January 28, 2020

A group of Dearborn firefighters has been forced to sleep in their trucks while on their 24-hour shifts due to black mold problems. The mold was caused by flooding that occurred in Fire Station No. 5 on Oakwood Street a few weeks ago when Dearborn faced serious downpours.

Mold, which can develop and spread in just 48 hours, was discovered on a piece of drywall that was removed on January 22 when repairs were being undertaken by the City of Melvindale following a sewer backup at the station on January 9.

Dearborn Firefighters Union President Jeffrey Lentz says firefighters were sent to other stations temporarily while Fire Station No. 5 dealt with the flood damage. However, when the repairs were finished, the cleanup crew discovered the black mold.

There was so much of it, Lentz says, that the fire station is currently uninhabitable.

Rather than send firefighters temporarily to other stations as they had before, the fire chief of Fire Station No. 5 ordered firefighters to take their trucks to the Melvindale Civic Arena. Lentz says hes happy the station was temporarily shut down but that he doesnt agree with where the firefighters were put.

Our firefighters understand with our profession, with working 24-hour shifts, that there will be times when we are tired and we are exhausted and sleep-deprived because of the 911 calls that come in and the citizens we serve, said Lentz in an interview with FOX-2 Detroit. But at the same time, we should be rested and able to perform those duties and we should not be forced to be staying up for an entire 24-hour shift and then expected to be able to make life and death decisions in a split second.

The City of Melvindale currently owns Fire Station No. 5 and is responsible for the stations maintenance. Black mold remediation will be necessary before the firefighters can return to the station.

Black mold is a toxic mold and it can be tricky to get rid of. Compared to asbestos abatement, which is a procedure used to control fiber release from asbestos, black mold remediation requires thorough cleaning and can take weeks in a building as large as a fire station. The abatement process would take up to five days in a building the size of a single-family home.

Because black mold is a toxic mold, its crucial to let professionals take care of the remediation. Symptoms of black mold exposure or black mold poisoning include:

Although theres no research to suggest that black mold can cause cancer or lung disease, its been known to cause other health concerns such as fungal meningitis of which there was an outbreak in 2012. That being said, if you discover black mold in your home, contact an abatement specialist immediately.

To prevent black mold from growing in your home, its important to control moisture and the humidity level. Your interior humidity should stay under 60%. Tinted windows can help to block up to 79% of solar heat to cut down on cooling costs and to reduce humidity.

Black mold likes to grow in homes that have been flooded, so its important to dry any wet materials quickly and to repair leaks. Dry any items in your home thoroughly before storing them away.

Ultimately, dealing with black mold quickly and efficiently is vital not only because it can cause health issues for anyone breathing it in but also because it can do serious structural damage. Any building or space like Fire Station No. 5 needs to be completely dry and free of mold before anyone can safely enter the space without a ventilator mask.

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Dearborn Firefighters Forced To Sleep In Trucks Due To Mold Concerns - Clare County Review

By: PuroClean | 1Shares 45Reads

January 30, 2020 // Franchising.com // Tamarac, FL. - PuroClean, a leading restoration and remediation franchise, today announced that it has - for the second consecutive year - been named a top franchise by Franchise Business Review. With all rankings based solely on franchise owner satisfaction and performance, this years ranking reflects PuroCleans commitment to its franchise owners and relentless support of their success.

Its always an honor to be recognized by industry leaders and top rankings, but this award is particularly meaningful for us because its the only list based 100 percent on franchise owner satisfaction, said Mark W. Davis, CEO and Chairman of PuroClean. We consider our franchise owners the key to our success, and we look forward to continuing to find relevant ways to be a true partner to them.

PuroClean was placed at the top of a list of more than 300 leading franchise brands considered for this years ranking. Its franchise owners awarded the highest ratings to PuroCleans core values, franchisee community and self-evaluation of their personal enjoyment of the business and organization. Franchise Business Review, a franchise market research firm that performs independent studies of franchisee satisfaction, surveyed more than 27,500 franchise owners on 33 benchmark questions. The survey included topics related to franchise owners experience and satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systems, including leadership, training, core values, and overall enjoyment of owning their franchise.

Were proud to be honored by Franchise Business Review for our efforts to support PuroClean franchise owners and their businesses, said Steve White, President and COO of PuroClean. We strive to lead by example and serve our franchise owners in every possible way, in turn, helping empower them to better serve their local communities. As we continue to expand our brand, achievements from industry-leading organizations are a definite pride point, proving that our focus on servant leadership is a true differentiator from our competitors.

One of the fastest-growing franchises in the United States, PuroClean works with individual franchise owners to build a profitable business while simultaneously giving back to the community during its times of need. Providing the necessary support systems to equip franchise owners with the tools and expertise for success, PuroClean received countless accolades for its leadership and innovation within franchising, including Entrepreneur magazines 2020 Franchise 500.

To view the full list of Franchise Business Reviews 2020 Top Franchises, visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com. For more information on the PuroClean franchise system, contact 800-351-2282 or visit http://www.PuroClean.com/Franchise.

Known as the Paramedics of Property Damage, PuroClean provides water damage remediation, flood water removal, fire and smoke damage remediation, mold removal, and biohazard cleanup to commercial and residential customers. Founded in 2001, PuroClean has a comprehensive network of 290+ franchise offices across North America. PuroClean technicians are thoroughly screened, insured, and trained in utilizing the latest in mitigation technology and procedures, while operating under a strict code of ethics. Each PuroClean office is independently owned and operated. For more information about PuroClean, contact 800-775-7876 or visit http://www.puroclean.com; for franchise information, visit http://www.puroclean.com/franchise.

Rachel Tabacnic / Julie Hong Hemsworth Communications 954-716-7614PuroCleanPR@HemsworthCommunications.com

SOURCE PuroClean

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PuroClean Named A Top Franchise By Franchise Business Review For Second Consecutive Year - Franchising.com

(Shutterstock Photo)

No matter the age of your home, drywall damage will occur. Whether it be from doorknobs, roughhousing, minor water damage, moving furniture or mounting hardware from artwork, mirrors, TV mounts, window treatments, etc., it will happen. Minor damage is a relatively easy fix. Small screw or nail holes can even be patched with white toothpaste and touch painted to blend in.

Repairs to areas of major water damage are best left to the pros. You never know what kind of damage is lurking behind that drywall. There could be mold and that is something that is best left to a professional mold remediation expert.

The age and condition of the paint on your wall and stored paint from when it was applied are really the key factors in how quickly you will finish drywall repair projects. But its the quality of the patch work that is critical to restoring drywall to look like new. The paint will only look as good as the surface its applied to. A poor patch with a poor texture match will stand out more than youd expect, even with the best paint coating.

Nail holes in a wall where a picture used to hang can be filled with spackling paste, caulk or even toothpaste for an especially tiny hole; let it dry and sand it down before repainting.

For dents or holes larger than a quarter, drywall texture and drywall tape or mesh will be required to complete the project. Anything over a 2-inch square will require a scrap drywall piece to cut a filler piece along with the following tools:

Optional:

Water-damaged drywall can be identified in a few different ways. Oftentimes on ceilings and walls you will notice that there are ripples or blisters in the paint. If you feel the blisters and they arent solid or if the paint starts flaking off as soon as you touch it, you likely have a water issue.

(Shutterstock Photo)

You may even find water in the paint blisters which makes your investigation easy! Other common signs are areas where the drywall is soft to the touch and water stains/discoloration appear. Before you start a water-damaged drywall repair, be sure to identify and fix the source of the water intrusion.

If water is getting into your wall from rain, a sprinkler thats too close to your house or even from a plumbing leak, youre likely to see patches of damage on your walls near the spot of the intrusion. Thats because drywall has a paper backing, so when it gets wet, it can bubble and wrinkle, sort of like a sheet of paper does.

To diagnose the problem, place a 4-foot level across the damaged area and learn how much the sheetrock has sagged. If its more than about 3/8 of an inch, the structural integrity of the drywall is probably ruined and the section should be replaced.

If no sagging has occurred, use an awl to randomly push into the sheetrock. You should feel substantial resistance, and the awl shouldnt be able to penetrate the sheetrock any more than 1/8 of an inch without excessive force. However, if the awl goes through the sheetrock much deeper than 3/16 of an inch, consider replacing the section.

To replace the section: Use a utility knife to cut out the damaged area, leaving a square or rectangle so its easy to match up with a new patch of drywall. Look in the hole to see if the damage goes deeper than the drywall (to the studs, for example) and find the source of the leak so you can stop it before you fix the wall. Set up a fan near the hole you created and thoroughly dry the area before continuing. Cut a new piece of drywall to fit tightly into the hole you have created. You may have to back it with a piece of plywood. Then attach the drywall and use a good-quality drywall tape to cover the seams.

Prime, paint and keep a close eye on it in case the damage returns. That could signal a more serious water problem than you suspected.

To repair the damage: If the damage is superficial, you may not have to replace the drywall. Dry the area thoroughly, sand the blisters from the wall and prime the spot with a pigmented lacquer product called KILZ. This product will keep the stain from bleeding through a new coat of paint.

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Heres how to repair and patch damaged drywall - KTAR.com

A lawsuit filed this week asks for more oversight, more reporting, and more collaboration in the process.

The union repping Philly teachers has specific suggestions for how to remedy the rampant toxicity in the citys public schools.

In a45-page lawsuit filed Monday in the Court of Common Pleas, the union alleges that the School District of Philadelphia and Superintendent William Hite have repeatedly mishandled problems with asbestos, lead and mold inside school buildings.

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers formal complaint comes after a slew of exposed asbestos discoveries led to the closing of six facilities since the beginning of this school year.

Its not the only entity to go to court over the issue. The district is also being sued by the family of a student who ingested lead paint chips fallen from the ceiling of his classroom. A former teacher diagnosed with mesothelioma said in November shes planning to sue as well.

In the unions case, members are not looking for a financial payout. Instead, they want to help build new systems to detect and deal with asbestos and other toxins, so instances like this dont happen again.

How might that work? Here are eight things the PFTs lawsuit demands from the school district.

The PFT wants a streamlined method for staff at any given school to regularly report the conditions straight to the district and they want the reported info to be accessible by the union after its collected.

Not knowing a specific asbestos problem exists is no excuse, the union says. If a building poses a potential asbestos-related hazard to a school community regardless of whether or not its been documented in the past the school district should perform an urgent response inspection, the court filing demands.

Its not enough to assume the district is doing the work, PFT says in the suit. The union wants unfettered access to all the data, reports and schedules of asbestos-related work in school buildings across the district.

In addition to demanding that they be kept informed, the teachers union also demands that the district keep parents and students notified with relevant information like testing, inspection and remediation schedules with at least 48 hours notice.

Repeated multiple times in the unions suit is the demand that members get a hand in developing best practices, like universal metrics to compare the safety of facilities. The union also wants to be involved in determining when to conduct:

This ones pretty simple: If an inspection reveals that an area is hazardous, the school should be closed, the union suit says, and students and faculty should not be permitted inside.

The union wants the district to institute trainings for stakeholders think school employees, even parents and students so they can identify potential asbestos hazards on site.

Just to make sure all works as planned, the PFT wants the Court of Common Pleas to continue to monitor the situation,exercising jurisdiction until both the teachers union and the school district agree theyve set up a solid system.

And though the PFT isnt in this for the money, it wants the district to cover the legal fees involved in this suit and any other relief that may become necessary.

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How Philly teachers want the school district to fix the asbestos problem - Billy Penn

New York, November 29, 2019: The antimicrobial coatings market is expected to exceed more than US$ 4.4 Billion by 2022; Growing at a CAGR of more than 10% in the given forecast period under the normal conditions.

The report covers detailed company profile and competitive outlook including the market share of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include AkzoNobel NV, Dow Microbial Control, E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (DuPont) Diamond Vogel Paints Co. Ltd.,Sherwin-Williams Company and others. The Company profile includes such as business strategy and planning, financial summary, company summary, SWOT analysis and current developments.

Antimicrobial coatings are fast rising technique and it is a main component of the global mitigation policy of bacterial pathogens. To design surfaces by antimicrobial properties many options are available. Antimicrobial coatings create with the plan to shield the surfaces were it applied. Coating discharges antibacterial agent which is having large potential to decrease nosocomial infections. Antimicrobial coating prevents, kill and perform various actions to reduce growth of micro organisms include parasites, fungi and molds, bacteria, viruses and germs. It has been modified to achieve double role, the first role is it protect peoples from diseases causing micro organisms. The second main function is to protect application surface and minimizes the risk of infection.

The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for Antibacterial coatings with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.

Browse Full Report: https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/antimicrobial-coatings-market-report

This report provides:

1) An overview of the global market for antimicrobial coatings and related technologies.

2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2015, estimates for 2016 and 2017, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2023.

3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for antimicrobial coatings.

4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.

5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.

The major driving factors of antimicrobial coatings market are as follows:

Rising demand for anti microbial clothingIncreasing application of coating and additives in plastic packagingIncreasing medical application coatings market

The restraining factors of antimicrobial coatings market are as follows:

Require product innovation and efficacy for textile applicationsStrict environmental policiesHealth issues related by using silver in anti microbial coating

The Antimicrobial Coatings Market has been segmented as below:

The Antimicrobial Coatings Market is segmented on the Basis of Product Segment Analysis, Application Analysis and Regional Analysis. By Product Segment this market is segmented on the basis of Analysis Surface modification and coatings and Antimicrobial powder coatings. Surface modification and coatings is segmented into Pseudomona, Listeria, E-Coil and Others. Antimicrobial powder coatings is segmented into Silver and Others.

By Application Analysis this market is segmented on the basis of Food,Construction, Antimicrobial textiles, Medical/ healthcare, Mold remediation, Indoor air, quality/HVAC and Others. By Regional Analysis this market is segmented on the basis of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World.

Request Sample Report from here: https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/antimicrobial-coatings-market-report

Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights

5 Market Overview

6 Aerosol Cans Market, By Material Type

7 Aerosol Cans Market, By Product Type

8 Aerosol Cans Market, By Propellant Type

9 Aerosol Cans Market, By End-Use Sector

10 Aerosol Cans Market, By Region

11 Competitive Landscape

10.1 Overview10.2 Growth Strategies Adopted By Leading Companies10.3 New Product Launches10.4 Mergers & Acquisitions10.5 Investments & Expansions

12 Company Profiles

12.1 Ball Corporation

12.2 Crown Holdings Inc.

12.3 Ardagh Packaging Holdings Limited

12.4 Nampak Ltd.

12.5 Westrock Company

12.6 CCL Industries, Inc.

12.7 Colep Portugal S.A.

12.8 Bway Corporation

12.9 Exal Corporation

12.10 Alucon Public Company Limited

12.11 DS Containers, Inc.

12.12 Shanghai Sunhome Industrial Company

12.13 Spray Products Corporation

12.14 ITW Sexton Co.

12.15 Jamestrong Packaging

12.16 Aero-Pack Industries, Inc.

12.17 Zenith Spray and Aerosols Private Limited

Other Chemical and Materials Related Research Report:

3D Printing Materials Market Size is Projected to be Around US$ 1400 million by 2022

Calcium Carbonate Market is Expected to Exceed US$ 28.5 Billion by 2023

Chemical Tanker Market Drivers, Opportunities, Trends, and Forecast by 2023

Media Contact

Company Name: Market Research Engine

Contact Person: John Bay

Email: john@marketresearchengine.com

Phone: +1-855-984-1862

Country: United States

Website: https://www.marketresearchengine.com/

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Antimicrobial Coatings Market Future Scope (2019-2025): Outlook, Growth, Trends, Analysis and Forecast - Markets Gazette 24

Bleach is great for killing mold on nonporous surfaces such as grout and tile, concrete, or linoleum. However, it is ineffective for killing mold on porous surfaces such as wood or drywall because bleach cannot penetrate beyond the top layer of these materials, leaving the mold roots intact. It may temporarily look cleaner as the bleach will clean the surface, but the mold will soon return.

The Badger likes to use chlorinated bleach for tile, grout, and non-porous substances, but otherwise, prefers one of the alternative solutions listed below. This is because bleach is extremely caustic and can cause rust on metals, heavy vapors in the air (make sure the area is well ventilated), and can damage skin. If you do choose to use bleach, be sure to wear gloves, and use the instructions below.

To clean mold with chlorinated bleach:

Lastly, never mix bleach with Ammonia as it will create poison gas and YOU WILL DIE.

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Mold Removal Products and DIY Cleaning Solutions

Melissa Godoy with family dog Roman, a French bulldog and dachshund mix, at their off-post rental home in Olympia, Nov. 18, 2019. Godoy's family, including their dog, experienced health issues at their previous home. (Lindsey Wasson for Crosscut)

Advocate and military spouse Leigh Tuttle points at that decision as a possible turning point. My worry is that through the contracting process, the Army essentially sold their soul to the devil for 50 years, she said.

Tuttle recently relocated to the Tacoma area when her husband transferred to JBLM, but she moved her family into off-base civilian housing after she had similar problems with mold and health problems while living at a previous military installation. She has testified before Congress and regularly takes to social media to speak out on housing and other issues impacting military families. She said its not just about the health of individuals at stake, but potentially severe impacts on military readiness.

JBLM is a hub for special operations, and we are still a nation at war. Soldiers who are deployed to theater should never have to worry about their loved ones living in a hotel room for weeks on end due to the negligence of privatized housing, said Tuttle.The Army needs to take a strong and meaningful stance against these companies that are harming our soldiers and families, and to prove they do care and to rebuild a sense of community.

In January 2019, Godoy still had bronchitis. By that time military leadership had gotten more involved. During a visit by leaders from her husbands unit, housing maintenance personnel were present, and Godoy asked them to look for mold. A maintenance specialist checked the crawl space, came back and reported that there was an improperly installed shower drain. It wasfixed the same day. Godoy asked him if he saw mold, and he told her he hadnt looked and to call housing if she had other concerns.

She did. Godoy went directly to the housing manager and complained that the staff had dismissed and ignored concerns about mold, despite repeated documented instances of water buildup from bad plumbing. She said the manager insisted again that there was no mold and told Godoy to talk to a doctor instead of housing personnel about her symptoms.

By summer she and her children were still sick. My doctor was really concerned about my toddler, she said. Doctors asked her if she had mold in her house, telling her that could potentially explain the symptoms. I told them I dont know.Housing says theres not, Godoy told Crosscut.

Godoy said she was rapidly losing weight, up to 5 pounds a month. She found herself in the emergency room and urgent care several times. She got tested for cancer and the test came back negative. We couldnt find an explanation for why I was losing so much weight and why I couldnt eat anything, said Godoy. It really scared my husband and me because I would cry every day, thinking to myself, Why am I so sick? How can I go from this CrossFit, boxing athlete to this withering away woman?

In July she asked maintenance to come to her house again. They told her they found nothing. I just decided to look for myself, Godoy said. She grabbed a flathead screwdriver and hammer and began to peel off wood paneling in the bathroom near the shower. She quickly found grayish shading in the wall. She said that when she turned over the wood panel in her hand there was black fuzzy spotty stuff all on the inside of it. I found it, I found out why me and my family are so ...sick.

She continued pulling off panels, finding more mold. Same thing, black stuff, all inside of it, she said. She then noticed a piece of tile at the base of the shower that was abnormally white. They had painted over it, she said. It looked like mildew was coming through the paint. She decided to pry that loose too, and said she found black, wet fuzz inside. It was covered in toxic mold, she said.

She called LMH and recorded the walkthrough on her phone. She demanded to know how they could miss the mold for months even as she specifically asked them about it. They put us in a hotel within the hour, she said. She posted video and people began reaching out. Godoy started a Facebook group called Lincoln Military Housing Toxic Homes JBLM. It soon grew to over 1,000 members. She began to receive messages from other families reaching out to her with reports of breathing problems, rashes and other issues. Some asked her to look through their houses asshe had her own.

She started doing walkthroughs with families and pulling up boards. She said that within just the first week she found mold in 26 houses. [We] found really high levels of toxic mold in their houses, she said. They began posting videos and sharing resources on how to find mold. Other families began tearing out panels and tiles to look for mold. They also reached out to local TV stations.

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Military families are getting sick from mold in their homes. Now they're suing - Crosscut

FAIRFIELD, CT Work to remove arsenic from the Jennings Elementary School playscapes starts this weekend, Superintendent Mike Cummings said Friday afternoon in an email to parents.

The arsenic, which leached into the soil from treated wood timbers surrounding the playscapes, was found when officials in August ordered contamination testing of all school district fields and playscapes not already identified for tests after contaminants uncovered at a park were connected to the misuse of town fill. The elevated arsenic at Jennings is otherwise unrelated to the fill pile controversy, which involves the contamination of public sites across town and multiple felony charges against two former Fairfield employees and a contractor.

"Many thanks to the Jennings community for their patience during this process," Cummings said in the email. "It took too long."

Crews from ACV Enviro will be on site Saturday and Sunday to remove the contaminated soil and timbers, according to the email. Town environmental consultant Tighe & Bond will be present as well to monitor the dust. Residents are asked to stay away from the school over the weekend.

The remediation at Jennings will involve about 250 tons of soil, Cummings told school board members at a meeting Thursday.

"It's, like, railroad cars full of soil," he said. "... It's an extensive project."

The ground under the removed soil will need additional testing to confirm all the contaminated material is gone, the email said. The tests will take place Monday, with results anticipated Tuesday. If the tests show there is no more contamination, crews will put down new clean soil and wood chips. The work will require students to stay inside, but the playscapes will be ready for use by Thanksgiving.

Should tests find more remediation is needed, work will continue Thanksgiving weekend and the completion date will be pushed back, according to the email.

"Continued testing is part of the remediation process," school board Chairman Christine Vitale said at the Thursday meeting.

Also Thursday, Cummings updated the board on another situation requiring testing and remediation the discovery of mold at Fairfield Ludlowe High School. Pressure leaks from a steam pipe may have contributed to mold in the floor, he said. The mold appears contained to one room in the staff office area, Cummings said after the meeting, noting licensed environmental professional Woodard & Curran as well as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have been involved in responding to the issue.

The office is vacated, with all visible mold removed, according to Cummings, who said the district will ensure testing is conducted to determine if there is any lingering mold. Headmaster Greg Hatzis also sent an email to the Ludlowe community clarifying the situation in response to "conjecture," Cummings said.

Remediation plans are still pending for the former McKinley Elementary School playground and a walkway at Mill Hill Elementary School, he said.

Since August, at least 66 areas in Fairfield have been tested for contamination amid concerns about misuse of fill. The vast majority have been deemed safe, but some sites were found to contain asbestos and other contaminants.

Fairfield had accrued roughly $609,000 in costs connected to environmental consulting, remediation and additional expenses for sites other than the town fill pile, as of a Board of Finance meeting in late October. Another approximately $406,000 was projected to be spent on similar services at the time of the meeting.

For more information about contamination testing and remediation, visit fpsct.net/fieldsor http://www.fairfieldct.org/filluseissues.

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Remediation At Jennings Elementary School Starts This Weekend - Fairfield, CT Patch

WEST TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - The West Vigo Elementary School building will reopen to students and staff on Wednesday, but some classrooms impacted by mold will remain off limits.

Vigo County School Corporation Communications Director, Bill Riley, says crews are continuing to deal with the mold issue at the school. He says the entire school was tested and the issue is isolated to three rooms, which tested 'slightly out of above the industry standard' foraspergillus/penicillium.

The rooms that tested positive are receiving new flooring, new ceiling tiles, new point, and new air filters. The school corporation also rented air scrubbers to clean and circulate the air.

In a release late last Friday, the school corporation noted, "The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry notes that all air indoors and outdoors contains fungal spores, and that aspergillus/penicillium is not the same as stachybotrys chartarum, the black mold that has most been associated with the toxic effects of fungal exposure."

School officials are looking into the possible source of the mold.There will be more testing before allowing students back in the affected classrooms. Another week or two may pass before that can happen.

A handful of students and staff reported coughing and eye irritation last Thursday afternoon, prompting an evacuation. As a precaution, students were sent to Consolidated Elementary on Friday, and again on Monday.Tuesday, Vigo County schools are not in session as educators attend the 'Red for Ed Action Day' in Indianapolis.

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School building to reopen this week, some classrooms remain off limits as mold is handled - WTHITV.com

Finding mold in your home can be pretty scary. But while many molds are generally harmless, some can contain mycotoxins and be harmful, which is why its smart to identify the source of a mold problem and take steps to remove it. But is removing mold a DIY project or one that requires the specialized skills of a pro? The answer is it depends but generally speaking, if the affected area is small enough, mold removal can very well be a project you can do yourself! Heres where to begin:

Before you consider whether to fight the mold battle yourself, its important to understand the enemy. Mold tends to thrive in moist/damp environments but mold spores spread quickly and easily through the air. Nearly all molds carry the risk of nasal, lung, or eye irritation for people who have sensitivities to them. In some cases, mold can cause infection and can be particularly dangerous to individuals with suppressed immune systems or asthma.

The CDC identifies the most common types of mold as:

Growing indoors or outdoors, cladosporium mold and spreads through the air and appears as black, green, or brown.

The word penicillus is Latin for paintbrush which is what the spores of Penicillium mold resemble. Although the source of the first ever antibiotic, this mold can trigger reactions to those with allergies. It is the most commonly found in indoor environments and is a good indicator of dampness in a building.

Alternia mold is more commonly found outdoors but can be spread quite rapidly during dry, windy conditions. Pale gray to olive brown in color, it is known as a well-recognized allergenic.

Aspergillus spores can cause a number of health problems from irritation to serious infections. It is powdery in texture and has a very high growth rate.

However, there are more than just four types of mold and any variety of mold can pose risks to the health and/or air quality of your home environment.

But knowing what kinds of molds there are, does not help alleviate the problem if you are experiencing mold in your home. Even if there are no immediate health risks to anyone in your household, the odor and damage to your property is enough reason to start the mold removal process as soon as possible.

There are a number of ways to treat and go about mold removal but it is important to know the EPA recommends hiring a professional if the affected area is more than 10 feet (3x3 approximately) in size. They suggest reading their Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings guide which applies to all buildings.

But if you are a DIYer who wants to clean up a moldy problem here are some tips for you to follow. Remember to always wear proper safety equipment including eye protection, mask, and non-porous gloves.

Determine the source of mold. This is critical to not only determining the extent of the damage but making the necessary repairs to prevent future mold infestation.

If you are removing absorbent materials such as moldy ceiling tiles, wood, carpet, or flooring, be sure to have plenty of ventilation. Open the windows and use a fan to pull spore-infested air away from you, out the window. Cut flooring in sections before bagging and disposing of them. Vacuum area thoroughly. Ensure you have proper ventilation as doing so will certainly stir up spores.

Detergent and Warm Water

Vinegar

Mold can make your safe home a place of concern and risk. After cleaning your mold, be sure to prevent future mold problems by following these 10 tips on having a mold-free home.

With any DIY project, always make sure to follow manufacturers instructions and when working with absorbent materials, do a spot check to make sure the surface will not be harmed by the treatment. If it all seems to work out and no damage is being caused to the surface, these mold removal tips may be the answer youve been searching for.

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Do-It-Yourself Mold Removal | The Money Pit