I have a question. I was tearing into some walls in a property I purchased & noticed some mold. I wonder if that's pretty common or as bad as people say. I live in Indiana in a pretty damp climate. I would like to here some opinions. Thanks
A lot depends on how much you find. If it's pretty minor then it is easy to remediate - dilute solution of bleach and water will kill it (after you find and stop the source). If it's major you may need to remove sheetrock, carpet or whatever is infested. Word or warning - if it's minor, do not get the insurance company involved. I bought a house with two spots about the size of a quarter. Seller called insurance agent who filed a claim (unknown to us). I fixed the leaking window, remediated the mold and moved on. A couple of months later my insurance was canceled because of the mold claim. I had to write several letters and have a $700 test performed to prove there was no mold and get my insurance reinstated.
Find out why water is getting in there, allowing mold to grow, and make sure you fix it properly. Removing mold may fall under state regulation, and/or your insurance co's guidelines. I agree w/the other post that said insurance may cancel you if you report mold. Puts the homeowner between a rock and a hard place, assuming their policy even covers mold.
Bleach for cleaning mold is really only for non porous surfaces, such as sinks and tile. But for mold on porous material like most wood, insulation, drywall, OSB etc, you will probably have to remove the material and replace it. Even if you "kill" the mold, if you don't remove the material, the spores will still be there to cause allergy problems, insurance problems, or to grow again if you don't fix the reason they grew there in the first place. Also, even if you do not believe mold is harmful to people, mold is rotting the material it's on. that's how mold "eats." There is no point leaving rotted material there because it isn't doing its job anymore.
IMO to remove mold you should assume that it can hurt you, rather than find out the hard way. At the very least wear respiratory protection and shower, and wash clothing, afterwards. Like I said, some state laws say how much mold requires professional remediation.
And, last but not least do not be tempted to just cover it up. If you sell or rent the house, some states now have laws that could result in you getting sued for concealing mold or other serious problems. Not saying you would do that, just FYI for anyone reading.
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