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Re: GBlist: Re: Stucco



Hi Terry,

I came upon the reference in a search at Elselvier about a year ago -
the thing that caught my attention was that the bacterial and fungal
growth that was being investigated was between layers of latex paint.
I'll see if I can find the publication reference again, or maybe
somebody else might know of the study.

Take care
John Salmen
TERRAIN E.D.S.

TBren46501@aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 9/8/97 11:38:18 PM, you wrote:
> 
> <<A quick note on breathability and latex/acrylic mediums. I came upon
> a
> reference for a european iaq research project that focused on mold
> growth between layers of latex paint (bathroom area focus) and between
> drywall and latex. Anyone familiar with this study or similar ones.>>
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I got mountains of studies on fungal growth in my files, but not this
> one.
>  I'd sure be interested in the study you recall.  I'm not familiar
> with that
> study, but I have a fair amount of direct experience growing and
> dealing with
> mold and a fair amount of training in indoor biology.  Mold, like any
> living
> creature is looking for food, water, shelter and a way to make babies
> (mold
> is a bit more broad minded about reproductive methods than mammals).
> For
> food it needs carbon, but has evolved to get rid of cellulose and
> lignin -
> old plant stuff.  For water it needs a material to grow on that
> contains 65%
> or more the amount of water it takes to saturate the material.  Latex
> paint an
> d the paper covering on wallboard are good sources of carbon.  I find
> viable
> mold spores everywhere I sample, unless the surface has been
> sanitized.  All
> it takes for fungal growth in latex paint or wallboard covering is
> enough
> water to get to the needed water activity in the material.  So
> bathroom walls
> are good locations.  In cooling mode, particularly if the house is
> running
> negative, the inner paper layer sheetrock beneath the paint is a good
> location for moisture accumulation by condensation, doubly so if there
> is
> vinyl wallpaper.  In heating mode the same dynamic makes a good
> habitat for
> fungi in the outer stucco layer of the exterior walls, especially if
> the
> house is running positive.  These problems are more likely in areas
> where
> there is a lot of moisture in the outdoor air, like the coastal
> states, or in
> sampwy microclimates.  The biggest, most difficult to deal with fungal
> problems I've encoutered always seem to be in places with names like -
> Beaver
> River, Nine-Mile Swamp, and Buzzards Bay.  In these places the mold
> grows on
> everything inside and out.  In places where they get 7 inches of rain
> a year,
> it takes a special coincidence of events to make a habitat for mold.
> 
> Jeeze, I kinda rambled on being professorial.  Well, take what you
> like and
> leave the rest.
> 
> Warm regards,
> Terry
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