# Mold found on subfloor?



## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Water and pee stains turn wood black if stays wet long enough.

You need +20% moisture content to grow mold.

I would let it dry and treat it like the rest.

I will suggest you pay the small extra amount and get the 'bad pet' version of the pad. It really does keep the moisture on the top where you can clean it up.


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## mhp8982 (Sep 3, 2010)

Colbyt said:


> Water and pee stains turn wood black if stays wet long enough.
> 
> You need +20% moisture content to grow mold.
> 
> ...


Yes, we did choose that pad! I really don't think this is an area he has ever gone. And in the very corner it was almost like powder.. would black stuff come up if it was caused by the pee stains? Even his worst spot where he went all the time wasn't really black after we removed the carpet and let it dry for a night. I can try to take a picture and show you. We did have some water damage in that closet.. but it was from a long time ago. It was all repaired.


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## mhp8982 (Sep 3, 2010)

I suppose it's possible he's gone there. But it didn't really smell like pee.. My husband smelled it and touched it and stirred it up. That's what makes me so nervous about the mold spores.


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## mhp8982 (Sep 3, 2010)

I want to add there was no mold on the carpet or pad that we pulled up from it.. it's just black in these couple of spots on the subfloor.


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## mhp8982 (Sep 3, 2010)

I just realized we have dry swept over these areas and all sorts of things without using any kind of protective gear at all.  I'm most concerned for my 4 year old.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

mhp8982 said:


> I just realized we have dry swept over these areas and all sorts of things without using any kind of protective gear at all.  I'm most concerned for my 4 year old.



Mold is everywhere. It is like pollen, it is in all the air we breathe every day, even "fresh" outdoor air. 

The issue is how much and what type of mold you are inhaling.

Mold comes in a lot of varieties, some is much more hazardous than others. Brief exposure to a higher than normal concentration of mold probably would do little harm or cause minor problems such as sinus trouble or temporary allergy-type symptoms.

It is prolonged exposure to the really nasty stuff that is the real health concern.

If you are losing sleep over it, you can either buy a test kit at a home center, or call in a professional remediation company to do an air quality test. 

But again, even "clean" air has _*some *_mold in it.
.
.
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## mhp8982 (Sep 3, 2010)

Yeah.. I figure it's probably fine. I'm sure people live in much worse than this and are fine. It's just a few small spots around an area that had water damage like 7 years ago. It's been fixed and dry since. It wasn't even on the carpet or pad. So it's not like it was an extreme amount. So, you guys think we will all be fine from the spores? We don't have any mold allergies.

Do you think what we are doing to these small spots is okay? The Concrobium Mold Killer/Preventer, which I've already done, then the Zinsser Mold killing Primer over that tomorrow? Or is that overkill. Do you think the Concrobium is enough? I just sprayed it for the 2nd time after letting it dry the first time. We will be gone all day tomorrow, so I will do the primer tomorrow night. It should all be dry and dead for sure by then. But do you think I should use the mold killing primer or just use the BIN Shellac? The spots are really in spots that couldn't just be cut out and they are fairly small.. less than 1 square foot for each one.. Some of that floor was already replaced when the water heater damage was repaired. I'm hoping this is okay. We got all the rest of the carpet up and the rest of the floor is perfect. Even these areas are solid and strong. So just wondering what you all think? Carpet goes in on Wednesday.


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## mathmonger (Dec 27, 2012)

I don't think mold can grow without water. So if it hasn't had water there in 7 years, I think it is probably pretty dead already.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

mhp8982 said:


> Yeah.. I figure it's probably fine. I'm sure people live in much worse than this and are fine. It's just a few small spots around an area that had water damage like 7 years ago. It's been fixed and dry since. It wasn't even on the carpet or pad. So it's not like it was an extreme amount. So, you guys think we will all be fine from the spores? We don't have any mold allergies.
> 
> Do you think what we are doing to these small spots is okay? The Concrobium Mold Killer/Preventer, which I've already done, then the Zinsser Mold killing Primer over that tomorrow? Or is that overkill. Do you think the Concrobium is enough? I just sprayed it for the 2nd time after letting it dry the first time. We will be gone all day tomorrow, so I will do the primer tomorrow night. It should all be dry and dead for sure by then. But do you think I should use the mold killing primer or just use the BIN Shellac? The spots are really in spots that couldn't just be cut out and they are fairly small.. less than 1 square foot for each one.. Some of that floor was already replaced when the water heater damage was repaired. I'm hoping this is okay. We got all the rest of the carpet up and the rest of the floor is perfect. Even these areas are solid and strong. So just wondering what you all think? Carpet goes in on Wednesday.


I have used Concrobium many times. I like it and I think it does a much better job than bleach. Read the Concrobium label and see what it says about painting and priming over it. Follow that to the letter.

As stated, mold needs a repeated source of moisture to grow, so as long as the floor is kept dry, you'll be fine.


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## mhp8982 (Sep 3, 2010)

ZZZZZ said:


> I have used Concrobium many times. I like it and I think it does a much better job than bleach. Read the Concrobium label and see what it says about painting and priming over it. Follow that to the letter.
> 
> As stated, mold needs a repeated source of moisture to grow, so as long as the floor is kept dry, you'll be fine.


Thanks! I was just worried we stirred it up by brushing it and touching it.. even though it was probably dead. It may have reactivated.But I don't know. I know we live and breathe in mold spores constantly so it probably won't hurt us.

We sprayed that stuff.. like it said.. and since we don't care about the stain since carpet will be covering it.. we didn't worry about scrubbing it. We painted over it with the mold killing primer by zinsser. Which, claims on the back of it, it is good for subfloors. So hopefully that will do it! We will just have to filter any bad spores.


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## stick\shift (Mar 23, 2015)

Honestly, I think your health is more at risk from breathing the vapors of the chemicals you've applied than any mold.


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