Dr Jackson Kung'u- Mold Specialist

Helping People Resolve Mold Problems

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Dr. Jackson Kung’u (PhD)- Mold Specialist.
Phone: 905-290-9101
Mobile: 437-556-0254

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Basement mold

Question: I suspect we have basement mold. We moved in to our townhouse almost a year ago. In the past several months I have noticed that my daughter’s allergies are acting up a lot more, especially when we are in the basement. I too have been experiencing a lot of congestion and sneezing etc. when in the basement. I can smell a musty smell (nobody else can, but I can) and I cannot locate it. I can’t see mold, I’ve torn apart the house. My only guess is it’s in the carpets or walls. I notice you have a mold test kit to measure mold in the air. How accurate is it at picking up positive results i.e. does there have to be a lot of mold to pick up a positive (as I am the only one who can smell this musty smell so it would have to be a very sensitive test). Do you know of any professional companies that can come in and determine if we have basement mold?

Thank you!

Answer: Thank you for your question regarding basement mold. Our mold test kit is basically a DIY kit using the same air sampling equipment that a professional would use. However, the kit is not intended to replace the services of a professional. By a professional we mean someone qualified who will not just come and take air samples (which anyone can take) but will also troubleshoot the problem and offer solutions even if air samples are negative. By “negative” we mean having very low fungal counts since very rarely would there be no spores in the air at all. Basement mold is very common due the dampness found in most basements.

The equipment samples for airborne spores (and other particulates) and not for Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds (MVOCs). These are volatile chemicals produced by the metabolism of fungi and bacteria and are responsible for the musty smell. As for the accuracy of the equipment, there are a number of factors that can influence the results. For example:

  1. The type of mold present: some molds produce spores either enclosed in fruiting structures or in “wet” form which means these kinds of spores do not readily become airborne until disturbed during renovation or when they completely dry out. If these are the dominant types of molds present in your house the air samples could be negative.
  2. The time of sampling: the concentration of airborne spores at time of sampling could be low and hence the results could be misleading.

Basement mold can be controlled by reducing humidity in the basement. You can find professional companies listed on the following web pages http://www.moldbacteriaconsulting.com/business-directory/ and also http://www.moldbacteria.com/servicelist/index.html. You can also give us a call at 905-290-9101 for more information.

Mold on clothes

Question: I live in a Queenslander home in north Queensland. We’re continuously getting mold on clothes, shoes, furniture, television, teddy bears, mattresses, freezers etc., throughout the year. We are stuck on how the mold is coming in and have no idea how to stop this? Could you help us?

Answer: Growth of mold on clothes, shoes, furniture, teddy bears and other such household items is an indication of extremely damp conditions in the house. To dealt with this problem, first identify the cause of dampness. Moisture from cooking, showering/bathing or wet clothes left in the bathroom to dry can cause dampness especially if ventilation is not adequate. Use fans whenever cooking and/or showering/bathing if possible. Reduce humidity to 30-60%. You could try using a dehumidifier and also improving on the ventilation to reduce the humidity.

Mold in the basement

Question: I have air sample results for a test conducted by an Inspector in a home that we’re renting. The total spore counts (per cubic meter of air) for the finished basement space are as follows:

  • Total airborne fungal spore count: 742600
  • Amerospores: 251800,
  • Ascospores: 209400,
  • Aspergillus/Penicillium: 63400,
  • Cladosporium: 6400,
  • Unidentified type(1): 240,
  • Unidentified type(2): 211600.

Should we be living in this home? I just found out that the previous tenants became very ill, moved out, and disposed off all their furniture. I have tried to understand this report. Could someone please help me? Should we be living here? The landlord won’t do anything. I have asked him to remove the drywall but he won’t. Should we? Thank you for any help you can give.

Answer: If you’re renting the home you may probably consider looking for an alternative home. You may also check if there is a rental housing tribunal or even a public health department in your area and see what help they could offer.

Can mold cause early birth?

Question: My wife got pregnant in June of 2006. We were living in a condo at that time, which had some water dripping issues from the condo above. The water would get into the ceiling of the two bedrooms 1 and 2, next to it. In addition there was another leak in the same bathroom on floor level. Attempts had been made to fix these issues but were never correctly done and then just ignored. Due to these problems we had moved into another home in early December of 2006. So for over 6 months, our condo was contantly wet from the bathroom leaks, the ceiling of the bathrooms and bedrooms. The bedroom that was most severly affected on the floor and ceiling was the room we slept in.

In late December, what we most feared happened. My wife was 27 weeks into her pregnacy and delivered a baby girl. As this is our first child this was the most horrifying experience that life has put us through. The baby is doing great now but get tired very quicky and at times lethargic. Other than that we’re very lucky to have her.

My questions are the following:
1. Could mold have developed withing those 6 months that we were there?
2. If yes, then how could it affect pregnacy?
3. Is there any connection to mold and wife early delivery?

If you could please respond I would very much be thankful to you. Thank you.

Answer: Thank you for your questions. It’s possible that mold had developed within the 6 months you were in the condo. However, I have not seen any publication where mold is said to cause early delivery in humans. Having said that, a number of mycotoxins have been shown to affect pregnancy in experimental animals but this has not been observed in humans.

I would suggest you discuss your concerns with your family doctor.

Cost of testing air for mold

Question: My question regards the cost of testing air for mold. I have mold problems in two closets in my home and in a couple of corners in the house. I also get alot of moisture build up at the bottom of my windows that has also caused some mold. At the beginning of the year I installed a Conservation voltage regulation(CRV) unit on my furnace but as winter is coming again the problem still seems to be there and I think my daughter is experiencing health problems over this. My home is only 11 years old. How much does testing air for mold usually cost?

Answer: Testing air for mold is very simple and does not have to be expensive. A homeowner or property manager can save money if they could initially test the air themselves before calling in a professional. This does not mean that a professional is not required for testing air for mold but should only be hired to resolve complex problems not simple air testing.

For most people, testing air for mold themselves (using the same tools used by professionals) in their homes is all they need to identify if mold is present in excessive amounts.

Testing Air For Mold

Settle agar plate

Testing air for mold may involve any of the following methods:
  •  Settle Plate Method: This method involves exposing agar plates to the air in the room or rooms to be tested. The agar plates can be exposed for a duration of 1-4 hours and then covered and shipped to a laboratory for mould counting and identification. The cost of this test is very low. However, since this method is not very efficient in terms of air sampling, it’s not generally recommended.
  • Andersen Air Sampling Method: This method is similar to the settle plate method but instead of opening the agar plates and leaving them for airborne spores to settle on the agar by gravity, the method utilizes a pump to impact the air onto the surface of agar. Since the air is drawn into the agar surface (similar to how we draw air into our lungs) the method is very efficient. This method requires the person doing the sampling to be trained in aseptic techniques since it’s very easy to contaminate the agar plates and subsequently ending up with false postives. Since, it requires training and experience in aseptic techniques, it’s not recommended for non-professionals.
  • Non-viable Air Sampling Method: This method involves impacting air on an inert sticky surface using a special air pump. The method is very efficient in sampling for airborne particulate. The method does not require any special training other than following the instructions on how to fit the sampling cassette onto the pump and how to switch the pump on.

Non-viable Air Sampling Method

The pump’s “flow-rate” is set (“calibrated”) to draw a specified volume of air – for a specified length of time (usually 5 or ten minutes) – through the filter. The sample is later examined in the laboratory under high magnification to identify and count mold structures – dead or alive. This is important as dead (‘non-viable’) mold spores can cause allergy problems, too.
 
Molds are a normal part of our environment both inside and outside our homes. And, as most buildings are ventilated with outdoor air, any particulate contained in the outdoor air including mold spores, dust, pollens and other pollutants infiltrates inside the buildings. Testing air for mold gives us an idea of how much airborne mold spores people are exposed to.

 To determine whether the spores inside the house originated from outside or are from mold growing inside the house an outside air sample is collected for reference.

Testing air for mold. QuickTake 15The other air samples are taken indoors from each room that requires to be tested. When the laboratory receives the air samples the number of collected mold spores is counted. Although there no set permissible levels of airborne spores (i.e., save or unsave levels), a normal, healthy indoor environment can be defined as one where:
  •  Species or types of mold spores that are found on the inside air sample are also found on the outside air sample – this is referred to as normal ‘mirroring’ or ‘trapping.’

However:

  • The number of mold spores found inside the house or building should not be greater than the number of mold spores found outside. Also, the types of mold spores present in the inside air should be similar to those found in the outside air. Some types of mold spores when detected inside (and not outside) even in very low levels could indicate a problem. For example a few spores of Chaetomium, Stachybotys, Ulocladium, and Fusarium are indicative of excessive moisture in the building and possible hidden mold growth. In this case a professional would be required to perform further investigations to locate hidden mold growth if any.

Doing Your Own Air Testing For Mold:

It’s fun doing your own air testing and it’s easier than vacuum cleaning the carpet or doing laundry.

For more details, click Mold Testing Kit or call 905-290-9101 for more information.