Safely removing black mold covered drywall
I’m helping out a friend with a fairly serious mold problem in her basement. The walls are showing pretty good signs of mold infestation about 3 feet up from the floor, with closets much higher. The water issue has already been solved,m but we’re still looking at about an 800 sft basement with mold on most walls 3 feet up. The idea that i have is to remove the affected drywall about 4 ft up and hang new drywall in the affected areas. The problem is removal: I’m going to wear a respirator, tyvek suit and hand/eye protection and bag the stuff before I move it through the house. Ducts and furnace intakes will also be sealed. Is it safe for me to help her out or does she need to call in a mold abatement company? I’m getting a lot of conflicting information on the web.
Replies
In all honesty, the hazard of this mold isn't that great FOR MOST PEOPLE. Only a very small % of people have the genetic defect that makes them super-sensitive to the toxins given off by the mold. If you're suited up the way you describe it's about 99.9% certain that you'll have no problem. (If it were me I'd skip the sauna suit, and just get a shower ASAP afterwards, but I sweat like a pig.)
Dan is right so far, but I have to ask, how do you know it is mold? Who has tested it to id it? If you have the id, you know how to research how dangerous it is via google, or the testing company provided you with some guidelines.
the reason I stress this is that the great majority of HO identified "mold" worries are simple mildew cases.
Well, "mildew" and "mold" are
Well, "mildew" and "mold" are essentially the same thing. (Though of course, some types of mold are worse than others, in terms of toxicity.)
And one source I'm reading says you only need to get the stuff tested if an occupant is symptomatic.