Our company has been cleaning up mold-infested areas in homes for many years. The clean up of surfaces in a home that have signs of mold is no different now than it was 40 years ago.
  So what's the alarmining problem now versus then? Nothing.
  Through modern heating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and proper maintenance, mold is easily controlled.
  If you read the Environmental Protection Agency's Web site about mold and related problems, you will find that there is no way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment.
  Due to most homes' negative pressure, all you have to do is open your front door and millions of spores are sucked into the home like a vacuum.
  Negative pressure is caused by air being removed via items such as the kitchen vent hood, bath fans and dryer vent. To count- eract negative pressure, your HVAC system should have many changes.
  First, a "fresh air make-up" from outside air, or "recovery ventilator" will positively pressur- ize your home, so when you open the doors the air will flow out, not in.
  This recovery system helps to lower the radon levels in the home. Radon is a gaseous, colorless, extremely toxic, radioactive element that comes from the earth, rock and well water. It is caused by the breakdown of uranium in the soil.
 

   Also, the fresh air that comes from your "recovery ventilator" has to pass through the light before entering the home; The ultraviolet light helps reduce the spread of cold and flu viruses, and other airborne-transmitted diseases and fights unpleasant odors. It also helps keep the evaporator coil clean for better heat transfer.
  Fouth, your furnace should be replaced with one that has a mul- tispeed blower system that can be outfitted with a "humidistat. " This will control your blower speed, slowing down the air when needed over the evaporator coil surface, holding your humidity below 50 percent. This eliminates the ability for mold to grow.
  It is important to never run your blower in the "on" position; when the air conditioner shuts off, so should the blower.
  If, the conditions in the home that caused mold growth in the first place are not corrected, the mold will come back
  Always run your exhaust fan when taking a shower or hot bath to remove steam, wipe off any damp surfaces afterward. If you see mold, clean it with water and detergent, then dry.
   Schedule routine twice yearly maintenance checks for HVAC systems, and check areas such as the roof, plumbing, siding or other intrusion points of moisture.
  Indoor air quality should be at the top of everyone's remodeling list, so make sure that your contractor is up to date on the latest technology in your home's indoor air-quality systems.

  

   Radon has been listed as a Lung carcinogen in humans by the EPA and World Health Orga- nization.
   Most radon comes from cracks in foundations in older homes. During remodeling, the home usually is leveled first, and then the cracks can be filled and sealed with special concrete sealer.
  Radon enters the home because of negative pressure in the home. "Recovery ventilators" will positively pressurize the home and, radon levels will remain lower. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. 
 A test kit can be ordered through www.nsc.org/ehc/radon/coupon.htm or you can call the National Safety Council helpline at 800-557-2366.
  The U.S. Congress has set long- term goals that indoor radon levels in the home should be no more than outdoor levels of O.4pCi/L. You can read all this information on the EPA's Web site.
  Second, a large type media filter system should be installed at the return air side of the furnace. This allows the fresh air to pass through the filter before entering the home.
  More than one return air location can be added in the home, allowing the air to circulate more evenly, creating more of an even temperature throughout the home.
  Third, an ultraviolet light (C Band type) should be installed in the supply plenum next to the evaporator coil. This will sterilize the air that passes through your system, causing mold to be unable to reproduce.