Black Mold

[Handy Pockets]

For seven months I have lived in an apartment with Black Mold.
This roommate sent by Hades, in all its glory, is making me sick.
The landlord tries to keep up with the clean up of this mold, but it keeps coming back with rain.(is it ever truly gone ?)
I would like to know if anyone has had experience with black mold and can tell me how long until I feel better after I move to new apartment the end of this month.

Here is information from the internet to show this hideous leech of a roommate.[url="http://moldsymptoms.org/"]My link[/url]

Here are some pictures from the internet. The black mold I see in apartment is nowhere near this condition [url="http://www.startremodeling.com/mold_pictures.htm"]pictures[/url]

[url="http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htdocs/Chem_Background/ExSumPdf/Stachybotrys.pdf"]research[/url]

I do not claim all information on this topic is absolute. What I would like is advice, or words of encouragement from anyone who
has had to deal with this mold.

Edited December 1, 2010 by Handy Pockets

[Yala Sviseusen]

Kets, I lived in a house with it for several years.. Time and time again we tried to kill the stuff but it kept coming back. I grew quite ill and it took, I'd say, a few months before my lungs and stuff really cleared out.(after I moved) Sapped me of energy something awful too. Best luck sweetie, black mold is quite something. I'd suggest getting out as soon as you can. In my opinion the stuff is nuke proof, from what I've observed once there it comes back again and again. Not a whole lot, but I hope this helps some....

Feel better!!!
-Yala

[Sparrhawk]

We had a bit of mould that wouldnt go away in our bathroom once tried scrubbing it with all our cleaning products with no result then we looked up online that white vinigar works. put some in a spray bottle and it wiped off with a rag and hasnt come back not sure if you'll get the same results but its an idea.

[(Zl-eye-f)-nea]

How long until you feel better after you move away from the mould:

Ones I know mostly it didnt take long, instant feeling of betterness within the week and then full recovery more gradual from there. Rare cases - you end up with asthma or some sort of allergy as a permanent scar.

Side note: - You can sue your landlord if there is permanent damage as it is a condensation issue, which is down to the structure of the house, of course if you wanted down that road then you better see a doctor, take pictures, bla bla bla.


Z

[Handy Pockets]

It is a terrible, energy sapping, nuke resistant life form. Thank you Yala. I have hope now. I paid rent on both apartments so I did not miss out on the new apartment and I can clean and move and clean and move, etc . until I am in new apartment. Now I wish i could afford someone to help me to get out faster.

Sparrhawk, I need to clean all my furniture when I move and I was looking for what to clean the surfaces with. Thank you for the vinegar idea.

Z, I think I am getting out of this apartment before damage is done. I know I don't have the energy to gather all that information (so maybe damage is done).

[phantasm]

white vinegar works to a degree, but bleach works better. Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 cup bleach per one gallon of warm water. Be sure to use gloves so as not to burn your hands. The problem is that when you only clean the outside of the drywall (the part you see) it doesn't get all of the inside. Most of those pictures you posted in the link are views from the inside of the drywall perspective, which is always much worse then the face. After cleaning you need to apply a paint called KILZ. KILZ is a paint with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal ingredients in it. Then you are guaranteed to have contained it form the outside.

Only issues past that are if there are ducts that carry your heat/air in the wall that has the mold problem. The spores from the inside can still get into the ventilation system. These cases are pretty rare though, and usually in the cold air return. A proper anti-allergen filter on your furnace takes care of that.

As Z said the landlord can be sued for that. Black Mold is actually claimable by the insurance companies. We had a problem with it in our bathroom just this year form a leak. Renters, and Homeowners insurances both carry this in their policies. They will pay for the removal of the drywall, carpet, padding, and anything else that has been touched by the Black Mold.

If you see the Black Mold at the base of the wall usually there is some hidden under the carpet in the padding as well. I have had plenty of experience with this as a home-owner and a remodeler. Hope this has been some help.

[Mya Celestia]

[color="#8B0000"][font="Palatino Linotype"]Make sure you're seeing the doctor. Black mold can be very dangerous to your health.

I've known people that had to physically remove the wall board, insulation, and flooring and replace them to truly get rid of it.[/font][/color]

[Yoshi]

Heh, mold removal is what I've been doing for the last 5 months or so xD

Basically, what we would do is conceal the area where the mold is in, take down the drywall/insulation, w/e is contaminated, bag it, throw it away. All the while running air scrubbers(also called negative airs), taking the moldy air and forcing it out the window using a duct: http://www.deadmold.com/files/Forceair2000.jpg

Since mold spores linger in the air, you have to flush it all out and replace it with good healthier air. Once we are done taking out the infected areas, we will leave the air scrubbers running, without the ducts, so its basically moving the air inside around, collecting the spores/cleaning the air.

Then we will wipe everything (ceilings, walls, floors, EVERYTHING) with this cleaning solution called Benefect: http://www.benefect.com/. Then we will vaccuum using HEPA vacs, which use filters that are able to collect the spores and contain them. We may have to repeat the hepa vac and wiping again the next day, all depends on how big of the job we are doing. Then we will use what Phantasm said, the Killz2 Latex Primer. It's excellent for containing and repelling mold.

Then finally, we will take everything out and, again depending on how much the mold has contaminated, we will fog the room/house using an anti-mold fogger: http://groutmasters.ca/july2010/Fogger_noJug.jpg filled with Microban: http://www.baneclene.com/catalog/microban.html.

Now, we don't usually work for private people, so we work under the bank, and well, usually there will not be furniture (cause we already did a cleanout earlier(which is fun cause sometimes you can find pretty cool stuff, specially in grow op houses cause they usually leave everything, and after the police come in and snip the plants, we even have to clean out the pots *breathes deep*)).

Soooo as far as cleaning the furniture, I have no experience, but perhaps you could use Benefect, it's all natural which is a plus. ...crap...there goes the company secrets...oh well...hey, if anyone thinks of making a mold removal business, contact me for a royalty check please XD

Edited December 1, 2010 by Yoshi

[Handy Pockets]

Oh my, the more I hear from you guys, the more I realize I better be out of here soon.
I looked up the company that had the cleaning products, it is in the next state over, maybe
I can find one closer during office hours.
I should see my doctor, he will be upset with me when I tell him about the mold.
I am happy I am just renting and I am out of here this month. I have a feeling
the landlord has plans for major overhaul.

[Aysun]

As Yoshi has indirectly put it, once the mold takes root in the walls, you can't get it out- it has to be ripped up and fully replaced.

Best of luck to you as you move, and as Mya said, make sure you're seeing a doctor!!

[Handy Pockets]

Finally, I am in my new apartment. It is wonderful. The first night here I felt
a difference, it was easier to breathe, and I even think it was easier to see. I
know that is odd comment but I think I will stick with it. NO BLACK MOLD

I am tired, very tired. I wish it was a better time of year to move.
One night I moved furniture, the temperature was 12 degrees Fahrenheit, and my fingers were so
cold I could not feel them and had to stop to warm up. It was worth it.

[Pipstickz]

Yaaaaay for Handy!!!

[Windy]

I am so glad you are out of there, Handy. I have one more spot on my ceiling that has black mold that I have avoided cleaning. I just got my roof replaced this past summer. Now that I have the vinegar and bleach idea, I can take care of that problem and get the KILZ that was suggested.

SageWoman also has black mold at her house. It is real bad in the bathroom which is a tiny room. I will let her know how to deal with it. The only problem is that the ceiling is pealing. Her landlord should know better. Her landlord is the Funeral Director next door. Hmmm...