Any rust or moisture on the metal will be like a cancer and it will continue to rust between metal and patch, and eventually the patch will fall off.

It's pretty common for REOs to smell like they have a mold problem when in actuality they don't -- once you get the HVAC running with a decent filter, the smell will go away.That said, if there is a mold problem, the first course of action is going to be to determine what the source of moisture is, and get it remediated.

In addition, increased potential for moisture damage and fire damage.

Rifle rounds can penetrate most levels.

I had one that was so bad that I actually had to retexture all the drywall in the house because the smell had penetrated even the paint.....sigh.....

I spoke to a floor specialist (that she used) and he said that was due to excessive moisture. 

Maintenance / SafetyAdd carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to 1stand 2nd floor (42) Remove old detectorsInstall gutter downspouts to prevent moisture intrusion (126) Reinstall vapor barrier in crawl space (127) Replace insulation within wall by the bathtub (106)§ To be discussed when wall is openedPine PanelingInstall 1x6 T&G Pine Paneling Everywhere that vertical paneling is currently installed.

Penetrations must be fie sealed.

There's no obvious signs of moisture/leaks and I've run an ozone generator 3 times at 2 hours each straight into the return vent.

During the inspection process, no red flags were raised for moisture, etc.