I was quoted $5k to get rid of mold in my crawlspace. They also want to throw out the insulation and I'd have to pay to have it replaced (I think upwards of $2k for a 1.2k square foot crawlspace.) For prevention I'd get a new sump pump and install a $500 dehumidifier in the basement, they'd also add a new vapor barrier. There are white spores spreading in some parts, where a finger test leaves an imprint. The air quality upstairs has not been affected by the mold.
Question for those who know:
>how serious is it for my health to sit on this for a bit, especially since it's not black mold
>any DIY tips to remove it myself?
>is the insulation really contaminated, given how dry and new it is?
>do mold spores really deactivate below a certain humidity? If so, why can't I drop humidity and leave insulation in?
pic related, a similar but much more extreme case than mine.
I just wonder if ozone generators or UV lamps make any good.
I would set up exhaust fans 7/24 to dry up.
Ozone is good for killing spores and removing lingering mold smells, especially in soft materials and inaccessible spots. UV lamps are also effective at killing spores but are honestly overkill in a situation like this. I would skip both if you don't have black mold and there's no nasty smell. Fan/dehumidifier is a very good idea though.
Ozone generators are good, but the limitation being you need the ozone to be able to flow everywhere there's mold. That and you want to run it when you're not inside. They'll kill it pretty quick, then just scrape the old spores off. But that doesn't solve the conditions that created the mold in the first place and idk if you're dehumidifier is going to be good enough to prevent it from happening again.
recommendation for a tool for mass spraying bleach/water mixture?
>recommendation for a tool for mass spraying bleach/water mixture?
They use pump sprayers for most remediation work. Cheap at Big Orange or whatever hardware store you prefer. Can also be used for gardening and pest control.
Also be warned: if you're spraying bleach, you're gonna get a lot of bleach fumes. You really don't want to breath those. So upgrade your respirator filters to P100/multigas (the ones with a cloth filter and a carbon filter). Your lungs will thank you, trust me
>dehumidifier
Why not just vent to the outside?
>Why not just vent to the outside?
What if the RH of the outside air is 100%?
Make a bleach water mixture and throw it on the mold
Mold can't survive being exposed to acidic and basic stuff.
Pure sodium hypochlorite in EVERYTHING. Wear a full face mask, also, ventilation.
Get a proper fungicide. Not all molds are destroyed by bleach.
DO NOT USE BLEACH. It will only kill mold on the surface. You need a proper liquid fungicide.
Also, look into DIY encapsulation to keep your humidity down before attempting the mold removal . If your humidity is high, the mold will just come back.
Let's separate mold and wood rot. Mold doesn't really damage wood, wood rot does. Mold doesn't grow below 65% RH, Rot requires much higher moisture.
If you have rot on the wood, don't place insulation on it, but first make sure it stays dry.
If it's mold, you can flame torch it if you want, but won't maje much of a difference if to have fixed the humidity problem . If you don't fix the humidity, it'll just cone back.
Keep your crawlspace at 50-60% RH.
To add, we don't usually treat mold and rot always requires replacement as rot is already deep inside.
Fungicides are used on fresh wood to hinder infestation of fungi.
Put an extension cord down there with a double adapter, run a dehimidifier and one of these things 24/7.
will this hurt my cats
Yes, ozone is bad for all living things. You want to leave it working in an unoccupied building. Birds especially are extremely sensitive to air contamination (thus canaries in coal mines).
The question you need to ask yourself is whether you want to do it right, or half ass it to save some money. Do it right way: wear a respirator, throw out insulation, spray everything down with a fungicide made for mold remediation, replace insulation, tack up 6 mil plastic sheeting, and put in a sump pump and dehumidifier. Half ass way: crawl in there, spray bleach on what you can see, and wait for the mold to return. In my eyes, a house is a huge investment, and you should do it the right way to protect your six figure piece of equity.
Prevention is always better than cure