Just trying to help

[charlieb]

Typically I stay away from the gold train. No gold here for me, I'm just trying to help an older lady set a course of action.

This is a senior who lives alone. Her daughter noticed a fuzzy growth in the wall and ceiling corners of the master bedroom. The home is a typical ranch that faces east. The bedroom is on the southwest corner. This is slab on grade. She has been using an ion generator. I also found several Glade plug ins in operation.My Tramex found no elivated moisture levels in the walls or ceilings. Up until the the past few weeks she has been using the A/C.

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The lab report on the furry stuff came back as:

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Any thoughts, comments or questions?

[Home Pride]

What exactly did you send to the lab? A swap, tape lift or similar? Or was it an air sample?

That report is certainly light on information, but finding Cladosporium in a mold sample is almost like finding Carbon Dioxide in the air we breath; it's very common.

Are these mold spots all in one room only? And only in the areas depicted in your photo?

Dom.

[SWagar]

From your picture the spots appear evenly spaced. Are they? Could the spots be directly under joists, strapping or something in the attic that may cause a cold/hot spot where condensation could occur? Is the house generally clean inside? I have seen instances where cold transmission from rafter contact/ lack of insulation can cause condensation inside. In a bedroom there can be moisture buildup since people spend considerable time there giving off water vapor. House dust can collect on condensation and could look like mold growth.

[charlieb]

Thanks for the questions guy's.

The homeowner's daughter sent a swab to a lab.

The growths were isolated to the master bedroom. They are located in intersections of the walls and ceilings. As far a cleanliness, I really did not notice. The Interior of the air handler is relatively clean.

The spacing was not as even as the photos depict. They can be found at wall/ceiling intersections in the room.

Scott,

Your thoughts about the vapors may be a possibility. I'll ask if she sleeps with the door open.

Thanks again.

[Caoimhín P. Connell]

Hello Charlieb:

ALL samples collected in an house will test positive for mould if a sufficiently large sample is collected (applies to air, swab, tape, or bulk samples) – which is why such samples in the absence of data quality objective are ENTIRELY useless, and used only by charlatans.

The ion generators charge particles and force them to plate out on various surfaces. The probability is that if you analyzed the dark patches for spider silk, you would also find that they test positive for that as well. BTW, guess what sticks to spider silk?

Not just mould spores but also carbon black. Look for candles.

Cheers,

Caoimhín P. Connell

Forensic Industrial Hygienist

www.forensic-applications.com

(The opinions expressed here are exclusively my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect my professional opinion, opinion of my employer, agency, peers, or professional affiliates. The above post is for information only and does not reflect professional advice and is not intended to supercede the professional advice of others.)

AMDG