Mold Question
#1
04-17-12, 06:15 PM
Mold Question
I wasn't sure where to post this, so I am trying here. If you know of any other place I should post it, please let me know.
We are considering renting a house that has a potential mold problem. (I can see if my husband can load a photo we took onto his Photobucket account if needed.)
There was water damage from years of a leaking roof in a den that was converted from a garage. It looked awful. The owner originally told us this was just mildew and not harmful at all. When we questioned this, he told us he was going to have a mold inspector come out.
The inspector came out and found mold in the crawl space on a vapor barrier. The owner said it was going to cost him $2000 - $3000 to have this remedied, and he is going to do that. I might note that the duct work for the house is in this crawl space.
A sheet rock guy cut out the nasty looking place in the ceiling of the den. The place was maybe about 3 feet by 4 feet.
The owner said the sheet rock guy said that it was just water damage from years of the roof leaking. We don't believe that because the house had an overwhelming moldy smell that was so bad we had to leave after about 30 minutes. (That's when we questioned whether or not this was mildew.)
This house is being totally remodeled. Carpet has now been ripped out and the hardwood floors are being refinished. All wallpaper has been stripped. The kitchen cabinets have now been ripped out.
Our questions are these:
1) When the place in the den ceiling was cut out by the sheet rock guy, were mold spores dispersed into the rest of the house?
2) If they were, will these grow and cause problems months or even a year from now?
3) We know that mold occurs naturally in the air anyway, but is there any kind of test that can be done to be sure that the levels aren't too high in the house?
4) Is it likely that mold is growing on the wood and in the insulation in the attic meaning that these things need to be replaced?
5) If it were you, would you have testing done and rent this house (which will look great when they're done) anyway, or would you find another house to rent?
If you have any professional qualifications or personal experience in the area of mold, would you be sure to list those in your reply for my husband's sake?
Thank you!!
We are considering renting a house that has a potential mold problem. (I can see if my husband can load a photo we took onto his Photobucket account if needed.)
There was water damage from years of a leaking roof in a den that was converted from a garage. It looked awful. The owner originally told us this was just mildew and not harmful at all. When we questioned this, he told us he was going to have a mold inspector come out.
The inspector came out and found mold in the crawl space on a vapor barrier. The owner said it was going to cost him $2000 - $3000 to have this remedied, and he is going to do that. I might note that the duct work for the house is in this crawl space.
A sheet rock guy cut out the nasty looking place in the ceiling of the den. The place was maybe about 3 feet by 4 feet.
The owner said the sheet rock guy said that it was just water damage from years of the roof leaking. We don't believe that because the house had an overwhelming moldy smell that was so bad we had to leave after about 30 minutes. (That's when we questioned whether or not this was mildew.)
This house is being totally remodeled. Carpet has now been ripped out and the hardwood floors are being refinished. All wallpaper has been stripped. The kitchen cabinets have now been ripped out.
Our questions are these:
1) When the place in the den ceiling was cut out by the sheet rock guy, were mold spores dispersed into the rest of the house?
2) If they were, will these grow and cause problems months or even a year from now?
3) We know that mold occurs naturally in the air anyway, but is there any kind of test that can be done to be sure that the levels aren't too high in the house?
4) Is it likely that mold is growing on the wood and in the insulation in the attic meaning that these things need to be replaced?
5) If it were you, would you have testing done and rent this house (which will look great when they're done) anyway, or would you find another house to rent?
If you have any professional qualifications or personal experience in the area of mold, would you be sure to list those in your reply for my husband's sake?
Thank you!!
#2
04-18-12, 03:50 AM
Donna: I am not mold remediation qualified. There. Using common sense, however, unless professional remediation experts are used to do the work, all will be in vain. Removing the ceiling panel may have released spores, but they need a place to live. Unless that moist place is given, they will die. I am just afraid the house, given it's present condition, that growing space may be almost anywhere.
What kind of inspector did he use? If he didn't check the ductwork, his inspection was not complete. If he didn't check behind the sheetrock, his inspection was not complete. It just lets me know it may not have been a mold specialist that was doing the inspection. Maybe so, and if so, hopefully you don't have big problems.
BUT, they all have to be taken care of, including the crawlspace, attic and living area before it can be inhabited safely. Just be careful and if in doubt......run.
What kind of inspector did he use? If he didn't check the ductwork, his inspection was not complete. If he didn't check behind the sheetrock, his inspection was not complete. It just lets me know it may not have been a mold specialist that was doing the inspection. Maybe so, and if so, hopefully you don't have big problems.
BUT, they all have to be taken care of, including the crawlspace, attic and living area before it can be inhabited safely. Just be careful and if in doubt......run.
