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Is Black Mold or Toxic Mold
Making You Sick?
Find out now if you have Toxic Mold - To find out if you have a
Black Mold problem, you
must test your environment. Testing for Toxic Mold is easy, and a must for anyone who suspects the presence of toxic mold
in their home, school or office.
What are the
Top 2 Mycotoxins in the home?
Stachybotrys chartarum
Stachybotrys chartarum is cosmopolitan and grows naturally on straw and
other cellulose containing materials in soil. In the indoor environment, this
mould is commonly found together with Stachybotrys chlorohalonata on
cellulose containing materials including paper, canvas and jute which are wetted
to a water activity > 0.98. In a study conducted in Denmark, Stachybotrys
chartarum was found to produce a number of mycotoxins inclduding macrocyclic
trichothecenes, satratoxins and roridins when growing on building materials. 35%
of the isolates from buildings produce SUPER TOXIC cytotoxic mycotoxins, the
satratoxins. This led to the conclusion that idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis
in infants is possibly not caused by satratoxins but by other S. chartarum
mycotoxins.The optimum temperature for growth for Stachybotrys chartarum
is 23 oC with a minimum and maximum temperature of 2 and 37 oC
respectively.
Aspergillus flavus
Aspergillus flavus is widely distributed in soil. It is associated
with a wide range of stored products such as maize
and nuts. In indoor environment it is commonly found on damp walls, wallpaper,
floor and carpet dust, tarred wooden flooring, humidifiers and HVAC fans,
bakeries, shoes, leather, and bird droppings. Strains of this mold may produce
aflatoxin, a class 1 carcinogen.
The minimum and maximum temperature for growth are 6 and 45 oC, with
an optimum at 40 oC. The minimum water activity is 0.78 and an
optimum at 0.98.
There are over 1000 types of mold in the world and 200+ native to a home or
office environment.
Only testing and analysis will allow you to be sure what strain and type of
mold you are dealing with
Why You Should
Test For Toxic Mold?
Medical studies have found that Mold is the #1 cause of allergic symptoms.
The Toxic Black Mold
Stachybotrys found
in home, office and school environments has been linked to fatal pulmonary
and neuro-toxic disorders.
Our easy to use, do-it-yourself mold test kit
includes everything you need to test for the presence of Toxic Mold in as
little as 48 hours. The EZ-Mold™
Test Kit
mold test kit for $9.95 allows 3 different testing
methods: Two methods of taking an air sample and one method for visual
sampling. Optional lab analysis ($49.95) is available to identify the type of
mold present.
How many test kits do I need?
You will need
one for every area of the home or office building that you are testing. Mold
may be present in one room and not another. The typical home or office
building would test at least three areas and an outside air test as a
control. The air conditioning system, a
bathroom area and another areas of the home such as a bedrooms.
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How Do I Use the EZ-Mold™
Test Kit?
Our easy-to-use mold test kit
allows you to test for the presence of
mold in your home or office. You will get results in 48-72 hours. Our kits are
versatile, and will allow you to test for mold in one of
three ways:
Method #1 Topical Evidence
of Visible Mold Growth
This method will allow you to test visible mold growing on a
surface. This will culture mold growth on the surface being tested.
To know what type of mold is present for a surface sample
requires optional lab analysis. One kit per mold area being tested.
Method #2 Indoor Air Quality
This method will allow you to test the indoor air quality of
a room. Use this method if you are having health problems,
mold allergies, or if you smell a musty odor. One kit is
needed per room being tested.
Method #3 Heating and Cooling System Test
This method will allow you to test the ventilation system
for mold. This will identify what and how much mold is in
the ventilation system of your home. One kit per HVAC
system. (Use this method if you smell a musty odor
when your heating or air conditioning is running.
Optional Lab
Analysis and Identification
There are literally
thousands of different types of mold in the environment.
Our EZ-Mold test kit shows if there is a presence of
mold in your environment. To accurately know how much
and which type of mold are present in your home requires
laboratory microscopy to ascertain mold spore types and
counts. You may ship the test(s)
to our laboratory facilities for further identification
and testing of your plate results. |
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Order Your EZ-Mold™
Test Kit Now for $9.95!
As seen on
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Where does Mold grow best?
Attics with roof leaks or inadequate ventilation
Basements with dirt floors or water problems
Behind and under showers, tubs, toilets, and bathroom walls
Books, magazines, newspapers
Carpeting and padding
Ceilings from roof leaks
Ceiling tiles
Clothing
Crawl spaces
Drapes
Drywall in ceilings and walls
Garbage disposal
Heating cooling equipment & ducts
Humidifiers & vaporizers inside them
Leather items
Paint
Paper, cardboard & other paper products
Plants [indoor house plants]
Rags
Upholstered furniture
Walls from siding, roof, & plumbing leaks
Wallpaper & behind wallpaper
Wood products
Want to see what Mold looks like?
Click here
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BLEACH MOLD MYTH EXPOSED!
Chlorine Bleach (sodium hypochlorite 6%) is not effective for mold control and clean-up. Why? Mold's hyphae (root structures) actually grow into wood and drywall like roots. Bleach has a very high surface tension which can prevent it from penetrating into surfaces to reach the hyphae. Because bleach reacts with the surface mold, surface  dirt and surface material likewood, it can become inactivated before having a chance to penetrate down to the hyphae.
Chlorine bleach causes long term breakdown of wood products like studs, sheathing, plywood, OSB, and other building materials over time.
DON'T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT!
READ THIS:
Here is an example of why bleach does not eliminate mold
Have you ever used bleach or products like Tilex® to clean mold or mildew out of grout in a tiled shower? If so, you would notice that it does a great job getting the "mold stains" off the grout, however 1-2 weeks later, the mold is back again....Why? The surface tension of bleach does not allow it to get to the roots and kill the mold and mildew. The mold is just being "bleached out" and the roots remain intact. This can allow the mold to return 1-2 weeks later, stronger than ever.
How do I kill the mold then? Use an EPA registered fungicide to kill the mold at the roots.
Many household bleach products are NOT a registered EPA mold killing product.
University Study Discovers Bleach is Ineffective at Killing Mold on Wood and Other Porous Surfaces
"While bleach is often recommended for remediation of surface mold on wood and other porous surfaces, our [university research study] study results illustrate that the treatment does not eliminate the surface microflora," is the conclusion of the Oregon State University study of the effects of chlorine bleach on mold growth on Douglas fir wood [an important timber crop in the state of Oregon]. The research study was conducted by Professor Jeffrey Morrell, Dept. of Wood Science, Oregon State University, as assisted by Adam Taylor [graduate research assistant] and Camille Freitag [Senior Research Associate], as published in Forest Products Journal, 54:4, 2004.
To read the Forest Products Journal Research Study on the effectiveness of chlorine bleach Click Here.
What does the EPA have to say about using bleach to kill mold? "The use of chlorine bleach is not recommended as a routine practice during mold cleanup." from the www.epa.gov website |
Questions about Mold? Contact:
info@traskresearch.com
Order Your EZ-Mold Test Kit Now!
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Questions? Contact: info@traskresearch.com
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©2008 W.M. Barr & Company., Inc Memphis, TN Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
The contents of this website, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this website ("Content") are for informational purposes only. Although Barr believes it to be accurate, we make no representation, warranty, or guarantee, and disclaim any liability with regard to the accuracy or completeness of the information, or the results of any action taken by anyone who relies on the Content. The Content is provided on an "as is" basis. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment of any mold problems. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Reliance on any information provided by Barr, Barr employees, others appearing on this website is solely at your own risk. WHEN IN DOUBT, CONSULT A PROFESSIONAL MOLD REMEDIATOR.
Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, including any that you suspect may be caused or contributed to by mold or mildew. NEVER DELAY MEDICAL TREATMENT WHILE AWAITING THE RESULTS OF ANY REMEDIATION. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. |
