Before a patient can recover from mold-related illness, the air quality in the spaces the patient lives and works must be corrected.  For this reason, I am presenting the account of the measures I have taken and continue to take to make my space habitable.

Indoor air quality specialists agree that air rises so the quality of air in the lowest part of a structure, including a basement or crawl space, can have a simply enormous impact on the quality of the air in the living and breathing space. 

	In my situation, the air in the crawl space was contaminated first with mold and then with the toxic caulks and adhesives used to seal the space.  The vapors continued to out gas for several months so to make life more bearable, we decided to reverse the air pressure.
	The purpose of this work was to cause the crawl space to develop negative pressure so that air from the house would move to the crawl space rather than vice versa.  Blowing the toxic air out through a vent was a secondary goal.  The real idea was to create negative pressure in the crawl space.
	The first 24 hours failed to create the necessary pressure so further testing was performed. This system sucks fresh air from outside in and then further tests are conducted.
	This picture shows measurements being taken.  Readings were taken from all registers in the house as well as the return, attic, and crawl space.
	Close up of the unit placed over the register (foot holding down the device which has rubber suction around the edge.)
	Reading on the first floor.
	Reading from the attic.

 

All these measures failed to achieve the purpose so the fan was removed and the pressure was allowed to revert to the previous state, i.e., air from the crawl space would not only be sucked into the HVAC system but it would rise to the living space of the house.  The only solution would seem to be to have a source of good quality air in the crawl space.

 

Ingrid Naiman
27 January 2006

 

Addressing the moisture in the garage

 

Hidden Mold in Crawl Space || Installation of Crawl Space Encapsulation

CleanSpace Installation A-Z || Garage

Remediation Attire || Duct Cleaning || Particulates || Mold Dog

Sacred Medicine Sanctuary

Copyright by Ingrid Naiman 2005

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