I have never grown indoors in an old building but I have the opportunity to grow in one from the 1950's. Will old buildings increase the chance of plant disease? Is there a way to tell if mold, mildew, or anything else is going to cause problems? What should I look out for before growing there? Thx
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Problems from growing in old buildings?
- Thread starter Bradley_Danks
- Start date
Any type of water damage, mould, etc. Nothing special. Some old buildings are built very well, better than today's standard. Bathrooms, utility rooms, attic, roof cladding, etc. Pay for a building inspection if you're looking to buy, or just want to throw money at piece of mind.
I notice there has been some leaks patched up. More than likely some mold. Should I be concerned? Does that compromise the grow? I noticed the structure of the building is solid. Went in the attic and the trusses and beams are solid. Didn't see any traces of rats.
Old buildings power needs up grading can go up in smoke rather quick ,, insects seem to like older buildings, higher fire hazard .
Can be a number of down falls leaks , building ready to fall over,, have seen farmers barns catch on fire and cause a bust.. from a light falling down
if your seriously looking at growing in a old place like that ..
build a fire proof room inside existing place including floor
Can be a number of down falls leaks , building ready to fall over,, have seen farmers barns catch on fire and cause a bust.. from a light falling down
if your seriously looking at growing in a old place like that ..
build a fire proof room inside existing place including floor
bugs most likely. bugs love wood and dry or moist things. spiders love bugs.
Ok I am catching the drift. The owner has a general contractor to make things however I want. The entire building is modular and is rigged for 220. Used to be a machine shop.
What do I need to have done to guarantee a grow without the old building causing problems?
Should I run a smaller grow in there to see if any facility related problems arise?
What do I need to have done to guarantee a grow without the old building causing problems?
Should I run a smaller grow in there to see if any facility related problems arise?
OldGuyInOregon
Member
If the grow is legal you can get casualty insurance, it probably would not cost much. I would recommend disclosing the nature of the enterprise. That might get you turned down a few times but someone will write the policy.
Whether you should run a test depends on the cost of the test and whether you lose or gain more money in the event of a problem versus if there are no problems. I'd personally be more worried about yield per square foot, versus what do I do if there is a problem (answer: solve the problem or grow somewhere else). I would grow every square inch and maybe have a plan to rent a uhaul and evac if that becomes necessary.
Peace and good luck!
no ..I grew in an oldass house..it was actually a sears house from late 40s ...ran ozone the mold and sprayed everything down ...repainted with kilz and never had a problem...yeehaw..the wiring was lame so I ran 600s and 400s no 1000s..i also bought a case of them screw in fuses lol
Of remote and distant, on my list is the reputation of the building, many guys rent old houses no better than ghettos or slums, only to realize months later that he is but number 7 on the local coppers: DEA/FBI bust list, in other words have a talk with an old neighbor...about whats been happening with this property since they have been in the neighbor hood ...it will supply much needed info, before you start writing them check's ...lol
People have some good info but I'd like to chime in and elaborate on some points as well.
When you say Modular what do you mean? Mobile home? Metal warehouse style?
***WIRING!*** I don't think they were trying to use aluminum wiring that far back in they day but just check and make sure it's copper. If you say it used to be a machine shop then I'm sure you have enough juice but it might be really site specific to where an old machine used to be and not centered on the wall.
Asbestos - That shit used to be used in all kinds of stuff. Roofing, siding, flooring. It was most certainly used around high heat sources like boiler pipe insulation, furnace ductwork and plenum joints, around the furnace itself where any high heat areas would have been in close proximity to wood or other combustible materials. Hear no evil, see no evil, TOUCH NO EVIL! If you suspect it to be asbestos you sure as fuck not touch it. Otherwise it's mostly ok just don't disturb it whatsoever.
Mold - While certainly a concern I wouldn't lose sleep over it. I would address the issue that could possibly be causing it like a roof leak or anywhere water is getting in some how.
Lead Paint - You can also bet your ass that there is some lead paint somewhere, if not everywhere. You can usually tell just by looking at it and how it is flaking off. Think of an alligator or crocodile's back with how it is separated out into squares more or less. That's a dead giveaway that it's lead paint.
Also take into account climate control and building performance which can be easier to overlook. Nobody really cared about insulation and air sealing back in the day and you probably have little to no insulation if nothing was added throughout the years. If that's the case you're going to be really hot in the summer and cold in the winter. I don't know about you but I always run my lights at night and work with the temps instead of against them. Is the building on a concrete slab foundation? Does it have an attic or crawlspace? How big is your wall cavity? You are going to want to address light leaks as well, both for security and avoiding herm issues.
Don't want to scare you off by any means but these are all things to take into consideration. Let me know if you have any other questions as they pop up. I am familiar with buildings of different types.
Good luck, it sounds like it could be really cool!
When you say Modular what do you mean? Mobile home? Metal warehouse style?
***WIRING!*** I don't think they were trying to use aluminum wiring that far back in they day but just check and make sure it's copper. If you say it used to be a machine shop then I'm sure you have enough juice but it might be really site specific to where an old machine used to be and not centered on the wall.
Asbestos - That shit used to be used in all kinds of stuff. Roofing, siding, flooring. It was most certainly used around high heat sources like boiler pipe insulation, furnace ductwork and plenum joints, around the furnace itself where any high heat areas would have been in close proximity to wood or other combustible materials. Hear no evil, see no evil, TOUCH NO EVIL! If you suspect it to be asbestos you sure as fuck not touch it. Otherwise it's mostly ok just don't disturb it whatsoever.
Mold - While certainly a concern I wouldn't lose sleep over it. I would address the issue that could possibly be causing it like a roof leak or anywhere water is getting in some how.
Lead Paint - You can also bet your ass that there is some lead paint somewhere, if not everywhere. You can usually tell just by looking at it and how it is flaking off. Think of an alligator or crocodile's back with how it is separated out into squares more or less. That's a dead giveaway that it's lead paint.
Also take into account climate control and building performance which can be easier to overlook. Nobody really cared about insulation and air sealing back in the day and you probably have little to no insulation if nothing was added throughout the years. If that's the case you're going to be really hot in the summer and cold in the winter. I don't know about you but I always run my lights at night and work with the temps instead of against them. Is the building on a concrete slab foundation? Does it have an attic or crawlspace? How big is your wall cavity? You are going to want to address light leaks as well, both for security and avoiding herm issues.
Don't want to scare you off by any means but these are all things to take into consideration. Let me know if you have any other questions as they pop up. I am familiar with buildings of different types.
Good luck, it sounds like it could be really cool!
Our house was built in 1886 or 1887- nobody's quite sure. It's Denver, where thing are a lot dryer than OR, but there are no mold issues at all.
Electrical isn't an issue, either, because I rewired the whole place some years ago. It's smart to pay close attention to the wiring in old houses because a lot of it isn't very good & because growers load it more than regular folks. A lot of places demanded conduit back in the 50's & 60's which is usually good wiring even if it lacks a ground wire. If that's the case, you'll want GFCI's on grow circuits. If the place is even older & has fuses instead of breakers in the main panel, walk away or figure on reworking it all.
Electrical isn't an issue, either, because I rewired the whole place some years ago. It's smart to pay close attention to the wiring in old houses because a lot of it isn't very good & because growers load it more than regular folks. A lot of places demanded conduit back in the 50's & 60's which is usually good wiring even if it lacks a ground wire. If that's the case, you'll want GFCI's on grow circuits. If the place is even older & has fuses instead of breakers in the main panel, walk away or figure on reworking it all.
@stoned trout Kilz paint looks like promising stuff.
@jhnn I'll take a closer look at the wiring and ask more questions. Looked like there was as bout 10 subpanels in the electrical room...lol
@who DAT is. By modular I mean the whole building was constructed with old growth wood and doesn't require support beams everywhere. All the rooms can be demolished to expose an area about 150 x 60 (unofficially). Right now it has one large room 80x40 and about 7 office sized rooms.
Good points on the electrical. Very helpful. Will do!
More good points on the lead paint, mold, and asbestos. I'll approach that from a better understanding now.
The building is south facing, its on a concrete slab, it has an attic about 10ft tall at the peak, its filled with old insulation, not sure which wall cavity you mean, I have been thinking about how to prevent light leaks for the reasons you specify - not sure yet. Thx for the help
I'll have more questions I'm sure.... 
@jhnn I'll take a closer look at the wiring and ask more questions. Looked like there was as bout 10 subpanels in the electrical room...lol
@who DAT is. By modular I mean the whole building was constructed with old growth wood and doesn't require support beams everywhere. All the rooms can be demolished to expose an area about 150 x 60 (unofficially). Right now it has one large room 80x40 and about 7 office sized rooms.
Good points on the electrical. Very helpful. Will do!
More good points on the lead paint, mold, and asbestos. I'll approach that from a better understanding now.
The building is south facing, its on a concrete slab, it has an attic about 10ft tall at the peak, its filled with old insulation, not sure which wall cavity you mean, I have been thinking about how to prevent light leaks for the reasons you specify - not sure yet. Thx for the help
I'll have more questions I'm sure.... I missed your post about the place having been a machine shop. From your description, the electrical will be fine w/ little modification. In Oregon, de-humidification may be a necessity, not something Denver growers usually need to deal with outside of sealed rooms.
Kilz primer is good stuff. Another trick, if a stain still comes through, is to use spray shellac & then re-coat. I highly recommend Benjamin Moore paint. You'll pay more per gallon, but it's worth the difference.
Dunno about lead paint remediation in industrial buildings or asbestos, either. Neither are a real issue when painted over. If you alter the place much you'll need permits & have the associated headaches.
Kilz primer is good stuff. Another trick, if a stain still comes through, is to use spray shellac & then re-coat. I highly recommend Benjamin Moore paint. You'll pay more per gallon, but it's worth the difference.
Dunno about lead paint remediation in industrial buildings or asbestos, either. Neither are a real issue when painted over. If you alter the place much you'll need permits & have the associated headaches.
When I said wall cavity I meant the inside of the wall itself or the gap between the exterior building sheathing and interior wall. 4", 6", etc. cavity?
Biggest thing with lead paint and asbestos is to not disturb it, I wouldn't even mess with it to paint it although you could do that. The biggest concern with lead paint is not "eating paint chips" but the dust and fine particles that come with cutting, sanding, drilling on the old paint. If you have your interior walls with flaking lead paint you could maybe install drywall over everything and start with a clean slate. Asbestos I would never touch in any way for any reason. The fibers can stay airborne for up to 72 hours if I remember correctly.
AGAIN, not to scare you off just make you aware. Worry about these things as they pop up, if applicable.
If you do purchase the building look into air sealing and adding insulation on top of the existing stuff. It will make a world of difference in controlling your environment, dampening noise if that's a concern, make a tighter building envelope for smell control, and there are usually rebates from the local utility company for these things to help offset the cost.
Any chance on posting some pics?
Biggest thing with lead paint and asbestos is to not disturb it, I wouldn't even mess with it to paint it although you could do that. The biggest concern with lead paint is not "eating paint chips" but the dust and fine particles that come with cutting, sanding, drilling on the old paint. If you have your interior walls with flaking lead paint you could maybe install drywall over everything and start with a clean slate. Asbestos I would never touch in any way for any reason. The fibers can stay airborne for up to 72 hours if I remember correctly.
AGAIN, not to scare you off just make you aware. Worry about these things as they pop up, if applicable.
If you do purchase the building look into air sealing and adding insulation on top of the existing stuff. It will make a world of difference in controlling your environment, dampening noise if that's a concern, make a tighter building envelope for smell control, and there are usually rebates from the local utility company for these things to help offset the cost.
Any chance on posting some pics?
Meh. Problems w/ lead paint & asbestos are easily exaggerated. Dampening surfaces & wearing one of these serves those of us who don't do it for a living-
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/asbestos-and-lead-respirator-with-cartridge/900971
Change clothes & shower at the end of the day. You can use tyvek suits but I warn you that they're hot & miserable.
Remediation workers need to use extra precautions to limit lifetime exposure, like x-ray techs.
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/asbestos-and-lead-respirator-with-cartridge/900971
Change clothes & shower at the end of the day. You can use tyvek suits but I warn you that they're hot & miserable.
Remediation workers need to use extra precautions to limit lifetime exposure, like x-ray techs.
MOral of the story:
Do your homework on the property.
if empty and ruff, steam the fucker.
Cover grow and adjascent area with heavy coating of white anti-fungal paint.
filter intakes with hepa.
put a virkon mat at entrance of the room
use specific clothes
Quarantine clones and seed, (yes seeds also) until full microscopic inspection.
(or blown up on tv a digital camera picture on macro setting.....best tool a grower can have.
peace
rm
Do your homework on the property.
if empty and ruff, steam the fucker.
Cover grow and adjascent area with heavy coating of white anti-fungal paint.
filter intakes with hepa.
put a virkon mat at entrance of the room
use specific clothes
Quarantine clones and seed, (yes seeds also) until full microscopic inspection.
(or blown up on tv a digital camera picture on macro setting.....best tool a grower can have.
peace
rm
Thank you. I think you've done this before, whereas I'm just a personal grower.
