Mold an issue? Just paint over it?

[Joe Kato]

Tenants moving out showed me mold in the closets. Is this a long term problem or just something maybe specific to these tenants? This is coastal New England. Planning to paint it with kilz or similar, anything else I should do?

[Joel Owens]

Find out if it is an air circulation problem for mildew or is it actually mold??

Some of my family lives in New England and many houses do not have A/C as it does not get as hot there often. This year however they have said it has been in the 90's and up. If no A/C and air circulating you could have problems with mildew etc. and musty smells.

So I would NOT just paint over it. Find out if mold or mildew and if caused by air circulation or a water issue first. If you do not fix the underlying problem and just throw paint over it that shows you were trying to cover something up. Last thing you want is sick tenants saying see where there was mold but the landlord just through some paint on it so we wouldn't see and we got sick from it.