Question from Catherine
After sanitizing the moldy basement in the house we just bought, remediators want to apply a protectant/encapsulant to seal the surfaces. The two possibilities are Bac-Shield (http://chemtexlaboratories.com/bacshield/) and Caliwel (https://www.caliwel.com/CaliwelIndustrial.aspx). I’m terribly sensitive. What do you think?
Lisa’s Answer
Caliwel claims no VOCs and uses Calcium Hydroxide (lime) as an active ingredient, which is an irritant but not particularly toxic in this application. Here is an older thread that discussing some companies using hydrogen peroxide for remediation. Cailwel does not seem particularly toxic but hydrogen peroxide is safer. As for your personal sensitivity, every individual is different so its impossible to tell what you might cause you to react.
I was not able to find information about Bac-Shield’s VOC content so I would go with Caliwel due to the lack of information.
Another comment on the mold: Did you have someone come in with a mold meter and check if it had traveled to other rooms or in the ducts and furnace/air conditioner. Mold travels with the air.
I had someone come in with a high powered ozinator. I had to move out for 3 days. Ozone kills all bugs and mold. They put it in the air ducts too. I don’t know how others killed it in their clothes. I had to put everything in plastic bags. And then I washed everything twice in Kleen Green by Natural Ginesis. I am wondering if there is a better way. Ozination is expensive, but I got my insurance to pay for it.
You should follow a Product Sensitivity Testing Protocol:
Product Sensitivity Testing
• Some one other than the client will prepare a number of clean dry pieces of wood by freshly sanding them outdoors.
• One piece will be coated with Caliwell A second piece will be coated with Bac-Shield. On the back of one of the boards write a symbol so the products can be identified by the tester but not by the client.
• Allow the boards enough time to completely dry.
• Put them each in their own clean glass jar.
• While outdoors, expose the individual to the boards one at a time by opening the jar and holding it up to their face.
• If they don’t get a reaction from either one then they can take them inside in a smaller space to see if they react.
• Many individuals have a “gut” preference; or are fine with both. Some have a strong reaction to one or the other.