Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Fresh Paint Appears the Culprit in a Rockville Centre Mold Testing Investigation
"George" and "Anna" had recently moved into their new home. In fact, they were still in the midst of painting. George, who never got headaches, started getting headaches. He and Anna began to wonder if their 22 year old home was moldy, and they called EnviroHealth.
I conducted an in-depth test for mold, including taking numerous tape lift samples for on-site examination with my microscope. I also did culture plate air testing throughout the house, including the attic and basement. The net result was that the house appeared to be low-risk for mold. There was a moderate level of mold in a small crawlspace, but that would be easy to deal with, and the crawlspace was not near where George spent his time.
My hunch was that George was reacting to fumes from the new paint, not to mold. In fact, while I was at the house, I suggested that no more painting be done for now, but this couple winced at that. They wanted to finish two more rooms, and then they'd be done. The next suggestion was to change to low-VOC paint. Many people can tolerate paint that has no VOCs or low VOCs (volatile organic compounds) where they have trouble with conventional paint.
I also told George and Anna that if my guess is correct, that George is reacting to paint and not to mold, that he needs to be careful not to overload his system with more gasous toxins. They needed to avoid all synthetic fragrances and go to hypoallergenic home care, laundry, and personal care products. Call the town for information about proper disposal of paint cans. Avoid pesticides, perfumes and colognes, air fresheners, and so on.
I conducted an in-depth test for mold, including taking numerous tape lift samples for on-site examination with my microscope. I also did culture plate air testing throughout the house, including the attic and basement. The net result was that the house appeared to be low-risk for mold. There was a moderate level of mold in a small crawlspace, but that would be easy to deal with, and the crawlspace was not near where George spent his time.
My hunch was that George was reacting to fumes from the new paint, not to mold. In fact, while I was at the house, I suggested that no more painting be done for now, but this couple winced at that. They wanted to finish two more rooms, and then they'd be done. The next suggestion was to change to low-VOC paint. Many people can tolerate paint that has no VOCs or low VOCs (volatile organic compounds) where they have trouble with conventional paint.
I also told George and Anna that if my guess is correct, that George is reacting to paint and not to mold, that he needs to be careful not to overload his system with more gasous toxins. They needed to avoid all synthetic fragrances and go to hypoallergenic home care, laundry, and personal care products. Call the town for information about proper disposal of paint cans. Avoid pesticides, perfumes and colognes, air fresheners, and so on.
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