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Moisture
issue: Foundation is wet; drain gutters are too short. Fix: Drain rain
water away from the house, generally about 5 feet away from the foundation.
Gutters below grade (below the soil) are protected from damage, while those
above grade may be more easily damaged. |
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Moisture
issue: Rainwater is falling and collecting near the foundation of this house.
Fix: It is important that the water drain away from the foundation—the
ground could be sloped away from the foundation so that the water will run
off. |
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Moisture
issue: Disconnected downspout deposits rainwater from roof onto walls and
near foundation. Fix: Connect the 2 downspouts. |
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Moisture
Issue: A lawn sprinkler is located near the outside wall of a building;
the sprinkler sprays the wall directly, and water leaks through wall into
the building. Fix: Move the sprinkler away from the building so that
water does not wet the walls or collect near the foundation. |
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Moisture
Issue: Foundation was chronically wet, water and mold damage was found on
original structure. Fix: Area was regraded during construction of an
addition so that water drains away from the foundation. |
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An
example of window flashing, applied so that water drains to the outside
of the window and not into the surrounding frame or walls. |
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Rust
is an indication that condensation occurs on this drainpipe. The pipe
should be insulated to prevent condensation. |
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Moisture
issue: Condensation on uninsulated air conditioning duct. Fix: Insulate
the duct on the outside. |
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Moisture
issue: Leaking pipes. The leaking pipes under the kitchen sink were
taped; the pipes continued to leak, and the area got moldy. Fix: The pipes
should be fixed by a plumber or other qualified professional. |
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Example
of a crawlspace without mold or water problems. The site is well drained.
The crawlspace has a vapor barrier over the earth, is air-sealed, and insulated
on the walls. |
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Two
examples of dehumidifiers. For spaces that are damp, often at high humidity,
but do not have liquid water running through them, a dehumidifier can be
used to reduce humidity. |
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Example
of a drain pan beneath a cooling coil that slopes to a drain line and
is constructed of stainless steel. |
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Example
of exhaust vent in a bathroom. |
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Example
of an exhaust hood and fan over a stovetop in a kitchen. An exhaust
fan over a range draws heat, moisture, and contaminants out of the house.
Range hoods should vent to the outside. |
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Mold
(and dirt) beneath refrigerator due to chronic drip-pan overflows. |
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Mold
on a vacuum cleaner stored in a damp basement. |
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Moisture
meter and moldy roof sheathing. |
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Measuring
moisture levels of a subfloor. |
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Moldy
bedroom closet. Water condensed from the air onto the gypsum board.
The wall is cool enough for condensation because there is a hole in the
insulation and it is cold outdoors. |
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Moisture
meter, showing high moisture content in gypsum board behind tile. |
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Mold
growth under ceramic tiles in a bathroom. |
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Mushrooms
growing at the base of and behind the baseboard below a water leak in a
bathroom. The baseboard has been removed; the puckers in the paint are
due to water damage. |
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Most
mold is found by simply looking. Mold beneath corkboard. |
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Mold
inside a wall. This photo shows an interior wall with the lower portion
of the drywall removed on one side; there is mold on the backside of the
drywall caused by water leak. |
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Opening
a wall with a utility knife to minimize disturbance to mold in the wall
cavity. |
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Inside
of wall from above, moldy gypsum board, insulation. |
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Looking
for mold in wall cavities by removing a section of drywall. |
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Clear
plastic tape is used to collect a sample. The sample is analyzed
with a microscope to determine whether the substance is mold or soot. |
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Bulk
samples can be examined using reflective light microscopes, such as stereo
microscopes or this epi microscope. |
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N-95
disposable respirator. |
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Cleaning
with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - gloves, goggles, N-95 respirator. |
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Limited
PPE. |
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Full
containment on a large job. |
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Full
containment. |
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Full
containment. |
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Drying
a carpet with a commercial specialty blower with built-in heater. |
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HEPA
vacuum. Care is being taken to disturb the mold as little as possible
while vacuuming. |
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Damp
wiping surfaces with water and a small amount of detergent. |
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Bookcases
and books protected during clean-up. |