Mold in Reg

[CPH]

Just think of it like this. If you don't get it all out of the second stage and maybe the hose and first stage, will you be happy letting your brother breath the spores that come from mould.
Was there not a case of a diver dying after breathing from a wing that had mould spores inside. Took him some years of carrying oxygen 24/7 and half his remaining life in hospital before he did pass away though.
Diver Dies Following Lung Infection After Rebreathing BCD..

 

[Scared Silly]

Wow!!! Who would have thought one could die from a mildew/mold reg. Sure glad I make every effort to thoroughly dry my gear inside and out.

 

[brucetrinity]

Hmmm .... lot's of stuff to think about. For instance, even though we wash/flush the bladder in the BCD, are we really sure it's dry before putting it away? Do we always purge ALL of the low pressure hoses after cleaning the regs? Is all of our gear (wetsuit/boots/gloves/snorkel) free of mold/mildew to prevent cross-contamination? Do you use rental gear? Is any of this really a concern .... we may have more exposure to mold/mildew on a daily basis from workspaces that are not disinfected .... remember that sponge or washcloth that smelled a little "funny"? Comments ????

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I don't think we should overreact to Mike Firth's tragic story. Pulmonary aspergillosis in healthy individuals is very rare. It generally occurs in immunocompromised patients.

I would think that a reasonable approach for a diver to prevent aspergillosis is to:

• Rinse regs with fresh water after dives. Dry thoroughly prior to storage. Store regs in a temperature-controlled environment away from any potential sources of mold. Inspect the inside of second stages periodically for signs of mold growth and/or corrosion. If either is found, it should be addressed.
• Clean/dry the inside of the BC/wing well and store it in a temperature-controlled environment away from potential sources of mold. The manufacturer of the BC/wing should be able to suggest a cleaning solution that is compatible with the material of the inner bladder.
• Avoid inhaling stagnant air from the BC/wing's inner bladder. Microbial infection generally requires a certain infectious dose. Fungal spores can be inhaled quite easily. Oral inflation via the mouthpiece of the power inflater does not require that the diver inhale the air inside the bladder. Just exhale into it. Use the dump valve or exhaust button on the power inflater in conjunction with squeezing on the outside of the BC/wing to rid the bladder of any gas.
• Schedule periodic physical exams with your physician to increase the odds that your immune system is healthy/robust.
• Adhere to an exercise regimen that keeps you in good physical shape.
• Eat a balanced diet, sleep well, and avoid stress.

There's a very low chance that the inside of the LP hoses can support cultures of aspergillus since dry, scuba tank air is transiting through the hoses at elevated pressures.

Bleach kills mold quite nicely. Unfortunately, it can damage stainless steel. In the lab, to decontaminate the insides of tissue culture cabinets, we'll clean the stainless steel trays with dilute bleach or a commercially available fungicide, followed by soap and water, and then alcohol. Not sure whether the fungicides we use would damage the plastic or metal parts inside regs.

 

[phillybob]

I've read that pouring a little Listerine into your B.C. and swooshing it around will take care of any nasties growing in there. I've never done it but it makes sense. There is a Listerine that doesn't contain alcohol. I think that would be better for the B.C. Would probably work for regs, too.

 

[HowardE]

If the reg sat long enough to grow mold, you are probably due for annual servicing regardless.

If not properly cleaned, or stored in a damp humid environment, mold can grow in short order. Days to weeks as opposed to months. I don't think that it's safe to assume that an annual service is in order.

Am I able to do it myself and save my wallet? Does $120 seem a bit high?

$120 just to clean mold does seem high. Listerine or RelyOn or other disinfectants can kill mold. So can lysol or even just a light bleach/water mixture. It all depends on where the mold is, and how infected the area is. If there's a little mold on the mouthpiece... take it off, and use bleach water... that will kill mold... then rinse well.

If it's just on the diaphragm in the second stage, that is also fairly easy to remedy.

If you aren't experienced enough to unscrew the cover from your second stage and look to see where the mold is, then pay for service.

 

[halocline]

What are they going to do for $120? Complete service on three stages? If so, that's about the going rate, I guess. If they're just going to clean the junk out, whatever it is, it's a real rip-off. Just soak the reg in a disinfectant as others have said and dive away. The idea of taking the 2nd stage covers off and cleaning the diaphragm is a good one if you're confident doing that.

BTW, what kind of reg is it and do you have some photos?

 

[CPH]

I agree that no-one should over react but then you go on to say the many things we need to do to stop it happening.

 

[redacted]

I doubt if I would trust the diagnosis of the LDS. I know I would not pay them $120 for a cleaning.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The worst thing I've ever seen in a second stage is a small fish that entered, died, partially decomposed, then dessicated in an octo. I charged extra to service that.