| Stachybotrys – This is the black mold that has garnered all the media attention. It is uncommon in an indoor environment. However, if cellulose material, such as drywall, has sustained water source over an extended period of time, it can grow. In this case, a basement in Birmingham, Michigan had a leaking radiator that had gone unnoticed for several weeks. |
| Leaky Toilet - In many cases, mold is present in homes due to lack of maintenance. In this case, a toilet wax ring needed replacement and was ignored, causing the subsequent damages shown in this photo. |
| Furnace Room - In many apartment and condominium properties, the furnace room is on the exterior of the building. Leaking from poorly maintained siding or roof flashings and occasionally condensate lines from air conditioning units will allow water and drywall to mix creating the conditions seen in this photo. This condition can be problematic because as the mold grows, it releases spores which can enter the HVAC system and be dispersed throughout the entire living area. |
| Furnace Exhaust (Cause) - In this photo, a roofing contractor, while replacing the flashing around a furnace exhaust chimney, inadvertently disconnected the furnace exhaust, causing warm moist air to enter the attic cavity. The results can be seen on the next photo. |
| Furnace Exhaust (Effect) - The warm moist air is introduced into an attic cavity in the winter months when the exterior temperatures are cold, condensation can form on the sheathing and rafters causing microbial growth. |
| Venting (Cause)– Even though the flex line is properly vented to the exterior of the structure, it is not secured properly to the galvanized duct work causing warm moist air to enter the attic cavity. |
| Sheathing (Effect) – This photo depicts the affects of the improperly secured flex line from the previous photo. |
| Front View, Sandwiched Drywall – In commercial or multiple dwelling settings, two layers of drywall are commonly used as a firewall between individual units. When water permeates from the inside, it can wick up by capillary action, causing hidden microbial damage, as shown between the drywall layers in this photo. |
| Back View, Sandwiched Drywall – In this photo, you can see mold inside walls typically is two to three times more than what is visible on the front side. |
| Sanding & HEPA Vacuum – In many cases, structural lumber such as the ceiling joists shown in this picture, can have the mold removed by sanding. A HEPA vac is used to minimize spore dispersal during this process. |
| Negative Air & Dehumidification – Specialized equipment is used for mold remediation. The tube exhausted to the exterior is connected to an air scrubber which is utilized to create negative air in the work area to minimize cross-contamination of mold spores during the remediation. Dehumidifiers are occasionally used to assist in drying structural members prior to remediation. |
| Office: (734) 260-3410 Fax: (734) 895-7251 |
| About Mold |
| Michael Parmelee Painting, Inc. |
 |  |  |  |  |