Aggressively Combat Moisture Problems and Mold

Regarding ‘Mold’ by Diane Wedner, Dec. 16: Having administered the removal of mold-infected wallboard from a new 10-story office building in Burbank ($4 million) and a 13-story hotel in Anaheim ($7 million) within the past year, I can safely offer the following additional advice to property owners and managers:

1. When water penetrates the walls of your building, the worst action is no action. Mold will often begin to form inside the wall space within two to four weeks. When mold growth presents itself on visible interior walls, it usually means that heavy mold growth is already present in inner wall cavities. At this point, a simple water problem has already turned into an environmental health hazard.

2. When a leak occurs, it is almost always better to act immediately. First, identify the extent of wet materials through visual inspections and with the help of a moisture meter.

Enlist the help of an independent testing agency if you’re not confident with this step. Next, remove and dispose of wet and damp materials, including wallboard, carpet and padding. Then, disinfect inner surfaces (studs and floors) with a light solution of detergent and/or bleach. Finally, dry all inner wall cavities and flooring thoroughly before installing new materials.

3. If mold has already formed, the above steps must be performed by a restoration or abatement contractor. The reason: Improper disturbance of infected wallboard will generate high levels of airborne mold where none may have existed before. The restoration contractor will perform the same steps as above, but only after sealing the work area with poly sheeting, installing air filtration equipment and donning respiratory protection.

When complete, an inspection and clearance air monitoring should be performed by an independent testing agency before reoccupying the work space. The testing agency can usually also provide initial guidance on assessment and appropriate remedial efforts.

Obviously, the costs associated with Item 3 are significantly higher than those described in Item 2. The failure to adequately and aggressively address moisture problems when they occur will inevitably lead to environmental problems, health concerns and exponentially expanding costs.

DUANE E. BEHRENS

Rancho Palos Verdes

Behrens is president of Ellis Environmental Management Inc.