Mold advice for a tenant?

Question

Hi everyone!

I've been doing a lot of research but can't find a definite solution to my issue. I recently found black mold all over one wall ( it was hidden behind my bed) in my bedroom. I told the landlord and she said she would use paint to "kill" the mold, which I argued against because I've never heard of paint killing mold. Now she said she will send a handyman to spray chemicals over the mold

I found out through my research that as a tenant I am not obligated to see the mold report but my landlord says there will be no mold report and the handyman will just spray chemicals without thorough inspection, which worries me. I'm afraid the handyman will put some generic disinfect and not really address the problem.

Should I push for a mold remediation company and a mold report? 
I also live in California, if that affects any of my rights as a tenant.

All advice will be welcomed and thanks for your time!

Travis West · Answer

Please understand that this response is based on you NOT stating that there was a water leak, window leak, or some other obvious source of moisture.

A POSSIBLE SOURCE
The most likely reason for the mold to occur in that area is lack of air movement.  Some evidence of discoloration on gypsum wallboard surfaces does occasionally occur when furnishings (bed, dresser, or other furniture) are located along a perimeter wall.

Moisture (especially in humid or waterside locations) always tries to migrate into a conditioned environment.  It is apparently doing that in your bedroom, but the lack of free air movement between the wall and bed (or headboard) is not allowing the moisture laden air to move. Consequently, that space between the wall and bed has a higher level of (relative) humidity. That humidity is supporting the development of mold.

TESTING
I would NOT recommend that you do any testing. Test kits for consumers are poorly designed and are not quantifiable. They will not tell you what you want to know and are a pure waste of your money.

KILLING GHE MOLD
As for killing the mold, there are a lot of serious misunderstandings a out that. A dead mold is just as allergenic as a live mold. That's because people have allergies to the proteins in the mold spores and hyphal structure (branches, etc.). Killing is not a solution.

WIPE THE MOLD AWAY
Again, assuming this is not caused by a live water leak, the best solution is to mix up a solution of mild soap and water (simple dish soap) and just wipe the mold away. To do this, wet the rag in your soap solution, wring it out, wipe the wall (1 time) and then turn the rag to a clean area. Repeat this process until the mold is gone.

If the landlord wants to paint the wall with a Kilz brand encapsulating paint "after the mold has been wiped away" then that's okay. It is just peace of mind for her and it helps to manage her potential liability.

Remember ... No spray chemicals ... No killing the mold first as there is absolutely no benefit. Consider rearranging your furniture to allow better airflow. And, be happy that this is isolated to an easily accessible area.

As my first paragraph stated, this all assumes that you have not had any active leaks of liquid "live" water in that area in the recent past.  If you have, then the process and protocols (as well as the owner's liabilities) change.

Travis West
CIEC (Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant; American Council for Accredited Certification)
MAC0326 (Licensed Mold Assessment Consultant; Texas Department of State Health Services)

Brian Mathews · Answer

While it probably isn't large enough to have full blown remediation done.  The cause of the mold/mildew needs to be determined and fixed.  Then remove the sheetrock and re-install new sheetrock and that should take care of the problem.  But simply painting over it without finding the cause is an effort in futility.  It will simply return.

Joel Owens · Answer

Their is surface mold and airborne mold and then their is mildew.

2 main components are:

1. What caused this issue to happen and is it being fixed so it does not happen again??

2. There are test kits for taking a sample and analyzing what you have. There are many strains of mold but people always think it is black mold which in many cases it is not even though the color is black.

You have to know what you have before properly treating it.

http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.html

No legal advice

Tom Goans · Answer

Check the state laws and with your local health department.

Charles M. · Answer

I ran a quick search for black mold removal and there are two solutions; 1 for unpainted drywall & 1 for painted which I would assume your wall is.

"If you find mold growing on unpainted drywall in your home you will have to remove the drywall and replace it. Unfortunately there is no way to completely remove mold from unpainted drywall since it is a porous material."

"If you find mold on drywall that is painted or primed then the good news is you shouldn't have to remove the drywall. This is because the mold should be just on the surface and shouldn't have penetrated into the drywall itself. Wipe or scrub the mold away using a cleaning product or mold killing solution."

Hope this puts your mind at ease. ;)

Mold advice for a tenant?

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