Personal Protection Equipment for Entering Moldy Areas

Hi All, this is for the extremely mold sensitive...

I am highly sensitive to molds, and I have a cellar that has a little dampness in it with a few areas of visible mold that has been there for years.
I have found out from trial and error that I should not go down there unprotected, as it causes me allergy symptoms. So, I have not been going down there, except to get something that is in storage.

My cellar is not a bastion of mold, you can't smell it, but I know I should stay out of there.

For when I do go down there I where a 3M respirator, with the replaceable pink filter cartridges - one on each side.

My question is this:
Is it ok for me to go down there with this respirator? I have been under the impression that this mask should fully protect me. It does not include goggles over the eyes, it does fully protect the nose and mouth. Are goggles important? Can I be exposed through the eyes?

Do I need to stay out of there completely, even with full protection?

Thank you!
Mike

If you can, I would try to avoid going there as much as possible. If you need something from storage, it might be wise to see if someone can get it for you. But in the event where it can't be avoided, yes I would use eye care as well. Mold spores can cause allergic reactions in the eyes making them red and watery.

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@--->--SHERRY--<---@
Moderator-Allergies/Asthma, Co-moderator-UC and Alzheimer's
~Left sided Uc-'92**Unable to tolerate ALL mesalamines**
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Hi Mike,

They also sell a special mold blocking paint at HD. I used it in my bathroom.

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Joy

Thanks for the replies.

I removed the drywall with the visible mold. I need to go back and remove the framing. I wore the 3m respirator and goggles and went for it. May have been dumb to do, but the days surrounding the removal were my best in a long time.

What is really dumb is that I allowed this mold to grow in my basement for years. I know now about mycotoxins that get released from growing molds and I'm very sure that this is the biggest contributor to my illness, living in a house with mold in the basement for around 7 years. I didn't think it would have any effect on the living space upstairs. I understand now how wrong that thought process was. Those toxins get spread around in the air and make their way upstairs through all of the gaps in the floors, walls, and ofcourse the heating ducts.

Old houses...gotta love them.
Mike