that the problem is fixed and the dehumidifier/filter is running my allergies are fine. (before I moved into this house I really had no allergies)