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Old 05-16-2009, 02:21 PM
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t walgamuth t walgamuth is offline
dieselarchitect
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Lafayette Indiana
Posts: 38,611
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmbdiesel View Post
If water can get in, then enough air can get in as well. The best thing is to dry the area, and eliminate the opportunity for water to enter again. My experience is that mold will grow anywhere it can find moisture and food.(wood, paper, any organic material) Boric acid is an excellent mold killer, if you can get it to the affected area. Sounds like the long term solution is going to be regrading the uphill side, so the water cannot build up. Obviously the drainage system you designed requires someone to give a crap about maintaining it, which seems to be lacking with the current owners. Every house I have built into hillsides (4) was graded in such a way as to channel water coming off the hillside around the house, in addition to having a french drain with perforated pipe buried around the foundation. Gutters also need to carry all the water away from the uphill side of the house.

The only cure for mold is to remove the water.
Yes. If he straightens out his gutter and keeps the mud and weeds out of the area I believe he will have no more trouble. I am planning to create a scupper or something to provide an outlet other than going over the wall into his entry way.

I am hoping we can get it dried out before the mold has a chance to grow. I'd rather not peel off the drwall in that area and redo all the finishes!

Is there a way to test air quality to see if its growing?
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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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