Have you ever had an air quality test done?

[Jordan L.]

I have a rental in which I’m experiencing an issue with thermal tracking or ghosting. I had never heard of this until encountering it in my rental. It essentially involves discoloration of the walls and vaulted ceiling that highlights the framing of the house beneath the sheet rock.

Well, I have the walls and ceiling scheduled to be repainted but now my tenants are claiming the issue is mold related and threatening to contact an attorney. While I’m confident in its cause, I’m having an air quality test performed next week just as a CYA.

This being said, I’ve become concerned. I’m using a water damage restoration company that came recommended to me by my home inspection company, and they have 4.5 stars on HomeAdvisor. I’m concerned because they may find spores anyway, as mold is almost omnipresent in nature. If the test comes back positive, I’m afraid of what may happen with my tenants. My property manager has already told them to move out immediately if they feel the home is a hazard to them, and I’ve already told them I would do the mold test.

What should my plan be in case the test comes back positive? What is the likelihood of a positive result if there are no obvious signs of mold in the home?

[Mitch Messer]

Hi @Jordan L.. We had experience with mold in a property just last year. Here are a few things to consider:

1. You are correct: Any inspector absolutely will find mold inside your rental. It's everywhere, after all. The real issue is whether you're creating an environment for unusual mold growth. That's determined by testing both inside and outside your property. If the spore count inside the house is alarmingly high compared to the readings outside, then you've got a mold problem.
2. I'm no attorney, but I'd strongly advise you let the tenant pick the mold inspection company (even if it's from a short list you provide), so there's no hint of perceived collusion. Otherwise, they might not accept your results, and you'll have to do another test anyway.
3. I won't post it here, but I'm happy to share the mold inspection report we received, so you can see what one looks like. Just PM me here on BP.

Meanwhile, keep your head up! It's all just part of the joy and majesty of landlording! 😀