trueblue
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Member # 7348
posted
I don't know where to post this and don't have time to do a search right now. (and I'm linking it to medical so I can get the most responses, sorry if that's pushing it.)
So, if you guys can give me some advice and guidance I'd really appreciate it.
I looked down at the plastic mat thingy my computer chair rolls around on today and it had a large, amorphous pink spot under it. I lift the edge of the mat and it's soaking wet under there.
So I moved the book case so I can get the mat out. I put on mask and gloves and got the carpet knife and cut away the entire part where the mat was.
Much of the carpet was disintegrated and in between the carpet and foamy stuff was a LOT of black mold. (It did occur to me this wasn't a great idea to be playing with but I really ahd no choice. I have no other room to live in.)
The only explanation I can figure is moisture leeched up from the concrete slab and saturated it long ago and it just became noticeable now.
So, I bleach and watered the newly exposed concrete and after that dried, Lysoled it all nice and green apple.
The cut-away carpet is bagged as are the gloves, mask, and sponge I used. The mat was tossed outside and received the same treatment and will likely just get thrown away.
So, what do I do now? Do you think cooperative extension would test it for me? Do I have to call one of those mold companies?
Um, I know a bunch of you have been through this... Cobweb/Carol currently, I know.
I don't know what the next step is... can you help me sort it out a bit?
Thanks in advance, trueblue
-------------------- more light, more love more truth and more innovation Posts: 3783 | From somewhere other than here | Registered: May 2005
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Contact your cooperative office. I believe responsibility for testing and remediation will depend on ownership of your apartment/condo.
In the short term a ozonater and dehumidfer may help lower the level of mold so that it is safe to enter while work is being done.
I am also dealing with mold problems in my apartment. There is no visible mold though so I feel comfortable staying for another few days, however high level of mold colonies were detected on mold petri growth dishes. I contacted the apartment complex last week, someone will be coming in Monday for a visual inspection. I've already inspected and there are no visible leaks or signs of mold, so it likely in the vents or walls. After the inspection, they will arrange for me to transer to anther unit that has been tested for mold and is has low counts.
There was mold in my last apartment too (one the benefits of being in Texas). By testing it was asepergillus, which can be nasty and is still in my sinuses almost six months later.I was only in the complex for two weeks but the mold affected me quickly.
Posts: 628 | From the south | Registered: Dec 2005
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trueblue
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Member # 7348
posted
We don't really have any place to go and mom owns the house. So there's no one to call.
I don't know if what's here is a bad thing, either. I also don't know what other surprises there are.
I just don't know what I do next.
The whole house is 3 rooms and A/C is on. I don't know whether to be worried about it or not.
So who tests the mold? Sorry, I'm out of my depth here.
-------------------- more light, more love more truth and more innovation Posts: 3783 | From somewhere other than here | Registered: May 2005
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Many of the companies have twenty four hour service. Call them, explain your situation and ask how to proceed.
The companies seem to have passed a fairly strict criteria to be on the list. I assume they will be good.
And it might be wise to stay at a motel tonight.
Posts: 628 | From the south | Registered: Dec 2005
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Cobweb
Unregistered
posted
Gosh TrueBlue- wish I could be more helpful to you but our solution is to cut our losses and head to drier pastures.
My first question for now though is what's happening under the rest of the carpet? Is this a basement room?
The mold in our basement is visibly creeping up the wallboard-even after everything has been pulled up from the floor.
We were also told not to work on the mold ourselves without wearing a respirator mask. I have cleaned with bleach though.
WE might have qualified for funds from the city for their mold abatement program except that we couldn't demonstrate a continued ability to even pay the mortgage-so their advice was to sell and move to less expensive mold free digs.
Guess the mold will become the buyer's nightmare.We have a buyer who is essentially going to gut the place.
LymeMomtooo has experience with all things moldy too, not counting herself. 20 Mule Team Borax is apparently good for laundry.
Thank goodness you found it and at least were able to take care of what you came in immediate contact with.
I remembered it cause the company that Serendipity (I think) used is local to me.
Good luck!
Hayley
-------------------- "Data over dogma, Evidence over egos, Patients over politics" -- one smart dude from Missouri Posts: 112 | From TN USA | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
The mold test kits are relatively cheap and give a rough estimate mold count in a space but take a long time, do not identify the source and extent of the damage and no advice is given for mold remediation at the end.
In my situation it was worth the savings. But with extensive obvious black mold I would go with a reputible company.
I hope you are feeling better.This may perhaps be a good thing in retrospect. Being in a mold free environment may speed your recovery. And I can understand the stress as I am dealing with mold myself, am even considering moving out of texas to the arid desert
Keep us posted true
[ 30. September 2006, 08:04 PM: Message edited by: serendipity ]
Posts: 628 | From the south | Registered: Dec 2005
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trueblue
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Member # 7348
posted
Thank you Serendipity, Carol and Hayley,
The house is built on a slab. This is in my bedroom which is all of 10 X 12. (No basements in FL, for the most part.)
It does make me wonder what's under the rest of the carpet, nevermind the A/C ducts.
In general, I feel better whenever I get out of Florida. Maybe I should have been blaming the house and not the state.
The cooperative extension appears to be closed today. If I can hold out, I'll wait for Monday. Or I have the name of a mold testing company locally that I could call and see if they'll tell me anything over the phone. I was too flipped out to call them earlier. Just needed to get out of here for a little while.
I'm sorry for what you're both going through Serendipity and Carol.
Right now, I'm thinking I should get away from the computer for a while as I'm sitting on the exact spot. I washed the plastic thingy, maybe I should just put it back over the spot and it'll stop the damp carpet smell even though it's dry.
(I still don't get where the water came from on an above ground slab, I was under the assumption there was a moisture barrier under concrete slabs. There shouldn't be a water pipe under where I'm sitting unless it's the drain from the A/C.)
And thank you for the links, I'll go look at them again.
-------------------- more light, more love more truth and more innovation Posts: 3783 | From somewhere other than here | Registered: May 2005
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lymemomtooo
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posted
Ok my buddy in crime..I am first sorry..
We did not think we had mold 3 years ago..Well think again..The mold ghru said our daughter had a mold infection so we attempted to figure it out..
Later discovered that behind her dresser, she had ripped thru the wall to an old heat conduction vent that had been installed 100 years ago and sealed ever since.
She was getting mainlined from the unfinished basement thru the best convection I have ever seen.. She is very psychiatic so her next trip to the hospital, I worked 24/7 and gutted her room and redid it..
I could not afford the fancy shamtzie remediator..I did research as quick as possible.. First I got a very good mask and gloves..Then an exhaust fan to suck all out..No need to stir it up and spread it back inside..
Next I researched that the old, 60's era black lights, kill almost anything including mold. I just happened to still have one..
Then we told one Dr we would use bleach..We were told that bleach will not kill mold..It will only lighten it. So we got tilex..It says it kills the roots.
The llmd said to get 20 mule team borox..It also kills everything..So everything was also scrubbed with this..
A college friend that is a patient of the mold ghru's said to get, I think # 40 peroxide..You have to go to a beauty store outlet..It must be diluted some and will peel the skin off of your hands..It makes it immediately turn white or so I have been told.
It is also recommended to remove all carpet and curtains and fabric furniture and pitch them..Also anything that can not be remediated.
I definitely would not sit near that spot and if the concrete has dampened there, you can be sure it has also wicked beyond your little spot..
Even with a plastic barrier under the crawl space, it will wick..Plastic will crack from age, construction and then you have dampness coming in.
If I were you, I would run to get a dehimidifier..One with a good hepa filter and a large one..Think ours cost approx. $100 but now that I know what we have been dealing with, I no longer smell that old house odor that I now know to be mold.
I also yell, if anyone attempts to open the door or window..We do not have central air, that presents a whole set of contaminated duct work issues..WE only have window units so can change the filter and keep the mold monster at bay.
We later after all of this found a leak behind the wall in the bathroom and had to gut it to the outside walls..
I am not sure you can ever get rid of it completely without going nuts..But you can control most of it by finding the source of moisture and then trying to treat, remove contamination and then keep that humidity down..
NO going under the bed until it is safe..Good luck True..lmt
Posts: 2360 | From SE PA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Carol in PA
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Member # 5338
posted
Blue, Is there any way you can get a portable dehumidifier to put in the room?
There's a business on eBay that sells dehumidifiers. These are used...they were store demo units. Much less expensive than new, and they ship right to your house.
My parents had one that worked for more than 40 years before it died, so they last for a long time.
Regarding the source of the leak, is it possible that your gutters and downspouts leaked rainwater down along the foundation, instead of draining it away from the house?
I remember that you said you had gutters replaced recently.
Does your room smell musty? Heh, I bet it smells like clorox now.
Oh dear, does this mean you won't be coming to the Saturday chat?
Carol
Posts: 6947 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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lymemomtooo
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posted
Oh shoot..I forgot, you must detox yourself..Get some chlorella or lemon in water or csm or something so you do not get any sicker.. Mold is a neurotoxin and can cause the same crap that tick borne diseases can cause..Great, I know..lmt
Posts: 2360 | From SE PA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Carol in PA
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I found this when my mom needed a replacement for the 40-some year old dehumidifier that died.
This business also offers a five year guarantee, which a private seller would not be able to do.
Carol
Posts: 6947 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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trails
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Member # 1620
posted
oh geez. I dont know a thing about getting rid of mold in your house. I just know I am sad to hear this and that you didnt need ANOTHER thing to deal with. So here's a hug
(((()))))
and I hope the above very smart and knowledge-able people have helped. trails
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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trueblue
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Member # 7348
posted
Thanks LMT and Carol, I am going under the assumption my A/C is doing adequate dehumidifying (if I didn't have a plastic barrier over this spot). Nothing else is wet.
I'll have to go tomorrow and get new filters. Right now it(the A/C unit) has a permanent filter you just rinse out monthly. I have never been comfortable with that. I do know better and have been too lazy to open the thing up measure and put a real filter in. (For goodness sake, I am trained in this field.)
Carol, I don't know if the room smells musty or if I just got it in my nose from messing with it. The Clorox smell is gone as is the Lysol smell. I've rinsed my nose out with that xylitol stuff and have rinsed out my eyes. Maybe it's time for more...
Ok, back and drinking lemon water.
The gutters and downspouts seem to be fine. The walls near here(the ones I can get to) seem to be solid. Also the floor is dry everywhere now, I have felt around under the opening in the carpet.
All that said... I'm still not sure how I'll deal with this, yet. So far chocolate only helped so much.
-------------------- more light, more love more truth and more innovation Posts: 3783 | From somewhere other than here | Registered: May 2005
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trueblue
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posted
Thank you trails and hugs back at you... ((((((trails)))))))
A funny thing is I was IMing with a friend earlier and she asked if I had been wetting myself on this spot. I thought PYP, nah!
-------------------- more light, more love more truth and more innovation Posts: 3783 | From somewhere other than here | Registered: May 2005
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AliG
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Member # 9734
posted
I'm so sorry, trueblue!
This is all I have to offer you:
and a prayer!
I hope you get it resolved quickly and without much hassle!
Ali
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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trueblue
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Thank you Ali! Hugs are my best thing and always appreciated as are prayers.
-------------------- more light, more love more truth and more innovation Posts: 3783 | From somewhere other than here | Registered: May 2005
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trueblue
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Member # 7348
posted
Perhaps I should explain what else happened before and after this episode. Which all contributed to me being this freaked.
First we had an exterminator come in to get rid of those annoying ghost ants. I was very careful and he was very nice and we checked the chemicals he was using fairly carefully and none seemed intolerable to me.
And then I found the mold and cleaned up what I could.
So I may have been double dosed with crap already.
Than mom and I decided to go out to lunch to get away from here...
in the parking lot she lost her balance and grabbed me in an attempt to not hit the ground. I was caught completely off guard and was unable to help much and she out weighs me a bit. By the time I caught on to where we were going and pulled us back to a point she let go and fell, luckily on her fleshiest part.
I think she's ok.
She wouldn't let me help her up and I made her let me try and couldn't and then the nice manager from the restaurant came out and helped us.
and all of this before lunch.
Sorry if I'm dippier than usual. And thank you all for all the support and information. I'll be able to put things together better tomorrow I'm sure.
-------------------- more light, more love more truth and more innovation Posts: 3783 | From somewhere other than here | Registered: May 2005
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lymemomtooo
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I strongly recommend to take two chocolates and get some rest..
Posts: 2360 | From SE PA | Registered: Mar 2004
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trueblue
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posted
Thanks too, I'll take two, too!
-------------------- more light, more love more truth and more innovation Posts: 3783 | From somewhere other than here | Registered: May 2005
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