Car, Van, Truck, & Recreational Vehicle [RV]
Mould Problems

[May 28, 2003]

Q. I have a mould removal question.  My husband was doing some major repairs on a friend's van.  The van sat without being driven for a total of 9 months which included the winter wet and raining season of the Seattle area.  When the van was able to be driven my husband then noticed the horrific mould problem.  This van is a conversion van so the entire inside is carpet and cloth fuzzy seats.  There is even cloth curtains that are not easily removed.  We have cleaned the van with carpet upholstery cleaned and then dried it out good.  This took care of a lot of the mould, but not all of it.  There is still a great deal of black spots and the inside smells very musty and moldy.  The owners of this van are highly allergic to mould.  Is there any way to salvage the inside of this vehicle?

A. No. Serious mould growth in and on soft fabrics requires their removal and discarding. After the moldy car materials have been removed, all indoor surfaces need to be cleaned thoroughly with 2 cups of borax laundry detergent mixed into one gallon of distilled water. After a thorough mould cleaning, the next steps are to spray 2 wet coatings of effective mould killer fungicide and then 2 wet coatings of antimicrobial coating. The hardest problem will be to disinfect the inside of the car's heating and air conditioning ducts. Spraying the two chemicals [separately, of course] as a fine mist for several hours into the hvac registers can help solve this problem, but the best solution is to remove and replace the car's hvac equipment and ducts [very costly]. For more info on mould remediation, visit Mould Removal.

kdka.com, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Are You Driving Around in a Sick Car?

Feb 25, 2003 5:44 pm US/Eastern

Toxic mould has forced families from their homes and students from their schools; but if you think you're safe from spores behind the wheel -- think again. What you don't know about your car could actually be hazardous to your health.

Regardless of its make or model, your vehicle could have a problem with mould. Since you can't always see it, though, you might not know you have a problem until you start to feel the effects.

"It's awful, it really is... sneezing, coughing, my nose starts burning severely."
-- Elaine Simpson, moldy Car Owner

Rob Simpson bought his new truck last year for $35,000. Though he says he likes the way it looks and drives, he doesn't like the way it smells -- "a real musty smell."

Simpson says his problem started with a water leak -- and then another. "The first time it leaked... from the bed into the carpeting," Simpson adds, "the carpeting was totally soaked. The second time it leaked, it poured out of this headliner button right... it was literally like a sprinkler system."

The truck has been back to the dealer eight times in six months, leaving Simpson with a pile of repair bills and a car his wife and daughter won't ride in.

Consumer attorney Craig Kimmel says the Simpsons aren't alone. "We see it as a trend," explains Kimmel. "Now with the design of new cars, the air tightness for efficiency and gas mileage and the aerodynamics of vehicles -- it's made them much more tight -- and just like homes, mould problems have arisen as a result."

Kimmel says it's a problem that manufacturers must "absolutely" address.

"The operating conditions of a vehicle under warranty requires the manufacturer to make repairs. A car should not have a moldy condition either through the air conditioning or heating systems for any reason."
-- Craig Kimmel, Consumer Attorney

Kimmel says bacteria, fungus, mould and spores can trigger allergy and asthma attacks that can severely affect the use of your car -- and should be treated like any other defect that can't be fixed. "Under warranty it's the manufacturer's responsibility to make sure that the dealer's work actually results in a repair."

"I don't care if you spend $5,000 or $30,000... I think people should be responsible for what they sell." -- Elaine Simpson

The Simpsons have had their carpet replaced three times and the car deodorized, but the moldy smell remains.

Attorney Kimmel says if the problem isn't fixed after three tries, consumers can seek relief under the Lemon Law or under the federal warranty act.

The bottom line is there is protection to help you get a car you can actually use.

................................................
Also visit these pages---
[Mould Testing][ New York City Mould Guidelines] [Clothes Mould] [Recreational Vehicle Mould Problems] [Wall Paper Mould] [Air Conditioning, Heating, and HVAC Mould Problems]
[Crawl Space Mould] [Top Ten Mold Mistakes To Avoid] [Bathroom Mould] [Basement Mould] [Chlorine Bleach is Not Effective to Kill Mould] [Siding Mould] [Roof Leaks and Mould Problems] [OHSA Mould Guidelines] [Laundry Room and Washing Machine Mould Problems]