Gasoline causing black mold
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10196
Printed Date: September-17-2024 at 6:16am
Topic: Gasoline causing black mold
Posted By: TK-421
Subject: Gasoline causing black mold
Date Posted: April-19-2008 at 4:17am
| I have searched the forum and internet and can't seem to find info on the black mold caused by gasoline. I am not sure about all parts of the country but in the northeast they put something in our gas that causes anything nearby to turn black. All of my plastic gas cans are black. It power washes off fine but it looks terrible. The real problem is with a boat cover on the fumes from the tank vents etc also cause the same black spots on vinyl, fiberglass etc. I called CC in Orlando and asked them about it and they have never heard of that problem before. So any guys in the northeast know anything about it and what to do about it? |
Replies:
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: April-19-2008 at 10:02am
|
Where are you getting your gas from - Mafiamart? ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: tullfooter
Date Posted: April-19-2008 at 11:21am
Do you have one of those 2-cycle Nautiques that take mixed fuel? 
Steve ------------- Play hard, life's not a trial run. '85 BFN '90 BFN White Lake, Michigan |
Posted By: TK-421
Date Posted: April-19-2008 at 11:39am
|
That is usually the response I get from people outside of CT USA.
I have one of those 30 gal fuel caddies from Boaters world and the entire outside is turning black. The inside of our gas doors on our cars are all black. The only thing that worries me is it doesn't like to come off of vinyl. If I leave the boat cover on for any length of time the black mildew like mold will start to grow. As long as there is adequate ventilation like using a tarp tee pee configuration then it will be fine. This is why I am trying to acquire a lift with canopy. That would give me the ventilation needed. We used to have a chemical called MTBE in the gas. People started having health problems with it so they switched to something else. We have only had this issue for the past 6 or so years. |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: April-19-2008 at 2:04pm
|
Sounds like an investigation needs to be done... 60 minutes, Congress, Mythbusters?? ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: April-19-2008 at 4:01pm
|
I have never seen or even heard of this problem. If you did a search and couldn't find any thing, maybe it's not the gas?? I too have a gas caddy and in the 12 years I've had it, don't see any evidence of black mold. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: TK-421
Date Posted: April-19-2008 at 4:33pm
All of my red gas cans and my dad's have this black residue all over the outside. Car gas caps same thing. 
I'll call Jamie at MB and get them on it right away. 
|
Posted By: adamt
Date Posted: April-20-2008 at 4:38am
|
Maybe it's that crappy corn oil they're "watering" down the gasoline with?!? What's the percentage of ethanol they're hiding in the fuel in your state?!? ------------- -Adam 1973 Skier |
Posted By: RT1963
Date Posted: April-20-2008 at 4:53am
|
The black stuff on my gas cans I see is mold. Usually caused by moisture.Where do you store your gas?
------------- Party Smart!! Always have a bottle opener in you Boat. |
Posted By: TK-421
Date Posted: April-21-2008 at 1:46am
|
I too think it is the corn content as it holds more moisture.
Really doesn't matter where I store them. In my shed under my shed or just plain sitting out in the sun like my big 30gl caddy. They all turn black. |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: April-21-2008 at 9:58am
|
Funny, I live in Iowa, home of Ethanol. But we still have the option of pure gas or E10. I opt for the pure gas myself. Ethanol has only 50% of the energy content of gas, so E10 really isn't a bargain, even at 10 cents a gallon less. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: The Mold Expert
Date Posted: November-22-2010 at 9:37pm
|
That black mold is tough to get rid of. Try Microban Disinfectant Mold Killer. These two companies do a great job with Mold Removal, Mold Remediation, Mold Testing, Mold Inspection, Mold Abatement, Mold Cleanup in New Jersey
http://www.absolutelyspotless.us http://www.absolutelyspotlessmold.com ------------- NJ |
Posted By: The Mold Expert
Date Posted: November-22-2010 at 9:37pm
|
(url=http://www.absolutelyspotless.us/)
(url=http://www.absolutelyspotlessmold.com/) ------------- NJ |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: November-22-2010 at 10:20pm
David, Where were you 2&1/2 years ago when the problem came up? What model boat do you have? We'd love to see it. Post some pictures. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
The Mold Expert wrote:Posted By: adamt
Date Posted: November-24-2010 at 7:21am
|
Maybe this is Mold Man's boat... 
 ------------- -Adam 1973 Skier |
Posted By: Manny1969
Date Posted: August-21-2013 at 4:13pm
| I am having the same problem, I live in western Pennsylvania. I keep on hand 8 5gal red plastic containers for my generator. I have done this for the past 10 years, now all of a sudden I am getting black mold under all the gas containers. What are they putting into the gas? I called the CDC and they said they knew nothing about it. I turned it over to our local newspaper, hope they find something. Mold is nothing to mess with. |
Posted By: boardersdad
Date Posted: August-21-2013 at 11:53pm
| I've never heard of this before. |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: August-23-2013 at 5:35am
NG, Since you say the black mold is "under" the containers, it's not from the gas. I happen to work for a blow molder of HDPE fuel containers and know we go through BIG EPA regs as well as an independent certification of fuel permeation through the container. The HDPE wall is actually 5 layers. One is a very special barrier to prevent migration of fuel. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: phatsat67
Date Posted: August-23-2013 at 10:21am
|
I have seen black stuff on the inside of fuel doors on some of the cars we had that sat outside for long periods of time. But the same stuff would be in the door hood and trunk jambs so it clearly isn't relational to fuel. ------------- |
Posted By: gun-driver
Date Posted: August-23-2013 at 10:22pm
Now this is interesting because I'm just south of you in Evans City and I have a 1/2 dozen 5 gal cans of gas that I use and have never seen any mold. But I will start paying more attention to see if it pops up. |
Posted By: sroberts
Date Posted: August-25-2013 at 1:42pm
I have the same problem with the fuel locker in my sailboat. There is no question that the gas fumes somehow contribute to the mold growth - the matching locker that stores my anchor has no mold. I've had this locker perfectly clean a couple of times over the past few years yet the mold returns with a vengance each time. This time after I clean it I plan to remove the gas tank and fuel line when I'm not using the boat to see if that prevents the problem.   
|
Posted By: Manny1969
Date Posted: August-29-2013 at 12:58pm
| I seen your pictures and that is what my garage looks like. After searching the web I found and ordered a product that sounds great. http://biocidelabs.com/BioCide100.html also http://biocidelabs.com/Mold_Bomb_Fogger.html |
Posted By: sroberts
Date Posted: August-30-2013 at 3:12pm
| I plan to use bleach, then pressure washing, then Concrobium. I read about it at Practical Sailor (http://www.practical-sailor.com/issues/36_6/features/Mildew-Prevention-Sailboat_5933-1.html) and can get it from the local home improvement store. We'll have to compare results. |
Posted By: bhectus
Date Posted: August-30-2013 at 6:25pm
|
Wow, that looks serious! Black mold is nothing to mess around with. I'm surprised we haven't heard more about this. Tim Benjamin, where are you? Are you experiencing any of these symptoms up in CT where you are? ------------- '02 Ski Nautique 196 w/ 5.7 Apex bowtie - Sold '87 Barefoot - sold '97 Super Sport Nautique - originally custom built for Walt Meloon '97 Ski Nautique '83 SN 2001 |
Posted By: BIGJIMO
Date Posted: December-03-2016 at 1:55am
| I have been searching on and off for this mold topic as I have wondered much of the same as discussed here. I first noticed it immediately the fall of the year E-10 was introduced (somewhere around 2006 or 2007? in NJ). SRoberts pictures above; I experienced first hand, not on one sailboat, but almost all the ones we serviced at the marina I had worked at until 2009. It was around all the portable fuel tanks in the cockpit of the sailboats. I worked at this facility from 1988 on many of the same boats and never saw this in the fuel lockers before. The only variable was the fuel change with E-10. Shortly, I started to notice the mold on various plastic jerry cans that were stored outside. I think they were more prone to condensation being outside. My plastic cans stayed clean till recently, as I started to store them in a ratty shed. Until 3 years ago (approx 2013), they were stored in my garage when I started to notice a little mold on the ceiling over the area. I suspected the vapor thru the sealed plastic fuel approved containers. Now, the garage, which is detached and non conditioned, has mold seemingly starting to rapidly take off inside. It can be humid in there in the summer but so is everyone else's garages! I now contribute this to an old truck that I keep in there in which does not have a sealed fuel system and seems to always have a fuel odor around it. I think it is feeding or promoting the mold. I would like to keep the truck in the garage, so the next thing is either a de-humifier or better ventilation or both?? I see it around the gas filler doors on cars and even my Wellcraft center console boat. This boat has an in hull tank and access ports in the floor. When I open the ports, there is a black slime on the top of the tank. The other bilge areas also have blackened up over the last 5-6 years and now are disgusting. The fuel lines and filter/water separator all turn black, along with the fiberglass around the area. I do not know if it is related, but I now have health issues (muscle and joint pains-disabling) similar to Lyme disease symptoms and I can not clean up behind this thing because of limitations. I have also been recently diagnosed with a toxic mold exposure but do not know if it is from this or not. It may have been from another source possibly as I had stuff tested. The results were of a non toxic type in the garage. The mold illness diagnosis is based on new studies. Google surviving mold and Ritchie Shoemaker for more on this. As I googled more, I also found on Wikepedia a particular type of mold that grows around distilleries because of the vapors. "Baudoinia species use ethanol for their carbon nutrition, Ethanol in vapour form also accelerates the growth of the fungus and stimulates spore germination." etc. That is not the species in my garage but there you go anyway. Any help on the matter or suggestion for each other would be great. I would like to see E-10 go away or more studies on this done. |
Posted By: Blamey
Date Posted: December-03-2016 at 10:09am
|
I have seen this on my boat at the back by the gas tank. ------------- 96 Super Sport Previously: 95 Sport Nautique, 1980 Ski Supreme |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: December-03-2016 at 11:31am
|
Now that this is mentioned I have noticed this on some of my cans,does not matter if they are metal or plastic ones but they are all older. Metal ones are from the 60's plastic ones from the 80's. Cleans right up with Publix mildew remover and does not come back for a very long time. The ones I have in Florida are the newer plastic ones and I can get gas here with no alcohol so I have not seen the same problem here. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: December-03-2016 at 9:10pm
|
I think the mold issue needs to be publicized, esp. since they are thinking about mandating E15. Maybe let the new sheriff know about this! ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: Mr. Mold-It-All
Date Posted: January-05-2017 at 5:49pm
|
Especially since it is a boat and the northeast is already prone to humidity issues, there could be other underlying issues promoting the potential mold development. The gasoline may not actually be the source of the issue. If it is even mold, it can be the result of a number of water sources (ie: ventilation problems, etc.). The only way to know for sure would be to consult a professional and have it inspected. http://mastertechmold.com/ http://mastertechmold.com/mold-inspection/ http://mastertechmold.com/mold-removal/ |
Posted By: baitkiller
Date Posted: January-05-2017 at 7:58pm
|
Its ethanol. Look under the gas cap cover on your car.. same stuff. Big G doing their thing. ------------- Jesus was a bare-footer............. |