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Mold - help please!
We recently found mold in our house. My dog had scratched our wall and my husband cut that piece out and was going to patch it. When he removed part of the wall he found mold.
He thinks it was from a roof leak that we recently got fixed. He wants to make sure the leak is properly fixed, clean the existing mold and call it a day.
I am freaking out b/c now I am convinced that my house is covered with mold - we have a family room addition (where the roof leak occurred that is always musty). We are always sick (sinus infections, etc) We have always blamed it on daycare but I am so worried about my kids.
I want to call a professional service but he thinks they are scams and they will rip our house apart, play on our fears and charge an arm and leg.
Sorry this got long - if you have any experience I would appreciate any advice. Or even if you don't have experience - what would you do??
Re: Mold - help please!
What color or colors are the mold? Can you take a picture?
When mold has gotten into an area, you need to remove all of the existing mold and the source of moisture.
The color of the mold is indicative of the type. If it is black mold, bring in a professional. Your husband is correct in that there are a number of scam artists masquerading as mold remediation services; so as PP said, get recommendations. If it is green mold, removal of the invested drywall and a good scrub of the surrounding with a mild acid (vinegar or lemon juice) will eradicate the problem.
Have you been tested for allergies to mold? I am allergic to mold. My symptoms mirror a sinus infection.
Unfortunately we do not know anyone in construction. I will mention the pin test to my husband - he is afraid that they are going to say they found mold no matter what b/c that is their business and they want to make money on us. But I feel like as long as we can see the test results it is worth it.
An air quality test sound like a good idea. Especially if he insists on doing the work himself.
Thanks for your input!
It is black :-(
Thanks for your info - I really need to convince him we need a pro!
http://blackmoldremovalguide.com/
The link above is Black Mold 101. It has a mixture of home remedies and how/when to hire a contractor. With any mold, if you don't get all of it, it will come back again and again and again. Black mold has serious negative health consequences. You can develop a miserable allergy to all molds from a few minutes of inhaling black mold. For this reason, I always recommend hiring a professional to deal with black mold.
Depending on your policy, you may be insured for damage due to mold. That could be a source of funds (reimbursement) for hiring a professional.