wynnwhiteeng

Blog Roundup: Mold after Sandy and How to Kill It

Tue, 12 May 2026 18:19:48 GMT

Each week we bring you a roundup of posts from our blog that we think you’ll find interesting, informative, and entertaining–even if they’re written by an engineer.

Mold Problems after Sandy (Audio)

“Michael Reilly, Director of the Division of Planning and Response at the National Center for Disaster Preparedness and Assistant Professor of Clinical Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University’sMailman School of Public, talks about the threat of mold in buildings after Hurricane Sandy, and what it could mean for public health during the ongoing recovery.”

10 Tips and 3 Tricks to Kill Mold

“Mold might not be the end all bad stuff that some folks make it out to be. But if you or someone else notices it-it must be an aggravation at the very least-and it is causing pain of some sort, so let’s stop it, clean it up, and keep it from coming back. Just taking the time to talk about mold is hurting your productivity, and there are known health affects of mold.”

5 Lessons from a Speaking Engagement

“Yesterday I had the privilege of speaking to the Rotary Club of Lake Charles about mold and moisture prevention. The presentation went great, but it got off to a rough start. This wasn’t my first time at the rodeo, so I managed to smooth things out. Here are some lessons and advice when addressing an audience.”

For over 25 years, Wynn L. White Consulting Engineers offers services and capabilities to lower owners’ risks through effective management of environmental, health, and safety exposures. Our main objective is to provide professional services which will allow our customers to concentrate on their core business functions. Contact us for a free 30 minute consultation to see how we can help you make your projects more efficient and more effective.

Blog Roundup: HazMat in Homes Not Disclosed, Lead and Violence, Energy Savings and Indoor Air Quality, Green Building for Star Wars

Tue, 12 May 2026 18:19:41 GMT

Each week we bring you a roundup of posts from our blog that we think you’ll find interesting, informative, and entertaining–even if they’re written by an engineer.

Mold, Asbestos Disclosure not Required in La. Home Sales

“Buyer beware: The Louisiana State Board of Home Inspectors Standards and Practice doesn’t require home inspectors to disclose hazardous materials in homes–including asbestos, mold, and even harmful toxic drywall. The reason the for this? Home inspectors are not accredited inspectors for asbestos, mold, and toxic drywall.”

Lead in NOLA Soil Linked to Violent Behavior

“The City of New Orleans has found high levels of lead in public playgrounds and is working to remediate the soil. Part of the issue is the incredibly high number of old houses in New Orleans that were painted with lead-based paint. When it comes time to sand and repaint, not everyone follows the rules to prevent lead from entering the air and eventually winding up in soil.”

Is the Quest for Energy Savings Killing your Indoor Air Quality?

“A lot of focus is put into making a building super “tight” for energy saving purposes.This means wraps, sealants, foams, insulation, etc. are used to reduce air infiltration. These features are excellent for energy savings, but reducing infiltration ventilation in a building can cause indoor mold growth (a large contributor to poor IAQ) and a buildup of indoor air pollutants.”

A Tatooine House in the Desert – Still Prone to Moisture Intrusion (Free Download)

“I don’t often read The New York Times, but when I do, I usually find something interesting like an article that details an innovative way to use bales of hay as a building material. The Big Bad Wolf and The Three Little Pigs come to mind, but in all seriousness using straw and plaster is not a bad way to utilize a renewable building material as long as you build the walls correctly to avoid moisture intrusion.”

For over 25 years, Wynn L. White Consulting Engineers offers services and capabilities to lower owners’ risks through effective management of environmental, health, and safety exposures. Our main objective is to provide professional services which will allow our customers to concentrate on their core business functions. Contact us for a free 30 minute consultation to see how we can help you make your projects more efficient and more effective.

Blog Roundup: Global Worming (No, that’s not a typo), Miracle Sprays, and Regulatory Mazes

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:03:49 GMT

Each week we bring you a roundup of posts from our blog that we think you’ll find interesting, informative, and entertaining–even if they’re written by an engineer.

Global Worming? No, that’s not a typo

“According to a story in the journal Nature Climate Change, worms are contributing more greenhouse gasses than previously thought. Do we eradicate worms from the Earth? That probably wouldn’t be very wise, but this got me thinking–how can we reduce CO2 in our day-to-day lives? Below are some common sense tips for reducing air pollution and hopefully some CO2 in the process.”

This Miracle Spray Will Have You Walking on Water! (Video)

“There’s a “miracle” product advertised on TV that is a miracle cure-all for leaks and all sorts of water problems. I’m sure you’ve seen it – the one where the pitch man sprays the product over an open screen door that’s placed in the bottom of a boat. Then we see him paddling around like nothing ever happened.”

Is Your Risk Management Plan up to date?

“An article about an ammonia release at Reddy Ice in Baton Rouge prompted me to remind our clients that their Risk Management Plan (RMP) as required by EPA needs to be kept up to date. Contact me for a free consultation if you get lost in the regulatory maze.”

Push for New Silica Exposure Rules Gaining Traction

“The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) are coming under increasing pressure to address what some call hazardous working conditions in exposure to silica.”

For over 25 years, Wynn L. White Consulting Engineers offers services and capabilities to lower owners’ risks through effective management of environmental, health, and safety exposures. Our main objective is to provide professional services which will allow our customers to concentrate on their core business functions. Contact us for a free 30 minute consultation to see how we can help you make your projects more efficient and more effective.

Preventing Mold & Moisture Problems From Recurring, Costing You Money, & Wasting Your Time

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:34:51 GMT

Prevent Recurring Problems – don’t waste time and money dealing with the same problem over and over again.

Recur is defined as “to occur again, periodically, or repeatedly.” In our mold and moisture work, we see many instances where mold and moisture problems recur. Why is that? As it turns out, there are many reasons. A lot of these reasons have to do with complicated physics – the Second Law of Thermodynamics for example. There are tons of great websites, magazine articles, and books that explain all this in exhaustive detail – I just gave you the short answer.

Practically speaking, the “real” reason is many times much easier to understand. Maybe the building owner thought the problem was fixed and mold and moisture problems wouldn’t happen again. Maybe the previous project solved part of the problem, but there was something else missed, and now it’s causing mold and moisture problems. Maybe there’s not enough money right now.

Often though, we notice that mold and moisture problems are cyclical, almost following the calendar. When the weather starts to warm up, we get more and more calls from building owners having mold and moisture problems.

“Can you come out and look at this?” – so we go out, look at it, take samples, and tell them they do indeed have a mold or moisture problem. Gee thanks, Chris!

“So what do we need to do to clean it up?” – we tell them.

Maybe remediation happens, maybe not. One important question is many times not asked: what caused the problem? Another important question is also left out: what has to happen to keep this from coming back?

Those two questions are what I want to get at. I want to help my client get to the cause AND the real solution. Is it useful to know what type of mold is present? Sure, but it doesn’t stop there. Likewise, the work probably shouldn’t stop when the mold cleanup is finished.

More often than not, our work stops after the mold remediation. Maybe the owner doesn’t want to carry out the time consuming and expensive renovation or HVAC modification necessary to solve the problem. Or maybe repeating remediation is easier than the long term fix. It’s not – we’re just delaying the real fix. But hey, I’ll worry about that next quarter, or next year….

Whatever caused the mold or moisture problem, the remediation phase should also include eliminating the cause – in order to prevent recurrence. In other words, do this once, eliminate recurrence of the mold and moisture problems you’re fighting.

One thing’s for sure, if you have a mold and moisture problem, and you don’t eliminate what caused the mold and moisture problem to occur, the remediation work you’re doing now is only a dress rehearsal for the next time the problem occurs. Be ready to remediate all over again. The good news is you won’t have to call me to come back and take samples, because you’ll already know you have mold.

I know that’s not exactly a revelation, but it happens – a lot. And I know building owners and occupants are frustrated when they keep fighting (and appearing to solve) the same problem over and over again.

So why doesn’t the full solution play out? Sometimes the weather changes and the problem appears to go away. But sometime the problem comes back as soon as the hot, humid times return. And here in Louisiana, that doesn’t take long. Some owners are ok with cleaning up one time, knowing the mold will come back.

Whatever the reason, it’s not much fun to work on the project and not achieve the actual goal – remediating a mold or moisture problem AND keeping the problem from returning. It’s not much fun to be asked, “Why didn’t you get this right the first time?”.

So why this a seasonal thing? Well, one day, our buildings seem to be wringing wet, mold is growing like crazy, and we have to do something. The next thing you know, it cools down, and the mold goes away, or the wet materials seem to dry out.

So the problem’s solved – right? Since that’s the case, we don’t need to do anything else, do we? Well, it depends. If your goal is to get by until you really, really have to clean it up, ok. If your goal is to prevent recurrence, you have to work the problem through to the end.

One thing I’ve yet to mention directly is the case where the owner may have received bad advice from a consultant or contractor. I may have done a great job at determining where the mold is, what kind it is, and how to clean it up – but if I didn’t do a good job of finding the cause and recommending a solution, then the problem won’t get solved on its own.

The ceiling shown in the picture below could be materal that’s gotten wet over the last twenty years, and now it’s damaged and has mold. That’s not good, but what if that ceiling was only five or six years old, and this was the second or third time the owner’s had to remediate?

So, if you’re the building owner, what do you do?

If you really want to find the long term solution to a mold or moisture problem, start with hiring good team members. Find someone who’s not going to learn on the job – your job.

Next, communicate clearly what your definition of success is. Many times I may think I know better than my clients – but they’re the customer. Make sure the agreement for services indicates what the scope is.

When you receive your consultant’s report, make sure you know the problem’s cause, and that the report contains clear recommendations moving forward that will allow you to make a business decision. Each stop on the road should indicate how you’ll know the process is moving along successfully.

You’ll be able to decide if you can limp along until your next planned renovation, or you need to act now to mitigate or avoid mold and moisture problems. Otherwise, don’t be surprised if remediation with no actual fix leads to follow up remediation down the road.
Once you’ve decided to solve the problem, keep working until you’re done. Is it that easy? Yes and no. Yes, in the simple sense, but these projects usually involve several time consuming, costly steps. And that’s where some get caught – they stop the process, and the real solution doesn’t get implemented.

Whatever the case, these problems aren’t too big for you (even if the solution seems too big for your budget). With the right approach and the right team, you can really solve these problems and prevent recurrence.

Remember:

You shouldn’t have to remediate mold every few years.

Solve the real problem and you’ll only have to do the job once.

If you don’t solve the problem, the work you’re doing now is a dress rehearsal for next time.

I enjoy working again and again with clients – I’d just rather work on each project ONCE.

What Next?

PICK YOUR CONSULTANT

Select a firm with Registered Professional Engineers on staff

Select a firm with Building Science Experts on staff

Select a firm with Project team members with 20+ years spent helping building owners

Select a firm that other owners, engineers, architects, and contractors call to help solve mold and moisture problems

NEXT STEPS

Decide if you want to solve the problem once and for all.

Get going – the problem won’t get better by itself.

Engage your consultant.

Define your criteria for success.

Get to work finding the cause.

Weigh your options and make a business decision, not a decision based on emotion (apathy or hysteria).

Work the problem (just like Apollo 13).

Keep going until you’ve succeeded.

Stay moldy, my friends.

Mr. Fluffy Asbestos & the Ghostbusters Stay Puft Marshmallow Man

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:17:00 GMT

Social media’s fantastic. Twitter, Facebook, and other social media outlets allow regular folks like me to interact with our favorite authors, celebrities, athletes, and friends. And there’s also unlimited potential for wasting time and killing productivity. Don’t tell my boss – it’ll take away from his time spent looking for clever Star Trek slides to insert into his PowerPoint files. If you’ve seen him speak, you know what I mean.

Over recent months, I’ve noticed Twitter accounts for many fictional characters. Darth Vader has at least one Twitter account. Some of the tweets are actually pretty funny.

Recently I tweeted a link to a news article from Australia relating the plight of Australian homeowners dealing with asbestos problems in their homes. That may not seem like a huge news story, but these homes are called “Mr. Fluffy homes” since they contain an asbestos insulation product known as – you guessed it – Mr. Fluffy.

I sent this because the Mr. Fluffy product name made me think of the scene in Ghostbusters where the guys are fighting to save New York City and they wind up fighting a giant marshmallow, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

I mean, when you hear “Mr. Fuffy”, the last thing to cross your mind is “Wow, I better steer clear of that.” Instead, this product contains asbestos. Irony. Just like the scene from Ghostbusters where it seemed pretty ridiculous that the Ghostbusters would fight a giant marshmallow man sent to destroy the world.

Then things really got weird – the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man actually responded to my tweet! You know things are weird when a nonexistent fictional character is corresponding with you via Twitter. Here’s my original tweet and my exchange with the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (if you accept the reply as actually coming from a fictional character):

But hey – he’s famous!

It brings to mind the idea that some folks think asbestos is not really a problem.

So, when is asbestos a problem?

That’s a tough question to answer. In my work I’ve come across people who think the asbestos problem is completely overblown, and only take steps to deal with asbestos legally when someone makes them. I’ve seen others who appear to overreact because television commercials and the Internet scared them to death. No matter what, we have to approach every asbestos project with an abundance of caution.

Some folks think that asbestos abatement projects have become pretty routine. And since that’s the case, we won’t have any problems performing asbestos projects, or we can pretty much do what we want because no one is checking – whether that’s the boss or the regulatory folks. Or maybe you’ve had a good run of luck on your projects, and your contractors and consultants have done a really good job for you. That’s certainly what I hope, but sometimes we can take success for granted.

A Google News search will reveal numerous stories where people perform illegal demolition and asbestos removal. Many of these people knowingly expose employees and building occupants to asbestos and other environmental hazards. There’s no excuse for this.

Mr. Fluffy may sound like the name of a child’s toy, but to those homeowners in Australia, Mr. Fluffy’s actually a pretty scary phrase. The word “asbestos” doesn’t seem to strike terror in the hearts of many as it used to, which is not entirely a bad thing. But just because we may not be as scared of asbestos anymore, that doesn’t mean we asbestos with zero respect.

So if you’re a building owner, contractor, design professional, or consultant, it may be a good idea for you to check on your projects and see for yourself how they’re really going. Ignorance may be bliss, But ignorance may also lead to complacency, and that can jump up and pop us in the mouth. On asbestos projects, like other environmental work, the best surprise is no surprise.

So what’s the point? I was struck by the irony that a product named Mr. Fluffy could on the one hand sound pretty comical, while at the same time, this product is causing much distress for those homeowners. Likewise, the Ghostbusters were pretty scared of the giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

It reminded me that asbestos deserves more respect and that everyone who contemplates renovating their building should renew their focus and dedication to detail on asbestos projects – especially as we prepare for the busiest time of year for renovation and demolition projects. It also made me remember what a great movie Ghostbusters was.

I wish you all the best of luck – on all your projects. If I can help with anything, please let me know. And if you would like to follow a Twitter account that contains mostly baseball references, minimal political griping (I promise!), occasional project updates, and a fair amount of nerd humor, you can follow me on Twitter: @Chris WhitePE.

And you can always reach me by email:

cwhite@wynnwhite.com

Stay fluffy my friends.

Heavy Metal. Does Lead Cost Society More Than The Affordable Healthcare Act?

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:16:58 GMT

Growing up in the ‘60s, I was never really into Heavy Metal—or was I? Looking back, I remember getting my driver’s license, and in 1967 listening to…

“Get your motor runnin’
Head out on the highway
Looking for adventure
In whatever comes our way”

…from “Born to be Wild” by Steppenwolf.

Great times.

When I had a little extra money and wanted my Mustang to have a little more spiz—I asked the gas station attendant to “fill her up with ethyl”—meaning premium high octane gasoline. Ethyl was tetraethyl-leaded gasoline.

Who knew the problems leaded gasoline would cause?

Fast forward to today and the consulting work I do to reduce the problems caused by lead. Who would have predicted I would be helping clean up some of the problems I helped create?

I felt like lead based paint was a huge problem for our society. I sought (and received) training and accreditation as a lead inspector, risk assessor, and project designer—for lead paint. Now, I’m not quite so sure that lead based paint is the main culprit.

Why is lead from gasoline (which was banned in the USA in 1996) such a concern? Figure 1 shows the use of lead in gasoline. Notice the peak was in the heart of my “formative” years (some children of the ‘60s are still in their formative years).

Is there a correlation between leaded gasoline usage and violent crime? Was lead the “heavy metal thunder” from “Born to be Wild?”

On crime, Dr. Herbert Needleman, Ph.D., a University of Pittsburgh researcher, conducted a 1996 study that showed children with high lead levels were much more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior than those with baseline levels. The following graph (Figure 2) seems to indicate that as lead was phased out of gasoline, violent crime went down.

Urban areas still have lead in the soil—from the gasoline—and it will cause problems for years to come. Perhaps even more so than lead based paint.

So…

What can we do about the lead in the soil adjacent to our roadways?

Well, we can dig it and dump it—basically removing the contaminated soil and placing it in a landfill approved for hazardous waste. Does that sound expensive?

Or, I favor exploring Dr. Howard Mielke’s approach to resolving the problem. His method covers the contaminated soil with a bright orange, water pervious geotextile material and 6” of low lead soil. The geotextile prevents low lead soil from mixing with the underlying original soil that it covers, and the geotextile acts as a warning layer to anyone digging into soil. (Dr. Howard Mielke, Ph.D., a research scientist with Tulane).

I’m open to treating contaminated soil with fish bones as well—if it can be done cost effectively.

The work we do in the industry today, involving removal of lead based paint, is important, and the air monitoring we do shows that workers protect themselves and the environment. It isn’t the paint in the industrial market place that concerns me. It is the paint and soil in the urban areas.

I’d love to hear your questions or comments about lead based paint and lead contaminated soils. Click here to send me a comment or questions.

Best regards,

Wynn L. White, P.E.

January 16, 2014 The Louisiana Joint Engineering Society Conference is in Lafayette, LA next week.

Wynn will cover Commissioning Construction Projects/Avoiding Construction Defects on Wednesday from 8:00 AM until 8:50 AM. Chris White, P.E., LEED AP, CBCP, will cover Green Building Guidelines & Rating Systems on Thursday from 8:00 AM until 8:50 AM. Call or email Wynn if you’d like more information.

Make the most of the season by following these simple guidelines

hey@builtbybonfire.com (Built By Bonfire) — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:47:30 GMT

The new season is a great reason to make and keep resolutions. Whether it’s eating right or cleaning out the garage, here are some tips for making and keeping resolutions.

Make a list

Lists are great ways to stay on track. Write down some big things you want to accomplish and some smaller things, too.

Check the list regularly

Don’t forget to check in and see how you’re doing. Just because you don’t achieve the big goals right away doesn’t mean you’re not making progress.

Reward yourself

When you succeed in achieving a goal, be it a big one or a small one, make sure to pat yourself on the back.

Think positively

Positive thinking is a major factor in success. So instead of mulling over things that didn’t go quite right, remind yourself of things that did.

Keep in touch with site visitors and boost loyalty

hey@builtbybonfire.com (Built By Bonfire) — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:47:30 GMT

There are so many good reasons to communicate with site visitors. Tell them about sales and new products or update them with tips and information.

Here are some reasons to make blogging part of your regular routine.

Blogging is an easy way to engage with site visitors

Writing a blog post is easy once you get the hang of it. Posts don’t need to be long or complicated. Just write about what you know, and do your best to write well.

Show customers your personality

When you write a blog post, you can really let your personality shine through. This can be a great tool for showing your distinct personality.

Blogging is a terrific form of communication

Blogs are a great communication tool. They tend to be longer than social media posts, which gives you plenty of space for sharing insights, handy tips and more.

It’s a great way to support and boost SEO

Search engines like sites that regularly post fresh content, and a blog is a great way of doing this. With relevant metadata for every post so search engines can find your content.

Drive traffic to your site

Every time you add a new post, people who have subscribed to it will have a reason to come back to your site. If the post is a good read, they’ll share it with others, bringing even more traffic!

Blogging is free

Maintaining a blog on your site is absolutely free. You can hire bloggers if you like or assign regularly blogging tasks to everyone in your company.

A natural way to build your brand

A blog is a wonderful way to build your brand’s distinct voice. Write about issues that are related to your industry and your customers.

Tips for writing great posts that increase your site traffic

hey@builtbybonfire.com (Built By Bonfire) — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:47:30 GMT

Write about something you know. If you don’t know much about a specific topic that will interest your readers, invite an expert to write about it.

Speak to your audience

You know your audience better than anyone else, so keep them in mind as you write your blog posts. Write about things they care about. If you have a company Facebook page, look here to find topics to write about

Take a few moments to plan your post

Once you have a great idea for a post, write the first draft. Some people like to start with the title and then work on the paragraphs. Other people like to start with subtitles and go from there. Choose the method that works for you.

Don’t forget to add images

Be sure to include a few high-quality images in your blog. Images break up the text and make it more readable. They can also convey emotions or ideas that are hard to put into words.

Edit carefully before posting

Once you’re happy with the text, put it aside for a day or two, and then re-read it. You’ll probably find a few things you want to add, and a couple more that you want to remove. Have a friend or colleague look it over to make sure there are no mistakes. When your post is error-free, set it up in your blog and publish.