Mold, Mildew, And Overcrowding Troubles Jersey City School

Jersey City School 20 gave Governor Chris Christie a tour of their damaged facilities, hoping that state funds that were once earmarked for a new building can again be made available, according to today's Jersey Journal.

The school is, quite frankly, not in good condition. Water damage that had caused patches of mold and mildew was clearly evident, reports said.

Storage closets, school officials said, have been split in half and are being used as spaces for various activities, including a speech therapy class and a guidance counselor's office.

The auditorium has been divided into several rooms to accommodate a library, a computer lab, an in-school suspension room and a stage for assemblies, officials said.

"We've had a promise for a new school for years now," said Fletcher Walker, the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) president.

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Library Still Closed: Work To Be Done To Ensure Mold Does Not Grow

The Manchester Library remains closed because of water damage caused when a pipe burst on Nov. 25.

Friends of Manchester Library, the nonprofit group that owns the building, and Kitsap Regional Library on Wednesday released a preliminary estimate of $4,800 for the contents damaged by the water that inundated the building.

In adition there are a few other items that need to be included in the inventory of damaged contents before the loss is finalized.

There is still no overall estimate of the cost to repair the building.

Cleanup, demolition and work to assure that mold does not grow in the building is still underway.

Two contractors have examined the building and FOML and KRL expect to receive bids on the re-construction work in the coming week or so.

Those bids, in addition to identifying the cost of reconstruction, will also identify the time line for the work.

When KRL receives that information, officials will issue an estimate of when the library can reopen.

In the meantime, KLR will reopen the book drop box at the Manchester Branch on Dec. 27, the Monday after Christmas.

At that point, Manchester area library users will be able to return books to the Manchester book drop instead of taking them into the Port Orchard Branch or other library branches.

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Mold Threatens Library After Broken Pipe

BUTTE, Mont. -- Butte-Silver Bow Public Library is home to 70,000 items, but now the doors are closed, some shelves are empty and fans are helping to soak up what's left of Monday night's catastrophe.

"We had a tremendous amount of water rushing down the walls of the library," said Lee Phillips, director of the library.

A fire suppression system broke inside one of the walls, flooding three floors of the four story building.

"It started compromising the ceiling tiles and then it was raining down into the different rooms and collections," said Phillips.

The library was closed at the time it happened but a neighbor saw it and called it in. The children's area on the first floor was hit the hardest. This area makes up one-third of the library's collection. Phillips estimated that one-third of those books have been damaged. They had to rip up the carpet in several rooms to avoid mold problems.

The city's insurance company is checking the structure for damage and safety. Some of the water damage is unseen behind the walls, that's why it will take weeks to know how much is really lost. Until then, library staff will be cleaning up and checking what books needs to be replaced in order to get their collection back to normal.

"It's a public building it needs to be safe for the public," said Phillips. "That's why we are going to do everything we can to make sure it's just as good as before if not better."

Phillips believes it might be weeks before the library is back open and even then it will open back up slowly in sections. She said any members that currently have checked out books should hold on to them for now.

Phillips said the community has been very supportive and many people have come by to ask if they could help in any way by cleaning up or holding a fund-raiser.

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Abandoned Property Is Trouble For Neighbors

The abandoned rowhouse next door to Wendy and Brian Malaney has been a nightmare of a neighbor.

The rowhouse's roofing material blew off, and water seeped through the Malaneys' adjoining walls. Later the pipes burst in the neighboring property, flooding their basement. The air they and their two young daughters breathe is now heavy with the noxious stink of mold.

Abandoned buildings are a perennial problem in Baltimore — a city where many residents share connecting walls. Nearly one-third of the city's 16,000 uninhabitable properties are near occupied homes, city officials say. And a key part of Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's new plan to attack vacancies is ratcheting up code enforcement on blocks where many residents still live, issuing fines more quickly.

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Families Still Find Damage After Flood

Onslow County -- Professional cleaners at PuroClean in Havelock are still getting phone calls most days about mold problems in people's homes. Today they went through the home of Wesley Turner on Nine Mile Road in Onslow County and found mold in the master bedroom and under the house.

Turner says he had no idea water even went under his house during the storm. The plastic vapor barriers washed to the side and mold formed on the beams and sub-flooring in the home. The duct work under the house had holes and so the mold blew right into the bedroom through the vents.

Turner hopes to get help from FEMA to pay for the repairs to his home. He says that he, his wife, and even his dog have mild health problems because of the mold.

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Town Commissioners Fear Mold

PILOT MOUNTAIN — Town commissioners decided last night to let new customers on Westfield Road connect to the town’s water system for a reduced rate.

For the next 90 days, residents living on Westfield Road between Main Street and the new middle school can hook up to the water/sewer system for $400, unless city crews hit rock, then they will be asked to pay for the actual cost of the hook-up. Eligible property owners will receive a notice in the main from the Town of Pilot Mountain.

According to Town Manager Blair Knox, the regular fee to tap into the lines is $950.

During the meeting, commissioners also agreed to take over the water and sewer lines which were paid for and authorized by county commissioners. The county installed water and sewer lines from inside town limits out to the new middle school. Residents on Westfield Road have been meeting with town and county officials expressing an interest in being able to hook to town water and sewer lines.

In other business, resident Chet Jessup came before the board to ask for its backing in the annual Branscome/East Memorial Walk that will take place on Jan. 29, the 42nd anniversary of the death of two Pilot Mountain police officers who were murdered on the U.S. 52 bypass behind East Surry High School. The board agreed to continue its support of the walk.

The board also adopted an amendment to the town’s zoning ordinance. Parking will now be limited on Main Street from Key Street to Davis Street. Any vehicles left more than 48 hours will be ticketed. Signs will be posted along Main Street noting the ordinance change.

The board also agreed to allow a dog grooming businesses to set up shop in the general and central business districts of town.

Knox announced after the meeting that town flags are now available for purchase for $55. The flags are available at town hall.

Knox asked for local contractors to stop by town hall to give him estimates on sealing the roof, which is causing water and mold damage to the building.

No town meeting will be held in December. The next Pilot Mountain board meeting will be on Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. in the basement of town hall.

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Don't Let Mold Turn Your House Into A Nightmare

No two words strike more fear in a homeowner’s heart than black and mold.

Lurking inside walls and hidden in ductwork, mold can turn a dream house into a nightmare.

But Mark Wilson, owner of the AdvantaClean franchise that serves Washtenaw County, wants homeowners to take a deep breath: While mold can cause problems, it can also be cleaned up, even black mold.

And while toxic black mold (stacci botrus) is what gets the attention, it is relatively rare, Wilson said. (See Mold Myths below)

“We get calls all the time from people worried about black mold. We don’t like to scare people about it. There are thousands of types of mold and most aren’t toxic.”

Homeowners should keep an eye out for telltale signs: Water stains, a musty smell or allergic reactions such as itching or watery eyes. Anyone who has water damage should also be vigilant, Wilson said.

While mold can be a problem in any house, it’s more common in newer construction where there is a tighter seal and less air circulation.

Mold can thrive in typical places such as basements but it can also be found in crawl spaces, inside ductwork, in attics and around doors and windows.

“It likes organic materials such as wood. It loves drywall. Drywall is the perfect growing material because the gypsum holds the moisture and the paper is the mold’s food,” Wilson said.

Mold comes in different colors, Wilson said. “It can be red, black, brown, greenish, whitish and some is even fuzzy.”

Wilson has seen nightmares, most often in foreclosed homes. A growing part of his mold remediation business (25 percent) is with foreclosed properties, he said.

As families abandon their homes, banks takeover and frequently turn off power, disabling sump pumps. Water and the sewer back up, creating a massive playground for mold to grow.

“I’ve walked into some very nice homes and the basements were completely black,” Wilson said.

There are ways to keep mold from taking hold. Outside grading should be away from the house, ventilation is important, make sure downspouts are in good repair, avoid ice dams in the winter and completely dry out water damage within 72 hours.

Mold remediation isn’t cheap. While jobs vary greatly in size, the average is about $1,400, Wilson said. He’s had small jobs that ran $200 and one job where black mold covered the entire house for $35,000.

An air scrubber with a HEPA filter is usually used to clear the air. If the mold has penetrated large areas of drywall, it’s usually removed. Cement block is scrubbed. It’s time-consuming work.

“You may have to scrub the studs, the pipes and even every wire,” Wilson said. “It’s a very detailed cleaning.”

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