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Advice needed: mold in our house
We rent. We've had leaking issues the entire time we've lived there (almost 5 years), but the landlord has had someone come out and fix all the problems. Well, yesterday I happened to look behind my dresser and the whole corner is covered in mold (wall, carpet, everything). Apparently they didn't fix everything. We had water damage, no visible mold, in the living room below this spot and haven't had any additional water damage or water since it was "fixed" so we thought we were good. There was no smell and everywhere else around the dresser is clean, so it is by luck that I even found it.
We slept in the guest room and are keeping the door shut as much as possible. I have no idea how long it has been there, if it is the toxic kind, etc. makes me sick to think how close it is to where we spend a lot of time (all of us, dd included).
Our landlord is having someone come out tomorrow to look at it, but my concern is they will bleach and clean the wall and carpet and do nothing about inside the walls (bedroom and living room). Is there a way without physically being there while they fix it to make sure it is all taken care of? It also frustrates me that we've repeatedly complained about water damage, apparently nothing was done, and now we've been living with mold for who knows how long.
DD: 6-24-11
EDD: 9-20-14
Re: Advice needed: mold in our house
DD: 6-24-11
EDD: 9-20-14
I'd be shocked if they could do that all in one day. Drywall mud would
Need. Bit to dry before painting and sanding.
Let me quell your fears for a minute about the mold. You will not die from mold. The mr has trained as a home inspector, attended multiple Nat'l Assn of Home Inspector meetings, and works in construction compliance. He says people shouldn't freak out about mold like it is nuclear waste.
Should the landlord remedy it? Absolutely. Can it aggravate underlying medical condition (like allergies)? Yes.
But it's not as dangerous as radon (which can often be found in this region) or make you sick like imported drywall (found mostly in the south, with homes built after 2001).
They may remove the drywall, but they aren't going to remove the studs. What will likely happen is that once they get behind the wall, they'll blast the studs with bleach/water mixture and sand them down. The bigger concern is to fully eradicate the source of the moisture/water.
Is the mold appearing on an exterior wall? Does your place have a stucco finish?
Sorry for the confusion, I was talking about more than one leak, in different areas of the house, some were fixed and some apparently were not fixed. Also, I agree water is hard to track, but it doesn't mean you give up (which I admit is an assumption because all I have to go on is it still leaks and now we have mold).
We have rental properties as well, so we're not unreasonable or needy tenants; we understand both sides. I thought mold was a big deal, it appears I've overreacted. I'm meeting with them today to figure out next steps.
DD: 6-24-11
EDD: 9-20-14
This is exactly what the mold remediation industry wants you to think! Their marketing people get bonus points for scaring the ish out of everyone.
Did the mold appear on an exterior wall? Do you have a stucco finish on the house?
Had you told them it was still leaking or did you not know until you saw the mold? If you didn't know then the liklihood of them knowing is slim to none.
I know if I heard our rental house was leaking I would be all over it because I would be afraid of the long term damage. I definitely wouldn't employ someone to fix some leaks but to leave others!
Don't freak out - mold can be serious and you are right to insist that it be remediated, but as Erbur says, a lot (most?) cases of mold are no big deal and just need to be cleaned up before they spread.
Make sure they fix it, but I wouldn't assume they gave up or didn't care. Stuff happens with houses and some times it takes a diagnostician to work out what's going on!
I blame the Holmes Inspection shows and the like for my freakout. They show them all suited up with masks, taped up rooms, etc. You mean reality tv isn't real??
They came yesterday and ripped back the carpet and cut holes in the walls to try and figure out where it was coming from. There was no mold on the outside, but they are removing the siding today to see what the problem is. Working outside in.
We called them when we initally saw the water marks in the room below and then again when we noticed it was getting worse with the drywall peeling, and the last time when we saw the mold. I definitely would have been more understanding if it all happened at once. Either way, progess is being made now.
I heard them say yesterday "it is always the last place you look"
Thanks for the mold info and the drag back down to earth.
DD: 6-24-11
EDD: 9-20-14
Speaking of mold, has anyone seen this house in Jenkintown on Realtor.com yet? It's amazing and the price is freaking crazy low. BUT! Look at the pictures of the basement. WTF! How do you let something like that go for so long?!
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/832-West-Ave_Jenkintown_PA_19046_M47476-91146?ex=PHPA_6073385&mlslid=6073385
Wow, there is some serious trouble going on in that basement. It is all over, like the whole house is sitting in a pond or something.
DD: 6-24-11
EDD: 9-20-14
It's all written in the description: The Bad - this is a short sale and probably requires a cash buyer because it gets ugly. There are some issues with the home that probably make it unmortgageable. There was a leak in the kitchen ceiling. As this is both a short sale and an estate sale the situation hasn't been (and probably will not be) looked into. But the real issue is the basement which could be the set for a horror movie (if mold is a monster).
Oh boy. Complicated! Probably happened when the house was unoccupied, b/c I cannot imagine someone being present in the home and not attending to a leaking kitchen ceiling.