LESLIE: Now we’re going to talk about mold removal with Kirk in Indiana.
Kirk, where is this mold?
KIRK: In my crawlspace.
TOM: First of all, do things to make the crawlspace area less conducive to mold. And so that involves, outside the house, making sure that your drainage is such that the water slopes away from the foundation perimeter and also making sure the gutters are clean and free-flowing so you keep that area as dry as possible.
Now, have you gotten rid of the mold in there or you still have it on the framework?
KIRK: Yes, I have – I did get rid of it and now it’s come back and I – we have downspouts and tile all the way around the house.
TOM: Well, there’s another product that a pest management professional can apply; it’s called Tim-Bor (ph). And that is also effective for ridding mold from wood framing. It’s used a lot in the south.
And the other thing is that the surface of that crawlspace, is it a sand surface?
KIRK: No it …
TOM: Dirt floor?
KIRK: Yeah.
LESLIE: So it’s organic.
TOM: Make sure you have a plastic vapor barrier down.
KIRK: Right, I did put plastic down.
TOM: Alright. Well really, it’s a management issue. Now the other thing that you could do is this in the crawlspace. You can install a ventilator. It’s a vent fan that fits in the crawlspace vent. And as long as you leave those vents open, you put the vent fan in and you wire it up to a humidistat. And what that does is whenever the moisture in the crawlspace comes up to be fairly high, the fan will come on and pull dry air through it.
KIRK: OK.
TOM: It’s another way of managing that moisture level. So start outside with the grading and the drainage. You’ve got the vapor barrier down. You’re going to get rid of all of the mold. And then put a ventilator in there hooked up to a humidistat. And all of those things I think should work together to dry that space out and prevent the mold from coming back.
KIRK: OK, is there anything other than the bleach? I know you said the Tim-Bor (ph) but is the bleach solution a good thing to put on there?
TOM: It’s a good thing for a small cleanup, but if you have a big area you may not be …
LESLIE: A continuous problem, too.
TOM: Yeah, you may not be getting all of those mold spores. That’s why you might need to call a professional.
OK, Kirk. Thanks so much for calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
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