Thailand Mold Questions and Answers from Mold Expert Phillip Fry

Q.  December 24, 2011. Basically, the situation is that rain water leaked through cracks into the wall of my boss’s Bangkok, Thailand, home, causing the built-in laminated wooden wall inside the master bedroom to be wet.  It has been left dry so long that you can see changes in color of the wood.  So we would like your qualified team to inspect and see if it is safe to stay in that room, how much mold presents in the room both in the air and on the surfaces, types of molds, then solve the problem completely and verify if it safe to stay after all remediations are carried out.  Besides this master bedroom, we also would like your team to inspect other parts of the house which have the same situation. His house was not flooded. Your prompt feedback would be appreciated.  By the way, please also advise what he should do in the meantime while waiting for your company’s mold inspection and mold remediation services.

A. Thanks for your good explanation of your boss’s mold situation. Until Certified Environmental Hygienists Fry and Montero can inspect, test, and remediate any mold problems in the house, your boss can take these immediate steps for the protection of his and his family's health: (1) tape large sheets of clear plastic over all of the visibly-apparent problem wall areas----this covering of the affected walls keeps any mold spores from going into the breathing air from the any hidden mold infestations in the covered areas; (2) in all affected rooms (where obvious wall damage), select from: (a) not using those rooms and sealing off the doors with clear plastic sheeting; (b) running continually an adequate-sized HEPA indoor air cleaner (buy at a large appliance store) in each affected room; or (c) open a window in each such room and continually run a fan that directly exhausts room air to the outdoors. Step 2 above lowers or gets rid of dangerous, elevated levels of breathable airborne mold spores; (3) don’t run/use the air con system anywhere in the house until we have inspected the air con equipment and ducts for hidden mold infestation (likely in the facts of your boss’s situation). The first step by Fry and Montero (who are also Certified Mold Inspectors) would be their thorough and professional mold inspection of the entire Bangkok house to determine locations of hidden mold growth (e.g., inside walls, air conditioning equipment and ducts, etc.). This inspection can be done in one full workday, and their professional services will also include: (a) their verbal and written reports as to their findings and conclusions; (b) their detailed, step-by-step written mold remediation protocol of how to fix the problem. The remediation protocol plan can then be used by your boss’s own workers or, better yet, by Fry and Montero (who are also professional Certified Mold Remediators). If your boss wants USA mold lab analysis of any collected mold samples (e.g., from inside the affected wall or walls, air con system, etc.) to know the precise types of mold species inhabiting the house, the lab fee is $60.00 per sample collected and submitted . One or a few submitted samples is adequate, but mold lab analysis is optional on your boss’s part because Fry and Montero don’t need to know the mold species type to remove it. Mold remediation procedures are the same regardless of the type of mold species.  The protocol plan would include a bid from Fry and Montero to do the mold remediation if desired by your boss.