This is a reprint of an article posted by Kurt and Lee Ann Billings, authors of Mold: The War Within. Thanks to Kurt and Lee Ann for their recommendations. Please check out their Facebook page for an ongoing educational blog.
TIP OF THE DAY:
Day 47 of Our 50 Days of Fun—no sugar/no grains. Building a house or making repairs to an already existing house can be a daunting task. There are so many choices to research and decisions to make. Even more overwhelming, is trying to make sure that the choices we make will result in a mold-free structure for years of problem-free living.
Preventing structural mold in our homes and work places is imperative to maintaining a healthy quality of indoor air. Many structural mold problems begin innocently enough—a threaded pipe under the sink becomes unscrewed causing water to leak into the cabinet, a crack forms in the wax ring under the toilet allowing water to leak into the flooring and subflooring, or blowing rainwater enters under a front or back door where the weatherstripping has become cracked and dried with age. Other times, structural mold is a direct result of errors made in the design stage or during the construction process.
How do we, as mere lay people—non contractors—protect ourselves and our properties from these all-too-commonly occurring maintenance and construction mishaps? It’s not likely we can become experts in all phases of the remodeling or building processes, but some helpful tips from someone who is an expert in mold-free construction can give us the shortcut to knowledge that will work for our tight-schedules.
Such invaluable tips can conveniently be found in the book, Mold-free Construction, which is authored by Doug Hoffman, Executive Director of the National Organization of Remediators and Mold Inspectors (NORMI). His straight-to-the-point advice is drawn from his years of experience as a professional in the building industry with certifications and licenses as a general contractor, roofing contractor, plumbing contractor, indoor air quality consultant, mold inspector and remediator. As the head of NORMI, Mr. Hoffman is a uniquely qualified expert to guide us, the property owners, through the process of creating a mold-free structure.
In Mold-Free Construction, Mr. Hoffman addresses the decisions property owners face in all facets of the building process and details the impact each decision has on the goal of creating a mold-free structure:
• Lot selection, grading and drainage
• Foundation considerations
• The “dry-in” stage
• Plumbing considerations
• Roofing considerations
• HVAC considerations
• Indoor air quality considerations
• Finishes and furnishing considerations
The best time to educate ourselves regarding the many subspecialties in home construction and remodeling is before design and construction begins. We can’t rely on budget-focused general contractors or time-pressed crews. We have to become knowledgeable ourselves about the details that make a difference in creating a mold-free home or workplace. We don’t want to learn the hard way—as it can not only put our pocketbooks in peril but also our health in distress.
Mold-Free Construction is now available on Kindle for only $4.99; and Amazon Prime members can “borrow” it for free. Just click on this embedded link: