Montrose, MI, August 27, 2015 -- "Most new homes have mold growth built into them because traditional building methods fail to take the right mold prevention steps," notes Phillip Fry, Professional Industrial Hygienist and Certified Environmental Hygienist, and webmaster since 1999 of the mold authority website www.moldinspector.com.
To build a mold-safe residence, the buyer for whom the home is being constructed, needs to work with the builder to take these ten mold prevention steps:
1. Avoid building on the side of a hill or where the surrounding land drains surface water, ground water, and rain water toward the prospective home site, because such downward water flow will cause water intrusion and extensive toxic mold growth in the house.
2. Do not build with a crawl space beneath the house because water problems and mold growth are extremely common in crawl spaces.
3. If the house is going to have a basement, the exterior masonry surfaces of the basement walls need to be waterproofed with crystalline cement that causes crystals to grow into all surface holes of concrete blocks or poured concrete walls. In addition the basement needs good drainage tiles and possible sump pump inside and outside the basement perimeter and its foundation.
4. The roof should be steel or thick dimensional shingles with a long life and resistant to roof wind damage and water leaks, which are the primary cause of toxic mold growth inside attics, walls, ceilings, and floors.
5. Use copper water supply lines which can function leak-free for 50 to 80 years. Less expensive but with only 25 years of guaranteed useful life is PEX — short for “cross-linked polyethylene”. More risky, leak-wise, is the use of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or CVPC (Chlorinated Poly (Vinyl Chloride) plastic pipe. CVPC is used primarily for hot water lines.
6. Insist and inspect all construction timbers and plywood to be mold-free upon delivery to the job site.
7. Store all building materials off the ground and covered at night and during rain or snow fall.
8. Prior to using timbers, plywood, and drywall, all surfaces and edges should be encapsulated by painting with white, glossy latex paint into which one-half pound of the EPA-registered mold preventative fungicide Timbor has been mixed (one half pound per gallon of paint). Read about Timbor, including its material safety data sheet, at www.timborprofessional.com.
9. Before pouring a concrete floor, put a seamless high quality water barrier on the ground to keep water from wicking upward from the ground into the concrete and thus into wood walls and wood or carpeted floor covering. Unfortunately, water barriers often degrade and leak after 15 to 20 years.
10. Do not install wood walls directly on top of a concrete floor, from which water can wick upward through the concrete from the ground below to cause mold growth on and in walls setting on the concrete. Instead, attach thin aluminum sheeting on the bottom and sides of the bottom boards that touch the concrete. Also, use only treated lumber for that bottom plate.
For help in planning a mold-free home or commercial building, contact mold expert Phillip Fry by email phil@moldinspector.com, or phone toll-free 866-300-1616, or visit the company websites http://www.moldexpertconsultants.com and www.upkeepmasters.com.
Contact:
Phillip Fry
EnviroFry Upkeep Masters, LLC
10104 Sheridan Rd.,
Montrose, MI 48457
Phone toll-free 866-300-1616
Cell Phone 480-310-7970
phil@moldinspector.com
http://www.moldinspector.com and
http://www.moldexpertconsultants.com
