Need a mold inspector!

[Ken in Arkansas]

My son and duaghter-in-law purchased a home in the Allen, Texas area last August. In talking with them as their one-year warranty approached it's expiration, we discussed several items that needed attention including a leak that they noticed around their ceramic tile shower. The builder has responded to their notification of the leak, but when the tile was removed mold was everywhere.

Before the "repair" gets made, I need of an experienced mold inspector in the Allen, Texas area to check things out. Your referrals (based on your experience) would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[graindart]

....better grab the yellow pages, and quick......

 

[Joe Birrell (NY)]

Mold is an environmental buzz word. Ordinary bleach kills it. Don't panic.
Get yourself a spray bottle and give it a good dose. It will turn white in color and you can remove it easily.

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

I agree with Joe, not real likely this is real bad stuff. I would spray it with undoluted chlorine, wait a little while and remove any damaged parts, replace with new wood, etc., spray all this with some chlorine, let it dry, put the wall back together, get on with life.

 

[Restrain]

Ken:
There are several good environmental firms in the Dallas area. Don't mess with this stuff. I have seen clean-up costs run in excess of 6 figures and the builder is still on the hook. Get on the Yellow Pages on-line and get several lined up. A basic inspection fee is appx. $300. This is bad news in the DFW area - if it is not cured quickly, they'll be stuck with the home that's worthless.

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

OK,

I take it back.

 

[Ross (CO)]

Ken, .....Certainly good that the leak was addressed first ! Curiously, though, was it a bad soldering connection in the supply lines or was it faulty floor drain seating at base of shower ? Were you finding it within a horizontal or vertical surface, or both ? When you said the leak was "around" the shower this was not clear. Your yellow pages should provide an environmental company that can identify what you have there. There are dozens and dozens of differing mold types and levels of toxicity and some with no expressed toxicity at all. They are visually unattractive in any form and should be cleaned up and/or prevented. There are air quality treatment systems which can be safely introduced within the living area of a home and which effectively can limit or thwart the potential for molds forming by destroying spores at the level which the naked eye can not see. By the time people do see such a noticable colony it is a large grouping of these "critters". Check your yellow pages as well for air quality technical services. Anyone living in humid climes is susceptible to mold colony formations, and related unfriendly buggies, old house or new, in carpets and drapes and furniture as well as baths, with a detected "leak" as well as with NO water leaks in the house. Regular ambient humidity is a major catalyst supporting their existence. Introduction of low and safe levels of ozone allows one of nature's best and proven sterilizing agents to do a lot of advance-work for you. Do not confuse the word ozone with the broadly mis-reported description of what constitutes average urban air "pollution" components. Do some research on it, and decide.

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

Ken,

I really do take back my first post. I attended a mold class today.

check this out:

http://www.hometest.com

Good information. It is likely that all that needs to be done is chlorine and repairs, but do have it checked. The builder should pay for the test as it's still under warranty.

 

[Jim McGrath]

I agree with Joe, not real likely this is real bad stuff. I would spray it with undoluted chlorine, wait a little while and remove any damaged parts, replace with new wood, etc., spray all this with some chlorine, let it dry, put the wall back together, get on with life.

Pam, if you want to see some black mold, it looks like stacybatrys, take a look at these photos of just two rooms in the house. The whole house was filled with it.

http://www.jimmcgrath.net/photos

Jim

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

Jim,

I did change my opinion - see my post just above yours.

Nasty stuff. Thanks for the photo. I was in a repo here that was much worse though. It was floor to ceiling and dripping. Wish I could figure out how to post those pix.