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+--- Thread: Mold/mildew recommendations? (/showthread.php?tid=17402)
RE: Mold/mildew recommendations? - b_a - 07-08-2016
Considering she's kama'aina, born in Hilo and had her own house built back in 1990, moving her will be easier said than done. What I'd like is to find someone competent and trustworthy to determine if her home is infested, and, if so, to find someone competent and trustworthy to take care of it. Until we move over to Volcano (soon!), we have to do all of this by phone and Internet.
...we are everywhere...
RE: Mold/mildew recommendations? - VancouverIslander - 07-08-2016
Our place is in Mountain View and during humid/rainy periods we have to wash the walls to keep the mold under control and run clothes and bedding through the dryer fairly regularly (we don't heat the house).
Me ka ha`aha`a,
Mike
RE: Mold/mildew recommendations? - Jeffhale - 07-09-2016
quote:
Originally posted by b_a
Considering she's kama'aina, born in Hilo and had her own house built back in 1990, moving her will be easier said than done. What I'd like is to find someone competent and trustworthy to determine if her home is infested, and, if so, to find someone competent and trustworthy to take care of it. Until we move over to Volcano (soon!), we have to do all of this by phone and Internet.
...we are everywhere...
Of the largest problem is A/C units, the ducting and coils. plus the type of duct too. fiber glass duct, no matter what anybody tells you can NOT be cleaned but mist solvents may kill off the mold and then usage of ultra violet lights under and above the coils will kill the spores as they pass through. I called several duct cleaners and a few admitted they could not clean fiberglass ducts and most all use the same type of brushes to clean. Until 1 guaranteed he could. in just a minute I checked and the dope began busting up some of my inner duct liner's coating. fortunately is was a small area which, after I chased the "30 years, expert" out of my house, I got some stuff to recoat it.
Steel ducts can be cleaned though. and ya gonna need ultra violet light to kill it before it comes back again.
if a window unit you can add in the lights.
beware of "experts" who are just looking for a cash grab and run as most are just expensive band-aides.
She'll always have mold, just open the outside door once, and ya got it. However being diligent to kill the spores is the best you can do.
Places sell devices where you can scan over everything with ultra violet light, I haven't tried but or because, the type used in A/C units works but is so bright you have to be shielded, other wise get blinded. So, I spect there's no 'Magic wand" to just scan your home that's actually bright enough, the correct spectrum that any idiot can use safely and do what's claimed.
Dogs, cats and birds, bad, no, no, birds are a big no, cats with no hair and non hyper allergenic dogs with super fine hair that doesn't fall out and regular bathing. Cat's especially males spray their homes,, which is a big no, no.
We had to buy ADVAIR DISKUS 500/50 (fluticasone propionate 500 mcg and salmeterol) while there, super not cheap, but we ordered though Canada; made in India verses Germany, approx. 20 days delivery, before and as she ran out of the expensive stuff to keep her under control. is about $100 bucks for 3 months supply verses USA's average of $300-450 per month rip-off.
Volcano and lower temps is prob good, but it doesn't mean you won't be growing it in your HVAC heat or cooling unit. accordingly, key temp is 72 and that's pretty dang, unless under the bright sun, long pants and sleeves cool. Especially, most women have lower tolerances to cool air.
RE: Mold/mildew recommendations? - b_a - 07-09-2016
quote:
Originally posted by Jeffhale
Of the largest problem is A/C units, the ducting and coils. plus the type of duct too.
quote:
Volcano and lower temps is prob good, but it doesn't mean you won't be growing it in your HVAC heat or cooling unit.
Eh brah, what is this "A/C" and "HVAC" of which you speak? Oh, must be something mainlanders have in their houses. Upcountry Puna has these things called open windows when it's warm, and fireplaces when it gets cold.
quote:
Places sell devices where you can scan over everything with ultra violet light, I haven't tried but or because, the type used in A/C units works but is so bright you have to be shielded, other wise get blinded. So, I spect there's no 'Magic wand" to just scan your home that's actually bright enough, the correct spectrum that any idiot can use safely and do what's claimed.
That's why we don't want to hire "any idiot", but someone who will inspect the whole house, take air samples, and determine if there's a problem. We may even have them do a full home inspection to see what repairs she needs that aren't obvious.
...we are everywhere...
RE: Mold/mildew recommendations? - Jeffhale - 07-09-2016
quote:
Originally posted by b_a
quote:
That's why we don't want to hire "any idiot", but someone who will inspect the whole house, take air samples, and determine if there's a problem. We may even have them do a full home inspection to see what repairs she needs that aren't obvious.
...we are everywhere...
That's the thing, getting a 'non-idiot' who's just making a buck is very difficult. because no matter what you do, you're going to find mold.
[quote]Eh brah, what is this "A/C" and "HVAC" of which you speak? Oh, must be something mainlanders have in their houses. Upcountry Puna has these things called open windows when it's warm, and fireplaces when it gets cold.
Open windows and it's in, heat it up, get nice and dry, spores pop out.
Chronic COPD can require controlled climate conditions, 'brah'. Alternately, their are air circulators with the light to kill the spores. It's not the mold itself but, billions of spores floating around. [wink]
RE: Mold/mildew recommendations? - Kenney - 07-09-2016
I'm with Rob on this one. There will always be mold in E. Hawaii, some years worse than others depending on rainfall. If it's too bothersome healthwize, this is not the place to live.
RE: Mold/mildew recommendations? - b_a - 07-09-2016
She will continue to live in E. Hawaii - it is her home. We're not talking about some mainland transplant. O'ahu? Jeez, why doesn't everyone just move there? Affordable housing, lots of land...
And, as terracore said, it depends on what she's actually allergic to. We'd just like to find out if her house is harboring spores (not in the ductwork as she doesn't have any [wink]), and get it taken care of if so.
So... thanks for all the input, but what we need are inspector recommendations. Doesn't anyone here know a home inspector they would recommend?
...we are everywhere...
RE: Mold/mildew recommendations? - Kenney - 07-10-2016
Wanted: Mold buster!
Somebody could make a fortune!
RE: Mold/mildew recommendations? - Punatic007 - 07-10-2016
Coping with or eliminating mold and mildew is an ongoing part of life here in East Hawaii. It's not a one time deal, perhaps you could hire someone to come in every few months or so depending on the weather and season to clean and treat.
You can test for existing spores and have a introduction of something different in a week is my understanding. But I'm no expert on the subject.
Keeping clean, letting in the sun and placing upholstered furniture where the sun can shine on it daily, low electrical draw dehumidifiers in the closets and essential oils sprays like lavender and peppermint is my current mode of attack. Most of my friends spray a chemical mildew inhibitor around the house, drapes seem to be a popular for the inhibitor. Others with high rainfall are known to clean the walls with bleach seasonally, I clean mine with white vinegar whenever I see mold growing
Good luck. I don't think you can attack this issue the way you would in another type of environment with the inspector and such. But who knows maybe you can.
RE: Mold/mildew recommendations? - Kenney - 07-10-2016
In really rainy years we get mold on the inside of the kitchen cupboards. None so far this year. I noticed a couple lines of mold on the side of the house last week where the sun shines every morning, even though we added several packets of mold killer to already treated paint . We bleach those spots as needed.
It really is an ongoing chore to keep mold under control. Mold grows on the car, the water tank cover, even rocks. That's E. Hawaii.
The plus side is lush gardens and happy bananas. Everywhere has it's maintenance challenges.
I imagine it really would be a money making business to do mold treatments on a regular basis like KFA treats the LFA's, especially for Seniors , Disabled and folks who have property here that is not lived in.
Good luck remedying the worrisome mold!
For us who do live here, it's just another part of life in Paradise..