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BillyBuck
join:2010-02-05
Roseville, CA

BillyBuck

Member

Help me get rid of mold!

Hey guys, I just found mold in my crawlspace, and there's a lot of it. I'm heard using a bleach/water solution doesn't actually really work to get rid of mold, and I don't know where the source for the mold could be. I think I'm going to have to go with the pro's. Anyone have any ideas?

BTW, I'm in Northern California

davidg
Good Bye My Friend
MVM
join:2002-06-15
00000

davidg

MVM

a strong bleach mixture will kill mold. some fungicides work too. since it is in teh crawlspace it is probably due to high moisture and poor ventilation. soak it down with bleach and make sure the area stays ventilated.

Ken
MVM
join:2003-06-16
Markle, IN

Ken to BillyBuck

MVM

to BillyBuck
Bleach works great to kill the currently living mold. However new mold will just regrow because whatever conditions that existed for the first mold to grow still exist. You have to remove the conditions that allow the mold to grow. In crawlspaces it's almost always to much moisture and not enough air movement. Generally putting down a vapor barrier on the ground, allowing more air movement, and killing the currently living mold will get rid of the problem.
BillyBuck
join:2010-02-05
Roseville, CA

BillyBuck

Member

So this actually can be done by myself huh? I thought I'd had to call in the pro's on this one. I even got a price quote from indoorrestore.com and it seemed like they'd be really good for this. Well I guess they could always be my Plan B.

Thanks guys!

The Pig
I know you want to be me
Premium Member
join:2009-09-11

The Pig to BillyBuck

Premium Member

to BillyBuck
Wash it off with bleach then paint it with mold blocking paint.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

1 edit

Karl Bode to BillyBuck

News Guy

to BillyBuck
As somebody who has survived a very nasty flood and been inundated with mold in a house since vacated, if the problem is significant I really would call in some well-reviewed professionals -- if you have the cash.

After you cure what the cause is of course, which could be a bad roof with leaks down to the floor, or some kind of grading issue that's pushing water up to the house...

I assume you've done the obvious things like making sure your gutters are clear and all downspouts drain a few feet away from the home?

stev32k
Premium Member
join:2000-04-27
Mobile, AL

stev32k to BillyBuck

Premium Member

to BillyBuck
I'll second the recommendation for the vapor barrier and increased ventilation under the house. Putting down the plastic for a vapor barrier is a pain, but well worth the effort.

For increased ventilation you can make holes or slots in the foundation wall around the crawl space. They don't need to be too large but they need to be on all sides.

As the others have said a strong bleach solution will get rid of the currently growing mold. There is also a product called JoMax sold at Home Depot and Lowes that can be mixed with the bleach that will somewhat retard future mold growth. It seems to prevent mold from coming back better than bleach alone.

The best prevention you can have is that vapor barrier and making sure that run-off water does not flow under your house.

pesttech17
join:2001-01-04
Paramount, CA

pesttech17 to BillyBuck

Member

to BillyBuck
See this a lot while doing termite inspections and unless the reason or adverse condition is corrected it will be an ongoing thing. I always recommend a "Mold remediation" expert be called if it's something I can't readily identify.
threetrolls
join:2003-04-19
Bellevue, WA

threetrolls to BillyBuck

Member

to BillyBuck
Mold is everywhere. Unless a room is hermetically sealed and sterile, if the conditions are right, mold will eventually grow. Like others have said, eliminate the conditions that are favorable to mold growth. If the source that provides the favorable conditions isn't obvious, you may need to consult a professional.
bastone0
join:2004-08-29

bastone0 to BillyBuck

Member

to BillyBuck
I'd use this after the bleach to kill the mold down to the roots and prevent it in the future

»www.homedepot.com/webapp ··· 00654127
Gimmered
Premium Member
join:2005-02-26
Mccook, NE

Gimmered to BillyBuck

Premium Member

to BillyBuck
Find someone who can soda blast it. It works very well for mold removal. Then address the ventilation problem.
BillyBuck
join:2010-02-05
Roseville, CA

BillyBuck

Member

Thanks everyone, I'll look into all this. It seems like it'll be a lot of work, but we'll see how everything goes.

Oh, and regarding IndoorRestore, has anyone heard of them or used them before? They seem like a smaller company but still very good. Comments about them would be appreciated