Could it be mold? I need some opinions

I am not certified in mold yet but I did a whole house insp. today and three rooms including a bathroom had little black spots bleeding through the fresh paint. the best way to explain it was dotting the wall with a sharpie then trying to painting over it. What do you think?

If it is drywall and has at least a 12 percent moisture reading it could be. It would not be the first time I have seen something like that. You might want to suggest to have somebody who is certified in mold take a look at it just in case.

Thanks that is the path that I led them down I hope they follow through.
Thanks again

Moisture readings will only tell you if there is active moisture not weather theres mold or not.

But if conditions are present, it is more likely mold. I did not say anywhere in the post that it was mold or not.

When you perform a mold inspection, you should look for any indications of moisture. More moisture, more of a chance for considered toxic mold.

And don’t forget High Relative Humidity (over 50%) . Moisture, high humidity & a food source = a prime breeding ground for mould.

Doug

when using the moisture meter remember that flood restoration companies usually consider any reading under 15% to be considered normal and acceptable.
Also RH plays a part in the factor along with moisture intrusion or shower splash, heavy steam can factor in and exhaust fan or window, and do they use them.
justa few things to think about, If in doubt call it out as " possible mold like substance/stain present"
and leave it at theat with the get a mold inspection done to verify

That is correct.

Too bad we are not talking about flood restoration. We are talking about mold. According to most major mold organization mold can start to grow if drywall has more than 12 percent moisture for 24-48 hours. This would explain why most of the the flood restoration companies in my area that I inspect behind, I find mold.](*,)

12% ?

14% is considered conducive for WDI.

12% seems quite low.

What does insects like termites have to do with mold?

James,

I realize you have a bent toward mold and all that jazz. The comment regarding WDI is that building science ties into all of this. Bottom line is that if you poke a sheetrock wall with a moisture probe, it will show some percentage of moisture content. Around here, 6% to 8% is fairly normal. The folks who deal with mold remediation all the time (not the mold vultures, but flood restoration companies) have chimed in with their percentages. If there aint enough moisture at 12% to sustain a BUG, where are your own claims coming from?

From the training of IESO, AmIAQ, and MICRO. Also a mold spore is smaller than a bug, thus less moisture is needed. If you see moisture above 4% without moisture intrusion than you have a high wet ball. 6 to 8% moisture are warning signs in my area. Even wall studs that are going to be resheet rocked need to be below 12%. I guess, you will need to get real mold training to understand.

[quote=jfarsetta]
James,
I realize you have a bent toward mold and all that jazz. quote]

Thanks for understanding about my mother who was on her death bed , my niece who got really ill, or several of my clients who are still trying to
cope because of mold. If more doctors would take their heads out of their a$$es, instead of quoting the EPA (who have been wrong in the past and is wrong now), a lot more lives would be saved. If you have seen the things I have seen, you would be bent too

Dude, you need a better understanding of the atmosphere and building science…

I have taken mold courses. I have seen the litigation regarding construction defects and mold issues. The trends are changing, and high payouts are becoming a thing of the past. There is a reason for it.

Hysteria is being replaced by common sense.

Joe,
Off hand do you have any links to info. on mold that you would recommend. It seems like you and I are on the same page as far as mold goes but I would like to learn more about it.

You may already have these. In case you don’t.

EPA has a decent free course, also good for Nachi credit.

http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldcourse/resourcelibrary.html

www.forensic-applications.com/moulds/mvue.html

Thanks Chris

NACHI also has a free online Mold course at
Inspector University

Mold Inspection](http://education.nachi.org/show.php?course_id=49)
Online
30 sections
11 quizzes
Final exam
Printable certificate of completion
12 CE hours
Open to members only
Cost: Free

This course teaches the student all about mold and how to perform a proper mold inspection. It includes a review of types of mold, health effects, sampling, lab reports, remediation, and preventing growth.

Gary