Curbing indoor mold growth with mold inhibitors

Environmentally acceptable mold inhibitors are needed to curb the growth of mold fungi in woodframe housing when moisture management measures fail. Excess indoor moisture can lead to rapid mold establishment which, in turn, can have deleterious affects on indoor air quality. Compounds with known mold inhibitory properties and low mammalian toxicity, such as food preservatives, pharmaceuticals, agricultural fungicides, wood preservatives, or plant extractives were evaluated individually and in combination for their ability to inhibit three common mold fungi on wood-based building materials. Dip-treatment of southern pine wood and southern pine oriented strandboard with azole-derivatives and plant extractives combined with borate-based compounds effectively prevented mold Introduction growth.