Green mold covers nearly every joist in my 1300 sq. ft. crawl space. A hot water pipe broke while we were on a two week business trip. The problems to me seem to be twofold; inadequate ventialation in the crawl spce and mold removal. I think I have a grasp on the ventilation aspect but as far as mold removal I haven’t the foggiest as we live in an arid part of California and mold is as infrequent as a tax cut.
Are there any suggestions as to which fungucide to apply and how to apply it? Also, my house is for sale, and I have to dislose all mold problems. Are there certified treatments that let potential buyers know that I have delt with this is a proper manner and/or the work was done in a professional manner.
Caryl
Replies
I would get like a garden sprayer (kind you pump with air pressure and then spray) and fill it with a mixture of bleach and water (not sure of the proportions--maybe fifty-fifty?) and spray everything down there--wear a mask. That's what they did along the Gulf Coast after removing ruined drywall to kill the mold on studs. There are other mixtures too, with antifreeze and boric acid, but I would try bleach first. The other is more for a persistent problem and I think since your area is dry, once you spray it and let it dry, you'll be okay. May try making an opening to the outside if possible and putting in a fan to suck the moist air out. If nothing else, run a fan in the space just to circulate the air until it dries--but you really don't want to be blowing mold spores through the rest of your house.
Lastly, you can also ask on Beaktime, where you may get more answers, but they can be a tough crowd and will probably reiterate much of what I just said. You could also view past discussions there by using "search" and keyword "mold".
Don't use chlorine bleach - it doesn't do a good job and it is dangerous in an enclosed space (it is not registered with the EPA for this purpose). If you want the buyers to know that you have handled it in a professional way, hire a professional to do the job - in the long run it may be cheaper as mold itself is hazardous to you health. Good luck!