Forebearance on “Mold Free Home Building Ideas”
An Intershelter dome home.
Forebearance, who has been avoiding mold since 2008, wrote a blog article for Phoenix Rising called “Mold Free Home Building Ideas.”
From the article:
I began by thinking of some philosophical ideas:
1.Absolutely no standard drywall (aka gypsum board, sheetrock). Toxic mold loves this stuff.
2.No basement. That’s just asking for trouble.
3.No Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) ductwork. Dust can collect in ductwork, which mold can grow on. You can’t see what is going on in ducts. In order to avoid having ductwork in a house, you would have to use radiant in-floor heating, probably. And one may need to use more than one wall or window-mounted air conditioner. Probably small houses with open floor plans would work best with a ductwork-free design.
4.Lots of fresh air. Ventilation seems crucial. Many of the latest and greatest home building ideas are extremely air-tight, for energy efficiency. So most modern homes have a heat recovery ventilator. It brings in fresh air without losing so much of the heat/coolness that is desired in the house. One might consider getting a larger one than is needed for the size of the house, or having more than one.
5.No hidden wood. I would feel more comfortable if I could see any wood that was used, so that I could keep an eye on it. The situation I am trying to avoid is a wall made out of two by fours, with a plumbing pipe running through it, that is all sealed up so you can’t see what is happening in there.
6.Visible plumbing. You know, I’d rather have slightly unsightly plumbing pipes running along the walls than to have them hidden inside the walls. I would certainly ask a plumber if this is possible. It’s a thought, anyway.
Forebearance also shared her mold story in another article on Phoenix Rising.
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