Mold eradication

Have respondents copy replies to both the List
and to Joyce at JoyceW [at] uhunix__bitnet.  Many thanks.  My reply to follow.

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    The following query (forwarded to the DistList by Erich) comes from
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    Hello Eric Kesse,

    We last corresponded in April, when we were contemplating fumigating
    our entire library, and I had a dozen questions for you about your
    experience. Well, we didn't fumigate the entire building, but we did
    fumigate 14 different areas of the stacks on 4 different floors.
    Afterwards, we vacuumed all the fumigated books (half a million!)
    and their shelves--it took 4 months.

    What's left is a mold problem, which grows worse each winter of
    course, when the rains come and the humidity soars.  We are in the
    midst of a major air conditioning re-do, which we hope will make a
    significant improvement on the library climate.  But the a/c
    renovation does not include a re-heat feature, and we anticipate
    that some mold may still be with us.

    We've recently learned about two devices that are supposed to get
    rid of mold.  Question is, have you tried either of them? or do you
    know anyone who has? and with what success?

    1) Honeywell has installed a "High Efficiency Electronic Air
    Cleaner" in a couple of smaller libraries on the University of
    Hawaii campus, with limited success.  This device is installed at
    the a/c air handling units.  It has an electrical charge that
    eliminates particles from the air--that is, they stick to the filter
    rather like a magnet.  It's a high-maintenance unit, with grid-like
    filters that must be cleaned regularly.

    2) The other is an air purification device, an "ozone generator"
    (which generates no nitrous compounds), that "converts polluted air
    back into oxygen", then reportedly goes on to kill the source of
    odors--bacteria, MOLD, MILDEW, etc.  It's the size of a car battery,
    and runs on electricity--plugs into a standard wall outlet.  These
    devices are apparently used in hotels, mainly to kill odors, but the
    sales rep assures us mold spores will be killed too.  Ever heard of
    one?  The company that produces these devices is called Quantum
    Electronics Corporation, in Warwick, RI.  What think you?

    Could you ask around among your preservation colleagues in Florida,
    to see if anyone can give us any information about these gadgets?

    Thanks very much in advance.

    Joyce Watson, Building Planning Coordinator
    Hamilton Library
    University of Hawaii
    2550 The Mall
    Honolulu, HI  96822
    joycew [at] uhunix__bitnet
    (808) 956-2771

Erich J. Kesse
Preservation Office
University of Florida Libraries
904-392-6962
Fax: 904-392-7251

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 5:35
                Distributed: Saturday, January 11, 1992
                        Message Id: cdl-5-35-005
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