She called letting us know the leak has started up again and there is now moisture in the basement.

When we took moisture readings in that area during the pre-purchase inspection, they were off the scale ... as was the odor.In this case, there was a 3/4" plywood subfloor with ~2" of hard foam (polystyrene) insulation between it and the concrete slab.

In order to remediate mold, you need to remove the affected areas as well as locate/repair the source of the moisture.

We've learned to inspect at least once a year or so and fix all the tiny things before they become major deals (painting outside door trims before moisture damage sets in, trees growing through decks, fence pickets loosening, etc.).

Replace 1 to 2 Windows (moisture issues): $600 Miscellaneous Other Cosmetic Issues - up to $2,000.

That would get the air circulating and dry out any moisture.

So I am rehabbing some of my units in my apartment building.I am using 5 gallon off white for cost flat to get them painted using a sprayer.The painter mentioned that for the bathroom and the kitchen to use a semi-gloss.The reason being in the bathroom the semi-gloss instead of the flat paint won't absorb moisture into the wall.With the kitchen the walls would be easier to clean for grease etc.I guess it made sense to me since I remember from my cars if the paint was flat anything that stuck was really hard to get off but if you had the gloss coating nothing got in and was easy to get off.I can still get semi-gloss 5 gallon for cheap.Just getting input form the paint experts.He is starting tomorrow.I am getting a smoking deal at 70 bucks labor per unit to paint 1,200 sq ft.He doesn't have any work right now and needs the money and is a professional contractor painter.He says he can clear one a day.

Obviously it rains a lot here and you can definitely smell the moisture smell when you first walk in.

It is in a very good location (near the beach) but it is a great deal of trouble.The electrical system is working but very old, and underpowered.The water supply is a mix of all kinds of improvisations, but the basis is galvanized pipe, which of course is a ***** to work on.The drainage is also a mix of old and new, but whenever I work on some of the old stuff I usually get unpleasant surprises.For the roof, a contractor told me he could not give me a fair estimate to replace it because he did not know what 'surprises' he might find when he took the roof off, since the house was so old.For the siding and windows, I've been hustling around repairing moisture leaks for years, and I seem to be catching up on them.For the framing, who knows?

Below are some generalizations about locations and ongoing maintenance costs: Older properties require more maintenance than newer properties.Composition roofs require more maintenance than tile roofs.Properties in climates with hard freezes require more maintenance than properties in milder climates.Properties in locations with a lot of moisture require more maintenance than properties in dryer climates.Wood siding requires more maintenance than aluminum or stucco siding.Properties with lush vegetation require more maintenance than properties with little or no vegetation.SummaryWith hold times in the 10+ year range, you need to think of the location long term.