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The Bar Room => The Bar (ON-TOPIC) => Topic started by: Schnerby on December 01, 2009, 07:38:25 PM

Title: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: Schnerby on December 01, 2009, 07:38:25 PM
I remember having a discussion about mould back in summer. This time I need advice again. The mould on the walls and things in summer was a dark greenish colour. Now I have mould and it is white and sort of cauliflower like in appearance. It's all over one wall in my loungeroom. The wall also has great big patches of dampness, is clearly changing shape (the window frame in it is warping) and is becoming flaky. I'm starting to worry about my health!

So, I have taken photographs and will go back to the foreign affairs office this afternoon. The maintenance lady is rude and useless, so I need to go over her head.

Do you think it would be ok to scrape the wall back like they have done before so it will hold out the 2 months until I leave? Is the only solution to stay away from that room?
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: Yokie Kuma on December 01, 2009, 09:26:58 PM
Ick.  (sorry ....)

One of the problems with scraping is what gets released in the air ......
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: Lotus Eater on December 01, 2009, 09:45:35 PM
Can you put some bleach in a spray bottle and spray it?  May need to stay out for the afternoon until the smell goes, but that should kill it, without you having to touch it.  It will still be on the wall, but not growing any more.
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: kitano on December 01, 2009, 09:57:14 PM
you have to nuke it

fungus is like cockroaches. you will have to pay someone to bring some evil chemicals in and make the room uninhabitable for anything except chemicals for a month

and yeah you can't live with fungus. they propogate by putting spores into the air, ergo into your lungs. you will get ill or maybe even worse catch a disease

leaving fungus in your living room is more unhealthy than leaving a poo in your living room

if you are leaving soon i'd stay out of that room till you can go
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: Wags on December 01, 2009, 10:03:45 PM
 bjbjbjbjbj
What Yokie said, if you aerosol it then you're sure to get sick. Best to see if you can move, the cauliflower shape you describe sounds like it's sporing and when it does those air borne spores will also sicken you. Spraying it with bleach will stop it for a while but I do wonder what is lurking unseen around that dampened wall.

I had a similar situation last year and my wife, who is normally the picture of perfect health, developed a chronic cough and through mid winter almost became asthmatic due to it. These problems disappeared almost instantly on moving, that really speaks volumes. Health is precious and even though you're out in two months, I'd strongly advise you to put health before convenience.
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: George on December 01, 2009, 10:11:35 PM
Maybe it's not mould, but Efflorescence...chemicals leaching out of the damp concrete.

"Efflorescence is a white crystalline or powdery, often fluffy/fuzzy deposit on the surface of masonry materials like concrete, brick, clay tile, etc.  It's caused by water seeping through the wall/floor/object. The water dissolves salts inside the object while moving through it, then evaporates leaving the salt on the surface.

It can be relatively easy to remove compared to some other stains. Often these salts are water soluble and, if outside, may disappear of their own accord with normal weathering.  This is particularly true of "new-building bloom."   The water soluble salts can be removed by dry brushing or with water and a stiff brush.  Heavy accumulation or stubborn deposits of white efflorescence salts can usually be removed with a solution of muriatic acid and scrubbing (1 part acid to 12 parts water -- this is a real acid, follow precautions on the label).  Wet the surface well before and after the solution is applied.  
Less common salts, that change their chemical structure during efflorescence formation, require proprietary compounds to remove."

There is a link for more information......with pictures
http://www.aldonchem.com/popup-ab-efflorescence.htm (http://www.aldonchem.com/popup-ab-efflorescence.htm)

Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: ting on December 01, 2009, 10:42:34 PM
try the bleach idea first.  cheap, quick. if you are in south china with no heat in the room the problem may be more difficult to solve. dehumidifier also helpful. mold, or mould, needs wet places.  may release spores into the air, with negative health consequences for you.  but that's maybe. or buy a heater for the room. dry the air
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: AMonk on December 01, 2009, 11:25:12 PM
I'm with George on this one. 

Sounds like there's water inside the stonework that is seeping out.  The wall is "safe" bfbfbfbfbf but it will need to finish being dried out aoaoaoaoao before any more work is done to it.  And you should NOT have to do that.

If you don't need the space, close off the room and ignore it until you leave. :wtf:
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: Schnerby on December 02, 2009, 02:04:05 AM
George, I reckon you hit the nail on the head. The wall has big damp spots.

I won't be doing anything to the wall. I simply went to the FAO and declared my  house unsafe. They are getting in specialist workers, so until then I shall stay away!

The problem is that is my main wall in my main room. I have people over and we spend our time in that room. Sigh.
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: mlaeux on December 02, 2009, 03:22:51 AM
Mold is a big problem in Florida.

When my BF was building her house she went there everyday searching for signs of mold. When she found it, the builders blasted it with a solution of bleach. Now this article doesn't say that will necessarily work every time. http://www.spore-tech.com/viewCategory.asp?idCategory=78 (http://www.spore-tech.com/viewCategory.asp?idCategory=78) Here is another site that says bleach is useless and a health hazard, but I don't think you have any controll over the solution they suggest. http://www.moldacrossamerica.org/notobleach.htm (http://www.moldacrossamerica.org/notobleach.htm) This article suggests using trisodium phosphate (TSP). http://www.wisegeek.com/how-can-i-clean-moldy-walls.htm (http://www.wisegeek.com/how-can-i-clean-moldy-walls.htm)

I wish I could be more helpful. the solution around here (to effectively get rid of it) is to replace the drywall with a "green board." And in 10 years you can plan on doing it over again.

Now I'm just gonna throw something out there that may sound a little wacky, but the health food stores here sell olive leaf and oregano to kill fungal infections internally. What about making  a strong batch of olive leaf tea and scrubbing a small patch on the walls and see what happens?
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: kitano on December 02, 2009, 03:50:28 AM
take off and nuke the site from orbit

it's the only way to be sure ababababab
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: Schnerby on December 02, 2009, 04:18:58 AM
Now I'm just gonna throw something out there that may sound a little wacky, but the health food stores here sell olive leaf and oregano to kill fungal infections internally. What about making  a strong batch of olive leaf tea and scrubbing a small patch on the walls and see what happens?
Olive oil is difficult enough to find here...

I think it's probably a damp problem. Really they need to gut this building and start again. I think the bottom floor (where I live) and the top floor (where nobody lives) are the worst.
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: mlaeux on December 02, 2009, 09:26:08 AM
When is your contract up?
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: Schnerby on December 02, 2009, 01:48:40 PM
January. I was going to renew, but I have to head home for a little while. I will be travelling most of January, so it's really just another month here.
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: mlaeux on December 02, 2009, 02:48:06 PM
Is it possible to relocate to a less moldy or mold-less building?
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: Schnerby on December 02, 2009, 03:53:37 PM
Working on it. If the workers that are coming on Thursday don't fix it to my liking I'm going to have to live somewhere else. I don't want to be breathing in toxic yuckies.
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: china-matt on December 02, 2009, 07:06:51 PM
Every apartment I had in Shenzhen had mold.

One of the best and eco-friendly ways to get rid of it is by using white vinegar and a sponge. I would definitely buy a breathing mask so you don't inhale all that stuff while you scrub. Unfortunately, it's only a temporary solution and you may have to scrub a few times a year.
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: Escaped Lunatic on December 03, 2009, 06:18:01 AM
take off and nuke the site from orbit

it's the only way to be sure ababababab

It's hard to find good nukes these days, so I suggest chemical warfare.

Now if only there was a clear liquid that would act as an industrial solvent.  Something readily available in stores throughout china.  Maybe check those bottles next to where they have the beer.  ahahahahah



BTW - You'll need a spray bottle to load that baijiu into.  bjbjbjbjbj


Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: Schnerby on December 03, 2009, 05:22:17 PM
I'm going with the theory that it isn't mould, but it's still a theory.

I'll let you know what the workers say.

Actually maybe not. The guy who came before for the wall muttered in some kind of dialect. I only managed to pick the words for wall, not good and countless profanities.
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: George on December 03, 2009, 10:02:24 PM
Quote
but it's still a theory.
Betcha a beer I'm right! agagagagag agagagagag
Title: Re: Advice needed: Mould
Post by: Schnerby on December 03, 2009, 10:45:52 PM
Beers at my place tonight. You're welcome to join us.  agagagagag