Mold detected in basement

[Mike Meerschaert]

Hi,

I'm looking for some advice from my fellow landlords. I have a rental property in Portland with a finished basement - I managed the remodel myself, everything is up to code, and it was completed in May 2022. 

There was recently a water intrusion event caused by a clogged drain outside which caused some hydrostatic pressure in the soil and some water came up through the slab, which the tenants promptly cleaned up and I ran a dehumidifier I rented from home depot for 24 hours. The tenants were understandably concentered about the possibility of mold growth resulting from the water intrusion, so I had a test done which detected some mold. They had a separate test done by another company which also detected some mold. I had a remediation contractor come out, and he told me the levels on the report is what he'd expect from a basement in Portland, and any amount of washing / bleaching wouldn't reduce the levels much long term as more moisture would enter the space up from the slab because concrete will always give off some moisture, and he couldn't really recommend much remediation. Also, there is no visible mold and no mold smell in the basement (there is a little on the caulking beneath a single pane picture window upstairs which I'll deal with).

That didn't sit too well with the tenants as they have been looking online and finding information about how dangerous it might be, and it didn't help that the first report that I had done the inspector attached a boilerplate message recommending a full HVAC cleaning (ducting is 1 year old) HEPA vacuum, air scrubbers, double washing everything in the unit with bleach, etc. so now the tenants are being fairly combative and insisting that more needs to be done. When the contractor was there they even came downstairs and started demanding to know exactly what steps would be taken (hands on hips, scrunched up face to give this some color). My issue is that in the opinion of the remediation contractor (who has a financial incentive to recommend as much remediation as possible) all that wouldn't reduce mold levels long term, due to the fact that it's a basement in Portland, and the levels on the report are extremely common in basements in the area where no water intrusion had happened. He even went so far as to say it's one of the cleanest finished basements he's seen. For reference, both tests detected an average of 20-30 spores per test of Aspergillus Penicillium and about 4 spores of Cladosporium if that means anything to anyone.

They also said their children have asthma and are concerned about flare ups this winter, which is really concerning to me, given that maybe my property isn't the best fit for them due to the fact that it has a finished basement and single pane windows upstairs (it was built in 1956). I decided to give them the option to break their lease and leave, if they so choose, which they haven't responded to yet.

My question is, has anyone dealt with a similar situation who may be able to give some advice on this? Would you allow a tenant to break a lease given the circumstances? And would you invest the money to do the performative deep cleaning knowing that subsequent tests would likely show  the same levels after all was said and done?

[Richard F.]

Aloha,

Usually when testing they also sample outside the home, to determine "background" levels for comparison of quantity and species. Most "mold" is harmless... there is, if I  recall, some 40,000 species, and there is some type anywhere you go other than a "clean room".

I would let them out, especially when they pull the "children" card, as there is no further rational conversation to be had.Certainly, some folks are more sensitive than others to "normal" molds, but overall it is way overblown.

If you start with a dehumidifier right away, you can prevent any growth on the backside of the sheetrock, and once the walls and area are thoroughly dry, the mold will not continue to grow. Having professional remediation is unbelievably expensive to pay rent on all of the equipment, monitor moisture content multiple times daily, and ultimately cut out some of the sheetrock to replace it.

[Nathan Gesner]

Quote from @Mike Meerschaert:

Mold is everywhere. If you test the air outside, there will be mold, especially in Portland. Your tests should show the levels and the types of mold to determine whether there is a danger.

Connect with me and I request my Mold response. I'll share what I give to tenants and it should help you with yours.

If the Tenants insist the house is a danger, let them move out and start fresh.

[Lawrence Potts]

I’d let them go but provide them with help to move. It’s a bummer it couldn’t work out for them but it seems that every place to rent has it’s “hiccups” and some places are just not a good fit for some families.

I can understand your reasoning. But you need to find some sort of solution because this may come up again. And maybe reconsider your tenant type if you need to spend a few days out of the year or periodically dehumidifying the place? Maybe go midterm or short term?

[Mike Meerschaert]

Thank you for all the replies, I'm sorry I didn't see them show up for some reason and was just notified about them! The situation resolved itself because they decided to move out, and as a precaution I took up the new flooring, installed a vapor barrier, and installed new flooring on top (painful since I had installed it all a year before, but in the end it really just came out to a few months profit).

The whole experience with these tenants also motivated me to find a good property manager, who is now managing the place. They got it fully leased up and everything has been running smoothly with $2k net income after expenses and mortgage per mo. on a property I put $180k into (rehab + down payment), so I'm very happy with the resolution. Onward to the next one!

[Michael Smythe]

Once did a mold test on a house near a swamp and the interior air had LESS mold spores than the exterior!

That really put the tenants in their place:)