A hot water tank break in a vacant Ithaca condominium turned into a petri dish for mold in July as the temperatures soared and the water flowed. The break spewed water for up to two weeks, and the photos clearly show how high the water wicked up the sheetrock walls as a line of mold was drawn halfway up the walls in the lower family room.

The manager of the condominiums first contacted a plumber who quickly referred them to Stanley Steemer to remediate the severe mold damage and dry the structure. Using the technique certified by the Environmental Technical Group, Stanley Steemer, set up containment around the affected area, established a negative air pressure (sucking air out of the room), installed a large air scrubber to remove mold from the air, and then removed the mold from the structure. This involved removing carpet, pad, and sheetrock infested with mold. Wood studs were sanded and the cement floor was treated and scrubbed.

What Color is Mold?
Molds come in many colors including white. “Black mold” is not a species or specific kind of mold, and neither is “toxic mold.” Sometimes the news media use the terms “toxic mold” and “black mold” to refer to molds that may produce mycotoxins or for a specific mold, Stachybotrys chartarum. Molds that produce mycotoxins are often referred to as toxigenic fungi.