How Can We Fix A Home Studio Filled With Mold ? Please Help!!

[OsBP]

So I Was Away From My Home And Home Studio For 8 Months

Everything Inside The Home Studio

Interior Ceiling , Furnishings , Desk , Electronics , Cables Is Completly Covered In Mold

How Do I Clean And Sanitize Everything ?

How Do We Fix This Studio And Gear ?

And Most Important . .

How Do We Prevent This From Happening Again ?

Thank You Very Much!!

 

[abdo123]

Get a big dehumidifier and keep it running for few weeks, replace the tank everytime it fills up.

everything should be dead by then

 

[Devnull]

Call your insurance company.

 

[JustJones]

Spray surfaces with undiluted white vinegar and let it set for an hour then wipe. Run dehumidifier and keep area warm as possible . Of course you can't spray inside electronics. I called a mitigation service when I had mold. I didn't bother with insurance as my deductible is high( estimate was $500 more than deductible) and it wasn't worth it since they'd also raise my rates if I submitted a claim. If you call mitigation service and your estimate is a lot I'd go the insurance route.

 

[Count Arthur]

With regards to preventing it happening again, once you've cleared it up. Make sure to keep the room well ventilated when you're away. Keep the door to the studio open and perhaps install a vent to the outside that you can open up, if you're going to be away for a while.

 

[thehague]

Get professional cleaners in. After the cleaning job done ask them if there is anything you can do to prevent this. It seems to me you have severe damp problems.

 

[OsBP]

Thank You So Much For All The Answers!!

I Got A Dehumidifier And Some Clorox Spray And Wipes To Start The Project Today

I Also Called A Friend Who Works In Construction And Renovations And Is Willing To Help Me This Next Few Days

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Really strange to find mold everywhere. Where are you located? Mold needs moisture and low light.

 

[Chrispy]

Maybe if you're good with the DIY approach but you need to measure the mold somewhat for security....hard to do/afford generally from what I know. Have had a scare here and there but haven't needed to employ the hazmat team either.....good luck!

 

[kemmler3D]

I would call a professional mold remediation company. That stuff can be dangerous to your health.

To prevent it happening again, dehumidifiers work. I had the beginnings of mold problem in my last place and that fixed it. I got a TCL model.

 

[EERecordist]

I would look at how the moisture is entering the structure in detail.

A friend of mine bought a new condo in a 2 story mixed old and new structure. The contractor improperly installed the roof sheet metal molding at the wall edges resulting in the rain draining into the wall cavity. That caused a mold illness death. To investigate they opened the drywall. The wood studs could be crushed by hand. It was years of litigation before the condo could even be sold, long after my friend relocated for work. In my network another person built a new house. The dryer vent went into the walls and floor beams, rather than outside. Partial teardown.

Hope it works out!

 

[kemmler3D]

The dryer vent went into the walls and floor beams, rather than outside. Partial teardown.

Story time: I lived in an apartment that had the (gas!!) dryer set up that way. One day it started smoking, which is when we found out there was no actual ventilation. We complained to the landlady, and she had someone come by to "fix" it, which consisted of... gluing the vent hose back to the wall.

I tore her a new one, probably more than any landlord before or since... and she swapped the gas dryer for an electric that vented into a bucket.

It was then (I was only 22) that I realized having an MBA didn't necessarily make you smart, it just made certain specimens of human FEEL smart. It's hard for me to fathom someone doing something so wildly dangerous to save abolutely negligable amounts of money compared to the liability they're taking on, let alone the risk to people's lives.

If a fire had started, (or someone got carbon monoxide poisoning, or anything along those lines) the first session with her lawyers would have cost more than the dryer.

 

[Taiga]

If it is mold (lots of things can appear to be mold, but may not be), then you have a moisture problem.

1) Identify and fix the moisture problem
2) Read this for guidance on remediation: https://www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home
3) Don’t get sold on expensive mold testing. If something is damaged, remove and discard it. Clean surface stains.
4) If you need a professional contractor, first get information from your local/regional health department on certification, qualifications required for your jurisdiction. Lots of shoddy remediators want to take your money. Here is an example in New York State: https://dol.ny.gov/mold-program

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Mold remediators charge exorbitantly. Ask McDonald’s what they put in cheeseburgers. Found half eaten in basement. No mold. Looked like an artifact from King Tut’s tomb.

 

[kemmler3D]

Ask McDonald’s what they put in cheeseburgers. Found half eaten in basement. No mold. Looked like an artifact from King Tut’s tomb.

I've read that this is because a McD burger has little enough moisture and dries out fast enough that it gets dry before it gets moldy.

 

[Roland68]

So I Was Away From My Home And Home Studio For 8 Months

Everything Inside The Home Studio

Interior Ceiling , Furnishings , Desk , Electronics , Cables Is Completly Covered In Mold

How Do I Clean And Sanitize Everything ?

How Do We Fix This Studio And Gear ?

And Most Important . .

How Do We Prevent This From Happening Again ?

Thank You Very Much!!

Since I am familiar with hazardous substances and contaminants, I can give you a few tips.
- Be sure to protect your respiratory tract and eyes, airtight and filtered, not a DIY tool, some types of mold are not to be trifled with.
- Dispose of anything that isn't washable and doesn't have smooth, sealed surfaces. Carpets, wood, etc. are not worth saving, especially because of the smell of mold.
- Don't bring any new items into the room until all the mold has been removed.
- For closed surfaces such as metals, plastics, etc., regular bathroom cleaner is sufficient.
- If possible, don't spray anything on the mold; always spray it on a disposable cloth and use it to clean your things.

To find out where the problem lies, buy 8-16 hygrometers with thermometers, depending on the size of the room. You can get 8 of them on Amazon for €10-20, for example. Distribute these on the floor, ceiling, and walls and record the readings every 12-24 hours.
Also, get a simple moisture meter for walls. You can find reference values online.
For the rest, you'll need to post much more information and detailed pictures.
Basic problems are:
- No regular ventilation.
- No heating when temperatures are below 16°C.
-No air movements.
- Too good or too bad insulation of the room.
- Damp walls or rising damp from the ground.
After such a long period without ventilation, even minimal humidity can cause problems.

 

[JSmith]

I've read that this is because a McD burger has little enough moisture and dries out fast enough that it gets dry before it gets moldy.

Me thinks more so due to the large amount of salt, sugar and other preservatives... it dries out before the preservatives cease doing their job.


JSmith

 

[Roland68]

I've read that this is because a McD burger has little enough moisture and dries out fast enough that it gets dry before it gets moldy.

Me thinks more so due to the large amount of salt, sugar and other preservatives... it dries out before the preservatives cease doing their job.


JSmith

You believe that it is actually made from formerly living meat?

 

[Taiga]

I've read that this is because a McD burger has little enough moisture and dries out fast enough that it gets dry before it gets moldy.

They are engineered not to form molds until they are in your body. Then the molds off-gas toxins. The components of a Big-Meal act as catalysts and accelerants.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

They are engineered not to form molds until they are in your body. Then the molds off-gas toxins. The components of a Big-Meal act as catalysts and accelerants.

Not as bad as White Castle.