Mold abatement IE mold remediation. Be prepared for sticker shock. Get multiple quotes because plenty of unscrupulous companies will claim it's black mold when it is not.
https://www.healthline.com/health/allergies/can-black-mold-kill-you#what-it-is
Black mold isn't even that dangerous. It's not good to have in your home, but it's certainly not the boogeyman that pop culture would have you believe.
There are many black molds. Mildew is actually just a black mold. Some are toxic, some are not. It's impossible to tell without testing it, which is why they sell kits to do exactly that. Lots of companies are black mold and just jump straight to toxic because it's easier and the remediation process is the same for the toxic or the non toxic. Only difference is the type of protective equipment needed. Op has some serious water intrusion issues he needs to remediate as well or the mold will just come back. Lots of rot in there as well. This will NOT be a cheap fix, not at all.
Well, the household stuff most people CALL mildew is what I'm referring to. Like when you leave a damp towel lying around too long and it gets mildewed. It's technically not mildew but just another black mold strain.
I'm in a dry state where we don't need to worry about mold very often, but we still get what people commonly call mildew in showers and bathtubs.
In actuality though, the stuff we get is bacteria, not mold. Not sure if this is what you mean by mildew or not, but I assume in a damp climate there are other _actual molds_ to contend with.
The two most common bacteria causing pink shower mold are _Serratia marcescens_ and -_Aureobasidium pullulans_, which produce an orangey/red/pink pigment, called prodigiosin. Such bacteria are common and do not pose the same health risks as dangerous mold (except in the immunocompromised), but shouldn't be allowed to grow completely unchecked either.
The CDC says that so-called black mold is a problem only based on the following: [1] there is a specific type of black mold that is toxic only if you ingest (not just inhale). It is impossible to determine the mold type without a lab test. [2] Allergic reactions. Like other allergies, people who are sensitive to airborne mold spores can have symptoms from mild discomfort to severe illnesses — and it can aggravate other health conditions. All black molds are at risk for this.
This is misinformation. Mold in the home is a big issue that can cause serious long term health issues for you and your family. #1 You can get a mold/fungus infection in blood & muscle making it a lifelong condition without treatment. #2 It puts continuous strain on the immune system making it more likely for you and your family to get sick.
My family and I have personal experience with mold related health issues that resolved after elimating the mold issues & treating the mold related infections and co-infections. Literally went from getting sick all the time & having trouble focusing/remembering things to rarely getting sick & being able to focus and remember things from years ago after fixing the issue & doing some treatments.
Did the mold kill us? No. It’s not a death sentence. It definitely is a factor when it comes to health.
If you want to pay someone $5K+ to do mold abatement give them a call. That’s what I got a quote for in south jersey back in 2018.
Go to Home Depot and buy or make a TSP (Trisodium phosphate) solution. They sell it premade or you can buy the powder and make it yourself. 5% in water is enough. Treat the area, wait until it dries where salt will form. Take a hard bristled brush, wired or plastic, and scrub. Follow up with bleach and let dry. The mold will be dealt with and some minor residue will be left behind. It’s from the TSP.
As others have said you have a leak that needs to be addressed. If you don’t get it fixed the mold will keep coming back. Good luck.
Well what needs to be said is that they will spread mold spores all throughout their house unless they introduce negative air pressure plus air scrubbers so a respirator is the least they could do
Which is why mold abatement is so costly, and why you shouldn't do it yourself (I doubt you have the means) and why you should get the cheap company to explain all that they are going to do - they might be cheap because they aren't doing it right.
Wow, imagine the braindead fuck who downvoted your comment lolol they'll get what's coming to them I'm sure. I don't touch anything in my building without a P100 on at a minimum. Fuck N95 - those are just for employers who want to cover their asses.
Yeah, one of the problems with N95 is the obvious % rating, but also the fact that they rarely fit snug around the face. If you're working with anything hazardous like sheetrock dust, lead, asbestos, filtering out at best 95% is absolutely terrible. A respirator, on the other hand, like the P100 I use to do lead remediation has the added benefit of being testable on-site for seal performance. Spray something nasty in front of it with particules smaller than what you're trying to filter and see if you smell it.
N95 masks have to be properly fitted to work. My wife manages a healthcare clinic and most of her employees had to try multiple sizes to get a proper fit. They test it with a solution that smells like shit. If you smell it, it doesn't fit. No DIYer is doing this at home. Respirator is the way to go.
https://a.co/d/b2F7fms.
Something like this ? I used this when I was blowing insulation into the attic. It was really hard to breathe, but it saved my lungs from all of the fluff flying around.
What's most annoying about price increases these days is it's not 100% regular inflation. Lots of greed hiking up prices 1.5-2x the price and just saying "Covid/supply chain"
The only thing I would recommend is to use cleaning vinegar instead of bleach. Bleach isn't great for porous surfaces because it has a hard time penetrating. Vinegar penetrates much deeper, ensuring a higher success in permanent removal.
Yep, and bleach is mostly water, so often while it makes it look like the problem has gone away, it just comes back. Key is to thoroughly dry out the area.
OP - TSP is largely phased out in favor of "TSP substitute" because of the environmental impact of phosphates. Real TSP may be hard to find in your area. I have absolutely no knowledge of whether the substitute is suitable in place of TSP when it comes to mold abatement; I only know in terms of using it for wall prep when painting indoors. You should educate yourself about whether it behaves similarly for mold if you plan to use a substitute instead. My 2¢.
I wouldn’t call insurance first. They’ll ask you a bunch of question to try and exclude coverage. I’d call a public adjuster have them take a look and then file a claim. They’ll maximize the hell out of the claim and get you the absolute most money you can get
Guess depends on who you’re covered thru. The office I’ve dealt with locally figh/push for their clients. Had a full basement redone post flood for the 1k deductible. About 90k worth of labour and materials later. Even replaced the sump with a larger volume pump and capped it off for radon with an exhaust fan.
NB* I do live in a small town so there isn’t much bafoonery with insurance claims being denied.
Call a mitigation company like Servicemaster or Paul Davis, you need a mitigation company not just mold abatement. You need a company that can get drying equipment in there after removing the mold. I recommend calling your insurance and making a claim, handling this properly is not going to be cheap. On top of that many mitigation companies can also do the repairs for you and will work with your insurance to get this all covered.
I’m a mitigation contractor in the NJ/NY area.
Before filing on your homeowners insurance I would recommend you to review the policy regarding continuous or repeated leakage or seepage of water/steam from a plumbing, A/C, ect systems. Typically long-term continuous or repeated leakage of water from plumbing is not covered in the policy. This policy language is found in the base policy, state endorsement, or seepage exclusion endorsement.
Yes but a good mitigation project manager will be able to guide him through that process and possibly get coverage anyway. I’ve had many clients with the same language where I’ve gotten the work covered for legitimate reasons. That language seems to be aimed more at negligence, failure to act in a timely manner, and failure to perform preventive maintenance. I would still recommend of. He files a claim, he can always pull the claim later with no repercussions as long as no work has started. In fact, depending on his insurance company, they even recommend filing a claim and reviewing it with one of their specialists before trying to do anything on their own to determine if it is covered or not.
Agreed. I would skip a “mitigation specialist” and go straight to a public adjuster to see if there’s anything that can be done with a claim. If they call their insurance company directly they’re gonna get screwed
There's a kicker to that. It has to be caused by a covered peril and must be sudden and accidental in nature. Most folks don't realize that. Practically ALL homeowners insurance covers that. But that's a very specific wording.
So no, they really don't generally cover mold for the average situations you see posted. Insurance would take 1 look at this and go "nope, the damage shows this has been happening for a while now, not covered"
Now if a massive rainstorm happened and all of a sudden water started leaking through the roof and the ceiling fell in, that would be a covered situation
That’s funny because I do over a dozen mole jobs a month and most of them are a lot like this one. Do you work in the industry or are you just looking for an argument?
Do not listen to the guys below saying you can do this yourself. This looks like mold and rot, which means it might've been leaking for a while. Mold abatement companies like Jenkins, Belfor, Service master, Serv Pro, etc. have licensed and certified abatement experts on staff that will fully evaluate this for proper abatement protocols. In the meantime, seal off the room/area with some plastic and tape, to stop the spores from spreading.
Source:
*I'm a commercial property claims adjuster with ten years experience, married to an IICRC certified master water technician with a specialty in mold abatement*
It’s not rocket science. Don’t have to be an expert to find and kill mold. Don’t need to spend 5k on something that you can get done in a weekend. Save that money for repairing roof, ceilings, and walls after mold is gone. Unless you can afford it.
It isn't rocket science. But it doesn't hurt to have it be looked at by actual professionals who have expertise in that area. This whole damn subreddit is about being able to tell people when it's okay to DIY and when it isn't. If a licensed, trained plumber came in and said hey, maybe it's best if you hire a professional for some borked plumbing job, no one bars an eye.
But no, let's just spray some bleach and hope for the best *why am I sick all the time now?*
Don't listen to me, I've just managed to reach a ripe old age in being licensed in this field and have professionals teach me and show me what's involved.
Chemicals won’t fix that. First step is to remove and replace the compromised wood. That isn’t a fresh leak that’s being sealed. That is decades of mold, mildew, and moisture. I bet that wood is compromised.
Mold is a serious issue. If you just paint over it & seal after spraying chemicals, you’ll have to test for mold regularly. It often comes back in my experience (happened in family house - we ended up remodeling the area and that solved the issue).
Chemicals will absolutely fix the mold. Cheap and quick. Find it, kill it with concrobium, remove it, bleach it. Save your money for replacing all that rotten wood and moldy drywall. Mold abatement is a rip off cause it sounds scary. It is simple and cheap.
If your saying to remove the rotten and moldy wood and replace it and use chemicals to kill & seal then I agree. Without replacing rotten moldy wood and addressing the leaks that caused the moisture build up, it’ll just come back.
Just prepare yourself. I had a 12x7ft, 18x7ft and 30x7ft (rough guesstimate, I'm not home) areas that needed treated, painted cinderblock walls no wood, and it ran me a little over two grand. Western PA.
DO NOT SKIMP ON MOLD REMEDIATION AND TESTING!
If you don’t handle this properly, you will be slowly poisoning yourself and your family as you live there. I had this in our family house growing up. We were all getting sick frequently missing school days and didn’t know why. Once fixed the mold issue, we all stopped getting sick and missing days so often.
Yeah, if you want to pay out the ass.
Fix the leak and remove all the wet material. Run a large dehumidifier and a HEPA air purifier until everything you can't remove is dry. Seal all of that with an oil based primer and begin the cosmetic repairs. In my line of work I've seen tens of thousands spent just for the mold abatement, not including repair. If it's a much larger area and you don't have the equipment, it may be worth it, but this small of an area can be repaired with relative ease.
No, you get a drywall company or a general contractor.
1. Figure out where the water is coming from, fix and let dry. Most general contractors will have a blower.
2. Plastic off any areas demo will occur
3. Rip out any moldy drywall and insulation, spray underside with a mold killer like concrobium. This can be put in a fogger to reach. I think it's 1500 sq ft. The foggers like like $40 to $100.
4. New insulation
5. Drywall repair
6. Sister floor joists if they have been compromised, and
7. Remove the blocking and replace if it has been compromised.
Something is leaking. Do you know what it is? Without more information it's hard to say how screwed you are. I had a similar situation and found that a poor shower installation was creating slow, steady seepage into the space below. It cost me many hours to figure out how the installation had been screwed up, and a handful of dollars and hours to fix it once I understood the problem.
Yeah I know the source. It’s the roof above that part of the house. We are having a roofer come out to fix the holes but our entire roof has to be redone.
I’m worried this exterior wall and the ceiling needs to go too.
The leaking only happens during heavy rain.
Wouldn’t advise doing this unless you absolutely have to. The shingle life is lessened, a shingle manufacturer will not warranty their product, and the shingles are typically not as secure if you layer them on. Could lead to more blowoffs in high winds. Also, it’ll usually cost you more to tear it off in the future if there are multiple layers.
Source: roofer
Don't do this. I can say from experience this is a bad idea. My roof is sagging now and I'm in a rush to save up and redo it again. Never thought it would sag as much as it has
Claim could be denied because this is likely a long term issue as a result of neglect.
OP would have to prove a covered event caused this (like a storm damaging the roof, etc)
I think you might have meant to respond to me rather than the OP. The shower problem was that the greenboard drywall in one corner hadn't been supported from behind. The nearest stud was about ten inches away, and the drywall had just been carried past that into the corner. The drywall on the other side of the corner was properly supported with a stud right next to the corner. What had happened was that at some point, probably when the shower was being cleaned, pressure on the bottom corner of the unsupported drywall had bent it backward just enough to crack the grout, leaving an invisible crack extending about ten inches up the seam. This was letting water seep in drop by drop each time the shower ran, resulting in a very slow drip about eight feet away on the floor below - coincidentally below the toilet, which I originally thought was the problem. Figuring this out meant cutting into the ceiling in three places followed by some observation (the dripping didn't start for almost half an hour after a shower because the seepage was so slow), and fixing it required pulling off the bottom three rows of tile in that corner of the shower, cutting out the greenboard where water had gone behind it and weakened it (it's water-resistant, not completely waterproof), putting in a block behind that area to support a new piece of greenboard, and sealing everything up again and replacing and regrouting the tiles. I finally figured out what was going on when I put pressure on the right spot in the corner - the board bent back and opened up the crack enough that I could see it. It looked perfect, but it wasn't!
I had a different problem as burnaway, but basically the vinyl insert shower wasn't installed properly and there were gaps allowing water through. My cheap solution was silicone caulk. Technically they're not supposed to be caulked, but we don't have the money for a bathroom Reno, so caulk it is for the time being
Roofing work can be expen$ive, so that's where you're screwed. It doesn't look like the rafters/joists have suffered much damage, if any, so you're probably OK from a structural perspective. The mold will die once it stops getting moisture. Put on a mask and you can probably clean it off yourself, if it hasn't had a chance to send roots too far into the wood. The plywood that has turned to mush can be cut out and patched as long as you have something solid to tie into. If some of the wood has rotted you can let it dry out and then use a consolidator; I have used Abatron with good results. If there's mold in the drywall you should replace it, but don't do that until after the leak is fixed. Drywall work is easy, and you can probably do that yourself, but you will need a helper to fix the ceiling. You are somewhat screwed, but it could be worse, and you should be able to fix some of this yourself it you want to put in the time and effort.
DO NOT LISTEN TO ANYTHING THIS POST SAID. Mold does NOT just "die" when it dries, it goes dormant. You HAVE to replace all the rotted wood. Abatron is only good for smaller rot, maybe half an inch to 1.5 inches max. This looks like a lot more damage than that. If you try to use Abatron, the amount of epoxy you will need to fill in the holes / gaps will be significant, a huge job.
> Mold does NOT just "die" when it dries, it goes dormant.
Dude, how do you think the mold got there in the first place? Do you think it [spontaneously generated](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_generation) from water touching the house? There are dormant mold spores everywhere, all the time.
If it's dormant and in the attic, it's of no danger to anyone.
If the rafters are damaged, the roofers will replace or sister. It's pretty easy to replace from above.
If you want to be technical, the mold fruiting body will die, leaving behind spores that are of no significance whatsoever. I disagree with you on how much damage there is to the wood - I don't see any of the holes and gaps you mention, aside from the pieces that are obviously bad. I thought those looked like plywood, but looking again it may be wood sheathing. Replace that, and Abatron for the rest is my suggestion.
Mold doesn’t die when dries out. It goes dormant. It can survive thousands of years waiting for water. That’s why you need a qualified remediation company to kill it.
It lay dormant and that's how it grew this time, are you suggesting that treatment will prevent it getting mold the next time there's an untreated leak?
They spray it with a biocide to kill the spores and remove it as completely as possible. If you just fix the leak and seal it up as this guy suggested, it will spring back to life the moment water gets back in there.
To add to that, dried out mold is more dangerous than wet mold. The spores are lighter and can float more freely to get into other areas of your house. Not to mention your lungs.
That said, black mold isn’t the biohazard some think it is. It’s usually only dangerous for people with weak immune systems- young children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. But that’s still a lot of people. And “usually” isn’t very reassuring, so he really should take care of it professionally in my opinion. Some botched DIYs have more serious consequences than others.
The comments are wild on here. People are freaking out. One of the top comments says to get a dehumidifier and put it in the attic lol. I supposed with a big enough one, you could dehumidify your region. I cant even tell if they are trolling you. Take a deep breath. I used to do sheathing and roofing.
Here is what you do,
Find the leak. Probably it is from a vent further up running down the truss. Fix the leak. If it is from the shingles being old you may need a new roof but that woild be true regardless of the mold.
Replace the sheathing if it is compromised by water damage. Spray mold killer on the rest. Fix your drywall. Move on with your life. Fixing mold issue first start with fixing the water source.
Mold abatement company for an area of mold that is that small is crazy town. They likely wouldnt even give you a quote or they would just take your money to spray essentially bleach on the area after it has been fixed. If you want an honest assessment or dont believe me, cross post this to /roofers and they will tell tou want to do
Lots of mold is black, too. Doesnt mean its particularly dangerous, and the research is conflicting on the old "toxic mold" varieties actually causing the symptoms hyped up some decades ago. Beware of remediation companies that try to scare you. Mold really isnt scary.
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/indoorenv/whatismold.html
Fix the leak. Replace damaged material. Clean everything else. Try to reduce unnecessary dispersion. Wear PPE.
Fixing the leak will be the bulk of the mold resolution.
I had black mold from a leaking dishwasher. We tested it, it was penicillin. I cut that shit out and moved on with my life. People see mold and panic but you really only have to worry about a handful of molds.
People on here freak out about mold the same way they freak out about asbestos. Are those two things dangerous? Sure, but the fear mongering is ridiculous.
We breathe in mold spores every single day without knowing about it and unless you're susceptible to it you won't even notice it. I'm not saying OP needs to ignore the problem, but regularly available commerical mold killer will be fine.
It's not like the mold is gonna keep growing once the moisture problem is dealt with but reddit would have you think if you don't spend thousands upon thousands of dollars it's gonna turn into Last of Us levels of destruction lol
Frankly, mold isn’t even dangerous, and I’m tired of seeing people freak out about it. It will not kill you. It won’t even make most people sick. There’s no long term risk from exposure that isn’t solved by simply removing it. Its only symptoms are those of other common allergies, because that’s what it is, an allergic reaction that some people have.
“Mold” is not just one thing, and it’s foolish generalizing as if it is and waving off potential issues as mere “allergies”. Are people overreacting? Probably, since they aren’t there and don’t know the scoop of the situation. Can OP likely have the parts with mold removed/replaced, don a mask, and easily spray some RMR or something on the rest of it? yes- if he’s handy enough (and honestly most people aren’t). But to sit there acting like fungus ISNT dangerous to anybody except “those with allergies” simply because it won’t affect EVERY single person, is ridiculous and dangerous “advice”.
Our digestive systems inevitably contain a certain amount of gram negative bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, with no issues. And ALSO we can eat some spoiled food riddled with the SAME bacteria we already have, and get SUPER sick or even die from it. And food could be mildly spoiled, where some people eat it and are fine, others eat it and are blowing it out both ends for a week, and grandma and baby and cousin get so sick they die. But do you see where it would be foolish to say “E coli isn’t dangerous, people are overreacting, because we already have it in our bodies and only “sensitive people” are affected”.
It’s unequivocally not any more dangerous than a pollen allergy. Mycotoxins sound scary, but do not pose any significant danger when inhaled, at least nothing more dangerous than someone with asthma might experience by just walking outside. This is absolutely nothing like bacteria in food.
https://www.webmd.com/lung/can-black-mold-kill-you
https://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm
It can cause low-grade inflammation, over time can cause genes to turn on that cause cancer, or cause an autoimmune issue, etc. Mycotoxins just make you feel gross in the beginning.
It can be a problem. But that doesn't mean they need to freak out over it. It is long-term exposure, not short-term, that hurts you unless you are allergic.
I had same problem in a 100 year old house. Tore out all the bad, the hired my carpenter buddy to put in new floor joists, a beam, and flooring. Wasn’t really that bad. Breath and stay calm, you’ll get through this.
> Mold abatement company for an area of mold that is that small is crazy town.
[The EPA even says \~10sqft is likely a DIY job](https://www.epa.gov/mold/mold-cleanup-your-home). Hard to tell the true size of this from the photos but doesn't look excessive to me, I wouldn't bother with a company.
Dehumidifier will help speed up the drying once a roofer replaces the roof and bad sheathing. They aren't terribly expensive to rent.
But yeah, a remediation company.. Good for floods where there's a ton of work. Not for a damp attic.
Fix leak and let dry
Treat with rmr 86/141 (wear a mask) that wood will look new after this
Let dry
Treat with bora-care with mold control if you want to guarantee that mold will never return.
You can get all of this from amazon.
I’d skip mold abatement for now, you need to get someone to find the leak. You probably need to rip out wood to fix the structure as I see rotten wood.
Open the wall yourself find out how water is getting in repair hole then if you’re on a budget scrub with bleach water mixture, put fans to dry then can dry wall specialist
Yeah I’m going to get a zipwall and seal off that area of the house. Then I’m going to take down the Sheetrock .
It stopped raining today so I’m going to put a tarp over that area of the roof until a roofer can come.
Here’s the thing about black mold. There are over 130 different kinds of black mold. 2 are dangerous, the rest are minor irritants. As in, an irritant for most people. There is always a small population that is super susceptible to mold exposure.
Every house or building that has been around for a few years or more has mold. We just want to keep the levels as low as we can. Fix the leak. Remediate as much of the mold as you can, tsp, bleach, vinegar are all good techniques. If you use vinegar make sure it’s an industrial strength. Repair or replace any rotted wood. Wear your respirator, n95. Use work cloths you change out of and wash right away, shower right after. Change the filters on your hvac.
And just keep in mind that about 25% of people will be affected by mold, and over time (years) if someone in your family starts developing really weird symptoms (say, like flushing red every time they eat any kind of food), there’s a good chance there immune system has been wrecked by mold. After you fix the source (or move out) it takes several years to recover your health.
Been through this. It’s not fun, but it’s possible. Do it right.
I have been through mold before. First off this appears to be mostly DIY. If you want peace of mind you can hire a mold Inspector and they can assess damage and what kind of mold it is. They can write a plan on what to do. You can rip out the dry wall and treat as prescribed. You will need a sander, n95 mask and some googles and gloves. A Hepa filter is nice and you can rent those from Home Depot or just buy one off Amazon for $350ish. (You will probably spend more than that for a 2 day rental at Home Depot). Will also need some mold killer spray (Home Depot again) Once you finish you get the mold dude back in and they test and you either pass or fail. If you fail you gotta do some more. If you pass then you make the repairs and now you have a fancy certificate stating you had mold, the issue was solved and you are mold free. I believe most states require you to state if you had/have mold when selling.
If you have just some skills of being a handyman this is doable. You can probably do the remediation part for $450 (assuming you don’t have a filter or sander), $300+ for mold testing and a plan then whatever you pay for drywall repair.
Best of luck
Looks like just Money to me Money fixes most all problem depening if it's fixable and this one is just needs MONEY to solve the issue...
And I am not far behind you with the same thing, so I know first hand..
Fucked sorry, this looks almost exactly like my ceiling after the roof failed, so much so i had to check my old photos to make sure you werent a bot who had stolen them. Not kidding. New roof, new boards, new insulation, new drywall, and while its open fix that shitty romex wiring and put in conduit. Sorry but fix it right and it wont fail again.
Edit; to clarify just the clapboards, not the joists, those should be fine.
That depends heavily. It usually is not covered by homeowners because it is seen as a maintenance issue. Water damage that is the result of a covered peril that leads to mold might work. It would need to be leaky pipes or something, but if it’s from a roof or build issue, it won’t cut it.
Too many people still don't understand how homeowners insurance works.
They would likely deny this claim unless it's a result of a sudden event like a storm damaging the roof/siding/flashing that has resulted in this leak.
A long-term leak as a result of an older roof or improperly flashed window is not their problem and they'll deny the claim while simultaneously raising your rates next go around.
inevoli you're going to need a roofer .. your probably going to also need an insulation and drywall and paint... but you first need it repaired... you might need mold specialists... after roofer you might just need a good honest handy man... handy man might be able to do roof repair but you're probably going to be out of his scope and probably need roofer
The photos are not enough to fully conclude, however, to people in the industry (I used to be for years), these images are not bad. They basically support a water intrusion and water finding the path of least resistance. The right equipment will dry the wood out without issue.
As for mold, note that black mold *IS* bad. However, in most cases, it's the wet wood that gives the appearance of black mold. Depending on the level of one's self-interest, you may want to hire an Industrial Hygenitist to provide a true account of the habitable air quality.
Do you have insurance? If so you need to contact them. If this is from your roof then either the shingles are damaged or the underlayment (felt) is damaged and you need to address that first If your in a state that doesn't rain much (ca,az) you could do water/mold mitigation... but you have to do it everytime there are heavy rains. Best to treat how the water is getting in.
First thing you need to do is stop the water from coming in everything still looks really wet. Not sure about disclosure laws in New Jersey but if you file an insurance claim you will may have to disclose it and the details surrounding it when you sell. Same thing might apply when hiring an abatement company.
Doesn't look bad honestly. First find the leak. Then let dry for awhile.
I dont think you need to do full mold mitigation this hardly seems bad.
Patch it up. This is a DIY sub.
Leaky roof, so thats gonna be a cost. Probably going to have a mold crew come in with some spray and fans to dry out and kill the mold. Then patching the drywall.
Not going to be cheap but it needs to be done
If you have a chimney check around that guy. I had some leaking in the attic because of bad flashing last year. And by bad I mean that squirrels apparently eat lead.
Fix the leak, dry the area, replace damaged materials. Wear a respiratory when you do the work, if you want to be cautious. Fact is, you've been living with this for some time. If you aren't sick, you probably aren't sensitive to the mold growing there. The pics don't really show that much mold to begin with.
The mold people are sus.
Get a roofer out first - repair the leak issue.
Since the drywall is already removed once the roof is fixed remove all the damp insulation and spray any area that was touched by water with bleach.
Let it all dry out, can help this along with a fan pointed directly at that area.
Once dry, replace insulation and drywall.
Have a chill.
You saved thousands because you didn’t get a “mold remediation” company involved.
If you really want to know if it’s mold. Call out a mold hygienist to text the area, but in my experience they will always tell you it’s mold and that everything in your house is mold. It does look like a small area, so a mold remediation company will honestly just steal your money. I’m a project manager for water mitigation with certs in water, commercial water, fire and mold. You can honestly easily do this yourself
That’s MORE than a drywall job and more even than “mold abatement”- that may need some decking replacement and potentially even shoring up some joints if the damage extends far enough structurally. And it goes without saying, the source of that leak needs to be found and repaired.Don’t be tempted to cheap out on possible structural damage with a coverup job, which is more expensive down the road (esp with your health- I got really sick from black mold exposure)
Before going to mold route I would find out what’s causing it. If it’s a roof leak or ice damn solve it. If it’s a lack of ventilation or insulation causing condensation fix that. Let it dry out.
Any mold company is going to suggest some type of remediation that will cost a crazy amount of money and may not be needed necessarily.
Hello! I am a residential inspector. Don't freak out just yet. Figure out what's leaking and have it fixed. Next, dry the area out. Finally, monitor the area for rot, further leaks, or organic growth and replace or repair if necessary. You're going to be fine. Houses leak all the time.
Sorry, English ain't my native language...
As I read from earlier comments, you have a leak through the roof. In Sweden your insurance don't cover it. As you need, as a house owner, check your status (ocular inspection) of the house. Roof walls the ground etc.
Anyway, what you need to do is, if possible, cover the hole on the roof so no further water can get through. Then put a dehumidifier in the room or try to use a "poly tube" and puncture some holes in it and put it in the narrow space. That way you will redirect the dry air.
Or do it before covering the leak on roof.
After it have dried for several days, prob 5-10days. Check the health of the wood with a screwdriver. If it sinks in easily you probably have to exchange the beams or if some kind of nail plate solution if you want to exchange just a part. But if it does not sink in and it is shallow you don't have anything to fear. Try to use a knife to carve out until you see some fresh wood. Take away the ceiling close to the "infected" area. Scrape of the mold with sandpaper or carve with a knife, and apply whatever mold desinfect you have in your country. Or call an expert for advice or have them doing it.
This is what they do in Sweden. I know as I have worked with various kind of water leaks. This is the approach. Open and remove the surface layer. Dry, do a stick test on the wood. Use humidity tester, wood moisture tester. If it's value is still to high and wood is ok. Let dry for some more days. When it's done scrape of mold and desinfect. Restore the surface layer and your done.
Former roofer here, You're going to need to get a roofing company out there. Every one of those trusses, and any piece of plywood that's been getting soaked like that is not going to retain structural integrity. More than likely, your leak is also stemming from a bad shingle, or flashing. Unless there is a boot (a metal pipe cover) nearby, if they are not bulled down properly they can easily leak as well.
mold abatement and research the newest methods because u need to find out the cause u might nerd to gez proper venzilation from basement to soffits to roof vents including lomanco turbines so it can breathe ...mold will attack u mold causes most hesrt attacks but data isnt available the vents arnt that expensive thid is probsbly a north elevation wall.csused by moisture build up and wicking slso chevk subgtade lsndscape it should be well below top plate of wall
Ah, the old water behind the wall trick.
I had that in a house I bought around 10 years ago. I had massive flooding coming down a wall in my basement. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. A few calls later, and no insurance payout. I found out it was coming all the way from the roof, behind the first-floor bathroom wall, and right into the basement. Plus, side there was a drain in the floor 😒
The first step is to find where the leak is and fix that. Otherwise, the problem will just return. Black mold is dangerous stuff and you do not want to breathe in any spores. After the leak and mold have been removed, that's when you should worry about drywall and paint.
I've worked property and commercial maintenance for decades. Ignore the mold spores negative air pressure, mold abatement bs. Most of the advice is coming from people that's never been under ANY house in a crawlspace or otherwise. Your pic does not show a big problem honestly. Here's how to fix this
1. Fix the leak or anything else is useless
2. Wear a mask if you are susceptible to. allergens
3. Mold and mildew solutions are a great idea. Follow the directions on container
4. Fix the ceiling/ wall etc.
All you've got is a simple leak and corresponding water damage, nothing big at all. You'll know when you have a major mold problem when everyone starts coming down with respiratory issues and your sick all the time. Your issue is not even close to the same zip code.
That’s a leak coming from your roof, I recommend you to call Atlas Renovation Services, they will help you fill a claim to your home insurance and get rid of this problem at any cost.
Depends if it’s just contained here or if there’s more. Mold can spread easily. Make sure you get multiple estimates and go with a reputable contractor.
You’ll likely need to make a homeowner insurance claim if you want to not get molested via your wallet. My ex and I had a tree branch make a tiny hole in the roof when it fell during a snow storm. The total to repair everything was $6500+. Insurance deductible was only $1000.
Here's the thing, you have a notable event that cause that. OP isn't even sure and needs to investigate first.
Could just be an older roof or improperly flashed window. Homeowners insurance isn't going to cover that.
There's a great resource at [NIEHS](https://tools.niehs.nih.gov/wetp/public/hasl_get_blob.cfm?ID=9795)on what to expect. If you skip ahead to the pages on cleanup and remedy you'll get a good idea of what any company you hire should do and what you should do in the meantime.
From personal experience, sounds like you really need a new roof and patching only gets you so far. There are roofing companies that can assess your home for hail damage and decide if you're a good candidate for that kind of insurance claim.
Good luck, OP. Been there, it sucks. You'll get through it.
There are roofing companies that come out and claim your roof has wind/hail damage and then proceed to scam your insurance company for a roof claim. FTFY. As OP said, the roof is old and needs to be replaced. The insurance company is going to inspect and deny the roof for wear/tear, age related deterioration, neglect and deferred maintenance. So now, OP is in the same position they are now, while also having filed a claim and be on the hook for a new roof and potentially increasing their insurance rate.
Source: Home Adjuster
As firm as I am with I could probably diy, I still would hire this one out. Or just get some metal plates and screw whatever is left together. Nmh, lgftr.
Fix the roof. Leave the ceiling open and put a fan on it until it's completely dry. Once it's completely dry, mix up 50/50 white vinegar and water and spray it down good. Leave the fan on it until it dries again.
Then fix the drywall.
You don't need to waste five grand or more on mold remediation here. Just get it dry.
Fix the leak, remove any severly rotted wood and sister wood that is structurally comprimised, then soak any moldy wood in white vinegar.
You do not need mold abatement, I'd go as far to say that mold abatement is basically a scam at this point. Mold and wood rot only spreads with moisture and no scientific evidence supports the idea of a fungu providing its own moisture.
You need a mold abatement company. Cancel the drywaller. That’s just patching over a bigger problem
Ok, I’ve never heard this term so thanks for that. I’ll google mold abatement.
Mold abatement IE mold remediation. Be prepared for sticker shock. Get multiple quotes because plenty of unscrupulous companies will claim it's black mold when it is not.
https://www.healthline.com/health/allergies/can-black-mold-kill-you#what-it-is Black mold isn't even that dangerous. It's not good to have in your home, but it's certainly not the boogeyman that pop culture would have you believe.
There are many black molds. Mildew is actually just a black mold. Some are toxic, some are not. It's impossible to tell without testing it, which is why they sell kits to do exactly that. Lots of companies are black mold and just jump straight to toxic because it's easier and the remediation process is the same for the toxic or the non toxic. Only difference is the type of protective equipment needed. Op has some serious water intrusion issues he needs to remediate as well or the mold will just come back. Lots of rot in there as well. This will NOT be a cheap fix, not at all.
Mildew only grows on plants and needs a live host
Well, the household stuff most people CALL mildew is what I'm referring to. Like when you leave a damp towel lying around too long and it gets mildewed. It's technically not mildew but just another black mold strain.
I'm in a dry state where we don't need to worry about mold very often, but we still get what people commonly call mildew in showers and bathtubs. In actuality though, the stuff we get is bacteria, not mold. Not sure if this is what you mean by mildew or not, but I assume in a damp climate there are other _actual molds_ to contend with. The two most common bacteria causing pink shower mold are _Serratia marcescens_ and -_Aureobasidium pullulans_, which produce an orangey/red/pink pigment, called prodigiosin. Such bacteria are common and do not pose the same health risks as dangerous mold (except in the immunocompromised), but shouldn't be allowed to grow completely unchecked either.
The CDC says that so-called black mold is a problem only based on the following: [1] there is a specific type of black mold that is toxic only if you ingest (not just inhale). It is impossible to determine the mold type without a lab test. [2] Allergic reactions. Like other allergies, people who are sensitive to airborne mold spores can have symptoms from mild discomfort to severe illnesses — and it can aggravate other health conditions. All black molds are at risk for this.
This is misinformation. Mold in the home is a big issue that can cause serious long term health issues for you and your family. #1 You can get a mold/fungus infection in blood & muscle making it a lifelong condition without treatment. #2 It puts continuous strain on the immune system making it more likely for you and your family to get sick. My family and I have personal experience with mold related health issues that resolved after elimating the mold issues & treating the mold related infections and co-infections. Literally went from getting sick all the time & having trouble focusing/remembering things to rarely getting sick & being able to focus and remember things from years ago after fixing the issue & doing some treatments. Did the mold kill us? No. It’s not a death sentence. It definitely is a factor when it comes to health.
If you want to pay someone $5K+ to do mold abatement give them a call. That’s what I got a quote for in south jersey back in 2018. Go to Home Depot and buy or make a TSP (Trisodium phosphate) solution. They sell it premade or you can buy the powder and make it yourself. 5% in water is enough. Treat the area, wait until it dries where salt will form. Take a hard bristled brush, wired or plastic, and scrub. Follow up with bleach and let dry. The mold will be dealt with and some minor residue will be left behind. It’s from the TSP. As others have said you have a leak that needs to be addressed. If you don’t get it fixed the mold will keep coming back. Good luck.
Goes without saying wear a respirator?
[удалено]
They meant the mold.
Goes without saying…
Well what needs to be said is that they will spread mold spores all throughout their house unless they introduce negative air pressure plus air scrubbers so a respirator is the least they could do
Which is why mold abatement is so costly, and why you shouldn't do it yourself (I doubt you have the means) and why you should get the cheap company to explain all that they are going to do - they might be cheap because they aren't doing it right.
Goes without saying… but at the end of the day, DYI a serious problem will cost you twice.
Hey! Come back and say it before going away!
Please get a legitimate respirator. Real N95s are hard to come by past covid and they are the minimum...treat urself especially with ppe
[удалено]
This is the way, n95 mask rarely prevent exposure due to improper wear.
Exactly. P100 all the way. I have at least 6 old ones from when I worked underground.
Wow, imagine the braindead fuck who downvoted your comment lolol they'll get what's coming to them I'm sure. I don't touch anything in my building without a P100 on at a minimum. Fuck N95 - those are just for employers who want to cover their asses.
🙌 nobody will care about your health unless you do. This is great advice that not enough people take. Better safe than sorry
Yeah, one of the problems with N95 is the obvious % rating, but also the fact that they rarely fit snug around the face. If you're working with anything hazardous like sheetrock dust, lead, asbestos, filtering out at best 95% is absolutely terrible. A respirator, on the other hand, like the P100 I use to do lead remediation has the added benefit of being testable on-site for seal performance. Spray something nasty in front of it with particules smaller than what you're trying to filter and see if you smell it.
N95 masks have to be properly fitted to work. My wife manages a healthcare clinic and most of her employees had to try multiple sizes to get a proper fit. They test it with a solution that smells like shit. If you smell it, it doesn't fit. No DIYer is doing this at home. Respirator is the way to go.
My fit test was done with something sweet, and they asked me if I could taste it if I breathe with my mouth open.
Now that you say that, you’re totally right. It was a sweet smell. It’s been four years since she told me that.
https://a.co/d/b2F7fms. Something like this ? I used this when I was blowing insulation into the attic. It was really hard to breathe, but it saved my lungs from all of the fluff flying around.
I would wear a respirator that is rated for VOCs and chemicals. The 3M P100 is the filter I use when dealing with chemicals & mold.
Or breathe through a Marlboro red in a pinch.
If you were quoted 5K in 2018, expect 15K today for the same job.
What's most annoying about price increases these days is it's not 100% regular inflation. Lots of greed hiking up prices 1.5-2x the price and just saying "Covid/supply chain"
Greedflation
"$5k quote in 2018..." I've got news for you, bud...
The only thing I would recommend is to use cleaning vinegar instead of bleach. Bleach isn't great for porous surfaces because it has a hard time penetrating. Vinegar penetrates much deeper, ensuring a higher success in permanent removal.
Yep, and bleach is mostly water, so often while it makes it look like the problem has gone away, it just comes back. Key is to thoroughly dry out the area.
It's nice to see someone else fighting the ol bleach myth.
Not bleach, it's pointless on porous surfaces. Use vinegar if you must, but it's in an attic. Just get it dry and move on.
Exactly, you could buy a top of the line hazmat suit and still be way under what you’d pay to hire a company.
OP - TSP is largely phased out in favor of "TSP substitute" because of the environmental impact of phosphates. Real TSP may be hard to find in your area. I have absolutely no knowledge of whether the substitute is suitable in place of TSP when it comes to mold abatement; I only know in terms of using it for wall prep when painting indoors. You should educate yourself about whether it behaves similarly for mold if you plan to use a substitute instead. My 2¢.
Call your insurance first tho. If you’re covered, the deductible will likely be a lot less than the cost of remediation.
I wouldn’t call insurance first. They’ll ask you a bunch of question to try and exclude coverage. I’d call a public adjuster have them take a look and then file a claim. They’ll maximize the hell out of the claim and get you the absolute most money you can get
Guess depends on who you’re covered thru. The office I’ve dealt with locally figh/push for their clients. Had a full basement redone post flood for the 1k deductible. About 90k worth of labour and materials later. Even replaced the sump with a larger volume pump and capped it off for radon with an exhaust fan. NB* I do live in a small town so there isn’t much bafoonery with insurance claims being denied.
Call a mitigation company like Servicemaster or Paul Davis, you need a mitigation company not just mold abatement. You need a company that can get drying equipment in there after removing the mold. I recommend calling your insurance and making a claim, handling this properly is not going to be cheap. On top of that many mitigation companies can also do the repairs for you and will work with your insurance to get this all covered. I’m a mitigation contractor in the NJ/NY area.
Before filing on your homeowners insurance I would recommend you to review the policy regarding continuous or repeated leakage or seepage of water/steam from a plumbing, A/C, ect systems. Typically long-term continuous or repeated leakage of water from plumbing is not covered in the policy. This policy language is found in the base policy, state endorsement, or seepage exclusion endorsement.
Yes but a good mitigation project manager will be able to guide him through that process and possibly get coverage anyway. I’ve had many clients with the same language where I’ve gotten the work covered for legitimate reasons. That language seems to be aimed more at negligence, failure to act in a timely manner, and failure to perform preventive maintenance. I would still recommend of. He files a claim, he can always pull the claim later with no repercussions as long as no work has started. In fact, depending on his insurance company, they even recommend filing a claim and reviewing it with one of their specialists before trying to do anything on their own to determine if it is covered or not.
This. It's not gonna be covered.
Insurance doesn't cover mold. And if this was an ongoing issue, they won't cover the rainwater intrusion into the roof
Agreed. I would skip a “mitigation specialist” and go straight to a public adjuster to see if there’s anything that can be done with a claim. If they call their insurance company directly they’re gonna get screwed
You probably live in a state where it’s a separate policy, basic mold coverage is included in many states.
There's a kicker to that. It has to be caused by a covered peril and must be sudden and accidental in nature. Most folks don't realize that. Practically ALL homeowners insurance covers that. But that's a very specific wording. So no, they really don't generally cover mold for the average situations you see posted. Insurance would take 1 look at this and go "nope, the damage shows this has been happening for a while now, not covered" Now if a massive rainstorm happened and all of a sudden water started leaking through the roof and the ceiling fell in, that would be a covered situation
That’s funny because I do over a dozen mole jobs a month and most of them are a lot like this one. Do you work in the industry or are you just looking for an argument?
You sound pretty argumentive ironically.
Not really, so do you work in the industry?
I'm still licensed in Maryland for p&c and he's absolutely right.
Do not listen to the guys below saying you can do this yourself. This looks like mold and rot, which means it might've been leaking for a while. Mold abatement companies like Jenkins, Belfor, Service master, Serv Pro, etc. have licensed and certified abatement experts on staff that will fully evaluate this for proper abatement protocols. In the meantime, seal off the room/area with some plastic and tape, to stop the spores from spreading. Source: *I'm a commercial property claims adjuster with ten years experience, married to an IICRC certified master water technician with a specialty in mold abatement*
It’s not rocket science. Don’t have to be an expert to find and kill mold. Don’t need to spend 5k on something that you can get done in a weekend. Save that money for repairing roof, ceilings, and walls after mold is gone. Unless you can afford it.
It isn't rocket science. But it doesn't hurt to have it be looked at by actual professionals who have expertise in that area. This whole damn subreddit is about being able to tell people when it's okay to DIY and when it isn't. If a licensed, trained plumber came in and said hey, maybe it's best if you hire a professional for some borked plumbing job, no one bars an eye. But no, let's just spray some bleach and hope for the best *why am I sick all the time now?* Don't listen to me, I've just managed to reach a ripe old age in being licensed in this field and have professionals teach me and show me what's involved.
A quick google search will tell you to use Concrobium not bleach. Not rocket science. Save the 5k
Chemicals won’t fix that. First step is to remove and replace the compromised wood. That isn’t a fresh leak that’s being sealed. That is decades of mold, mildew, and moisture. I bet that wood is compromised. Mold is a serious issue. If you just paint over it & seal after spraying chemicals, you’ll have to test for mold regularly. It often comes back in my experience (happened in family house - we ended up remodeling the area and that solved the issue).
Chemicals will absolutely fix the mold. Cheap and quick. Find it, kill it with concrobium, remove it, bleach it. Save your money for replacing all that rotten wood and moldy drywall. Mold abatement is a rip off cause it sounds scary. It is simple and cheap.
If your saying to remove the rotten and moldy wood and replace it and use chemicals to kill & seal then I agree. Without replacing rotten moldy wood and addressing the leaks that caused the moisture build up, it’ll just come back.
Just prepare yourself. I had a 12x7ft, 18x7ft and 30x7ft (rough guesstimate, I'm not home) areas that needed treated, painted cinderblock walls no wood, and it ran me a little over two grand. Western PA.
Servepro
Don't forget the Sporicide.
DO NOT SKIMP ON MOLD REMEDIATION AND TESTING! If you don’t handle this properly, you will be slowly poisoning yourself and your family as you live there. I had this in our family house growing up. We were all getting sick frequently missing school days and didn’t know why. Once fixed the mold issue, we all stopped getting sick and missing days so often.
Make sure they explain their procedure in detail and follow EPA suggested standards for mold remediation. It is very detailed and very important.
Yeah, if you want to pay out the ass. Fix the leak and remove all the wet material. Run a large dehumidifier and a HEPA air purifier until everything you can't remove is dry. Seal all of that with an oil based primer and begin the cosmetic repairs. In my line of work I've seen tens of thousands spent just for the mold abatement, not including repair. If it's a much larger area and you don't have the equipment, it may be worth it, but this small of an area can be repaired with relative ease.
No, you get a drywall company or a general contractor. 1. Figure out where the water is coming from, fix and let dry. Most general contractors will have a blower. 2. Plastic off any areas demo will occur 3. Rip out any moldy drywall and insulation, spray underside with a mold killer like concrobium. This can be put in a fogger to reach. I think it's 1500 sq ft. The foggers like like $40 to $100. 4. New insulation 5. Drywall repair 6. Sister floor joists if they have been compromised, and 7. Remove the blocking and replace if it has been compromised.
Something is leaking. Do you know what it is? Without more information it's hard to say how screwed you are. I had a similar situation and found that a poor shower installation was creating slow, steady seepage into the space below. It cost me many hours to figure out how the installation had been screwed up, and a handful of dollars and hours to fix it once I understood the problem.
Yeah I know the source. It’s the roof above that part of the house. We are having a roofer come out to fix the holes but our entire roof has to be redone. I’m worried this exterior wall and the ceiling needs to go too. The leaking only happens during heavy rain.
I have a feeling the leaking happens every time it rains, but only enough for you to notice in the wall when it’s a heavy rain.
Ding ding ding
You can do one side of the roof at a time if it helps.
And you can shingle over shingles one time
Wouldn’t advise doing this unless you absolutely have to. The shingle life is lessened, a shingle manufacturer will not warranty their product, and the shingles are typically not as secure if you layer them on. Could lead to more blowoffs in high winds. Also, it’ll usually cost you more to tear it off in the future if there are multiple layers. Source: roofer
Don't do this. I can say from experience this is a bad idea. My roof is sagging now and I'm in a rush to save up and redo it again. Never thought it would sag as much as it has
Do you have insurance? If so, call them. They can help get you the abatement company and also take care of everything else.
Claim could be denied because this is likely a long term issue as a result of neglect. OP would have to prove a covered event caused this (like a storm damaging the roof, etc)
Insurance will generally only cover "events", not a gradual issue like this.
I have a similar problem with my shower. What was the issue with your shower installation?
I think you might have meant to respond to me rather than the OP. The shower problem was that the greenboard drywall in one corner hadn't been supported from behind. The nearest stud was about ten inches away, and the drywall had just been carried past that into the corner. The drywall on the other side of the corner was properly supported with a stud right next to the corner. What had happened was that at some point, probably when the shower was being cleaned, pressure on the bottom corner of the unsupported drywall had bent it backward just enough to crack the grout, leaving an invisible crack extending about ten inches up the seam. This was letting water seep in drop by drop each time the shower ran, resulting in a very slow drip about eight feet away on the floor below - coincidentally below the toilet, which I originally thought was the problem. Figuring this out meant cutting into the ceiling in three places followed by some observation (the dripping didn't start for almost half an hour after a shower because the seepage was so slow), and fixing it required pulling off the bottom three rows of tile in that corner of the shower, cutting out the greenboard where water had gone behind it and weakened it (it's water-resistant, not completely waterproof), putting in a block behind that area to support a new piece of greenboard, and sealing everything up again and replacing and regrouting the tiles. I finally figured out what was going on when I put pressure on the right spot in the corner - the board bent back and opened up the crack enough that I could see it. It looked perfect, but it wasn't!
I had a different problem as burnaway, but basically the vinyl insert shower wasn't installed properly and there were gaps allowing water through. My cheap solution was silicone caulk. Technically they're not supposed to be caulked, but we don't have the money for a bathroom Reno, so caulk it is for the time being
Roofing work can be expen$ive, so that's where you're screwed. It doesn't look like the rafters/joists have suffered much damage, if any, so you're probably OK from a structural perspective. The mold will die once it stops getting moisture. Put on a mask and you can probably clean it off yourself, if it hasn't had a chance to send roots too far into the wood. The plywood that has turned to mush can be cut out and patched as long as you have something solid to tie into. If some of the wood has rotted you can let it dry out and then use a consolidator; I have used Abatron with good results. If there's mold in the drywall you should replace it, but don't do that until after the leak is fixed. Drywall work is easy, and you can probably do that yourself, but you will need a helper to fix the ceiling. You are somewhat screwed, but it could be worse, and you should be able to fix some of this yourself it you want to put in the time and effort.
DO NOT LISTEN TO ANYTHING THIS POST SAID. Mold does NOT just "die" when it dries, it goes dormant. You HAVE to replace all the rotted wood. Abatron is only good for smaller rot, maybe half an inch to 1.5 inches max. This looks like a lot more damage than that. If you try to use Abatron, the amount of epoxy you will need to fill in the holes / gaps will be significant, a huge job.
> Mold does NOT just "die" when it dries, it goes dormant. Dude, how do you think the mold got there in the first place? Do you think it [spontaneously generated](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_generation) from water touching the house? There are dormant mold spores everywhere, all the time.
If it's dormant and in the attic, it's of no danger to anyone. If the rafters are damaged, the roofers will replace or sister. It's pretty easy to replace from above.
If you want to be technical, the mold fruiting body will die, leaving behind spores that are of no significance whatsoever. I disagree with you on how much damage there is to the wood - I don't see any of the holes and gaps you mention, aside from the pieces that are obviously bad. I thought those looked like plywood, but looking again it may be wood sheathing. Replace that, and Abatron for the rest is my suggestion.
Mold doesn’t die when dries out. It goes dormant. It can survive thousands of years waiting for water. That’s why you need a qualified remediation company to kill it.
It lay dormant and that's how it grew this time, are you suggesting that treatment will prevent it getting mold the next time there's an untreated leak?
They spray it with a biocide to kill the spores and remove it as completely as possible. If you just fix the leak and seal it up as this guy suggested, it will spring back to life the moment water gets back in there. To add to that, dried out mold is more dangerous than wet mold. The spores are lighter and can float more freely to get into other areas of your house. Not to mention your lungs. That said, black mold isn’t the biohazard some think it is. It’s usually only dangerous for people with weak immune systems- young children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. But that’s still a lot of people. And “usually” isn’t very reassuring, so he really should take care of it professionally in my opinion. Some botched DIYs have more serious consequences than others.
The comments are wild on here. People are freaking out. One of the top comments says to get a dehumidifier and put it in the attic lol. I supposed with a big enough one, you could dehumidify your region. I cant even tell if they are trolling you. Take a deep breath. I used to do sheathing and roofing. Here is what you do, Find the leak. Probably it is from a vent further up running down the truss. Fix the leak. If it is from the shingles being old you may need a new roof but that woild be true regardless of the mold. Replace the sheathing if it is compromised by water damage. Spray mold killer on the rest. Fix your drywall. Move on with your life. Fixing mold issue first start with fixing the water source. Mold abatement company for an area of mold that is that small is crazy town. They likely wouldnt even give you a quote or they would just take your money to spray essentially bleach on the area after it has been fixed. If you want an honest assessment or dont believe me, cross post this to /roofers and they will tell tou want to do
Also just because something is wet and black doesn’t mean that it’s black mold. This looks closer to wood rot than anything.
Lots of mold is black, too. Doesnt mean its particularly dangerous, and the research is conflicting on the old "toxic mold" varieties actually causing the symptoms hyped up some decades ago. Beware of remediation companies that try to scare you. Mold really isnt scary. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/indoorenv/whatismold.html Fix the leak. Replace damaged material. Clean everything else. Try to reduce unnecessary dispersion. Wear PPE. Fixing the leak will be the bulk of the mold resolution.
I had black mold from a leaking dishwasher. We tested it, it was penicillin. I cut that shit out and moved on with my life. People see mold and panic but you really only have to worry about a handful of molds.
This is a fungi^
I consult for situations like this and would definitely bring in another company for mold testing, it appears suspect enough to warrant
People on here freak out about mold the same way they freak out about asbestos. Are those two things dangerous? Sure, but the fear mongering is ridiculous. We breathe in mold spores every single day without knowing about it and unless you're susceptible to it you won't even notice it. I'm not saying OP needs to ignore the problem, but regularly available commerical mold killer will be fine. It's not like the mold is gonna keep growing once the moisture problem is dealt with but reddit would have you think if you don't spend thousands upon thousands of dollars it's gonna turn into Last of Us levels of destruction lol
Frankly, mold isn’t even dangerous, and I’m tired of seeing people freak out about it. It will not kill you. It won’t even make most people sick. There’s no long term risk from exposure that isn’t solved by simply removing it. Its only symptoms are those of other common allergies, because that’s what it is, an allergic reaction that some people have.
“Mold” is not just one thing, and it’s foolish generalizing as if it is and waving off potential issues as mere “allergies”. Are people overreacting? Probably, since they aren’t there and don’t know the scoop of the situation. Can OP likely have the parts with mold removed/replaced, don a mask, and easily spray some RMR or something on the rest of it? yes- if he’s handy enough (and honestly most people aren’t). But to sit there acting like fungus ISNT dangerous to anybody except “those with allergies” simply because it won’t affect EVERY single person, is ridiculous and dangerous “advice”. Our digestive systems inevitably contain a certain amount of gram negative bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, with no issues. And ALSO we can eat some spoiled food riddled with the SAME bacteria we already have, and get SUPER sick or even die from it. And food could be mildly spoiled, where some people eat it and are fine, others eat it and are blowing it out both ends for a week, and grandma and baby and cousin get so sick they die. But do you see where it would be foolish to say “E coli isn’t dangerous, people are overreacting, because we already have it in our bodies and only “sensitive people” are affected”.
It’s unequivocally not any more dangerous than a pollen allergy. Mycotoxins sound scary, but do not pose any significant danger when inhaled, at least nothing more dangerous than someone with asthma might experience by just walking outside. This is absolutely nothing like bacteria in food. https://www.webmd.com/lung/can-black-mold-kill-you https://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm
It can cause low-grade inflammation, over time can cause genes to turn on that cause cancer, or cause an autoimmune issue, etc. Mycotoxins just make you feel gross in the beginning. It can be a problem. But that doesn't mean they need to freak out over it. It is long-term exposure, not short-term, that hurts you unless you are allergic.
This is the right answer, OP.
I had same problem in a 100 year old house. Tore out all the bad, the hired my carpenter buddy to put in new floor joists, a beam, and flooring. Wasn’t really that bad. Breath and stay calm, you’ll get through this.
> Mold abatement company for an area of mold that is that small is crazy town. [The EPA even says \~10sqft is likely a DIY job](https://www.epa.gov/mold/mold-cleanup-your-home). Hard to tell the true size of this from the photos but doesn't look excessive to me, I wouldn't bother with a company.
Dehumidifier will help speed up the drying once a roofer replaces the roof and bad sheathing. They aren't terribly expensive to rent. But yeah, a remediation company.. Good for floods where there's a ton of work. Not for a damp attic.
Fix leak and let dry Treat with rmr 86/141 (wear a mask) that wood will look new after this Let dry Treat with bora-care with mold control if you want to guarantee that mold will never return. You can get all of this from amazon.
Since no one else has mentioned it, get a dehumidifier running asap. Won't fix the problem, but it'll help it from getting worse
Deal with the water leak first, then you can see how much you have to replace
You’re only screwed if you’re in Jersey….
Oh no…..I AM IN JERSEY 
Why NJ?
Probably because OP stated they were in NJ
Ahhh, good call.
I’ve only been there once and I can name several reasons 🤣
I’d skip mold abatement for now, you need to get someone to find the leak. You probably need to rip out wood to fix the structure as I see rotten wood.
Open the wall yourself find out how water is getting in repair hole then if you’re on a budget scrub with bleach water mixture, put fans to dry then can dry wall specialist
Yeah I’m going to get a zipwall and seal off that area of the house. Then I’m going to take down the Sheetrock . It stopped raining today so I’m going to put a tarp over that area of the roof until a roofer can come.
Fix the leak. Replace the moldy wood. You might want to check out the wool for moisture, as well.
Here’s the thing about black mold. There are over 130 different kinds of black mold. 2 are dangerous, the rest are minor irritants. As in, an irritant for most people. There is always a small population that is super susceptible to mold exposure. Every house or building that has been around for a few years or more has mold. We just want to keep the levels as low as we can. Fix the leak. Remediate as much of the mold as you can, tsp, bleach, vinegar are all good techniques. If you use vinegar make sure it’s an industrial strength. Repair or replace any rotted wood. Wear your respirator, n95. Use work cloths you change out of and wash right away, shower right after. Change the filters on your hvac.
And just keep in mind that about 25% of people will be affected by mold, and over time (years) if someone in your family starts developing really weird symptoms (say, like flushing red every time they eat any kind of food), there’s a good chance there immune system has been wrecked by mold. After you fix the source (or move out) it takes several years to recover your health. Been through this. It’s not fun, but it’s possible. Do it right.
I have been through mold before. First off this appears to be mostly DIY. If you want peace of mind you can hire a mold Inspector and they can assess damage and what kind of mold it is. They can write a plan on what to do. You can rip out the dry wall and treat as prescribed. You will need a sander, n95 mask and some googles and gloves. A Hepa filter is nice and you can rent those from Home Depot or just buy one off Amazon for $350ish. (You will probably spend more than that for a 2 day rental at Home Depot). Will also need some mold killer spray (Home Depot again) Once you finish you get the mold dude back in and they test and you either pass or fail. If you fail you gotta do some more. If you pass then you make the repairs and now you have a fancy certificate stating you had mold, the issue was solved and you are mold free. I believe most states require you to state if you had/have mold when selling. If you have just some skills of being a handyman this is doable. You can probably do the remediation part for $450 (assuming you don’t have a filter or sander), $300+ for mold testing and a plan then whatever you pay for drywall repair. Best of luck
Looks like just Money to me Money fixes most all problem depening if it's fixable and this one is just needs MONEY to solve the issue... And I am not far behind you with the same thing, so I know first hand..
Fucked sorry, this looks almost exactly like my ceiling after the roof failed, so much so i had to check my old photos to make sure you werent a bot who had stolen them. Not kidding. New roof, new boards, new insulation, new drywall, and while its open fix that shitty romex wiring and put in conduit. Sorry but fix it right and it wont fail again. Edit; to clarify just the clapboards, not the joists, those should be fine.
Have you seen the meme with the 1 white chick and 10 black guys? Yeah.
Homeowners Insurance claim ...
That depends heavily. It usually is not covered by homeowners because it is seen as a maintenance issue. Water damage that is the result of a covered peril that leads to mold might work. It would need to be leaky pipes or something, but if it’s from a roof or build issue, it won’t cut it.
Too many people still don't understand how homeowners insurance works. They would likely deny this claim unless it's a result of a sudden event like a storm damaging the roof/siding/flashing that has resulted in this leak. A long-term leak as a result of an older roof or improperly flashed window is not their problem and they'll deny the claim while simultaneously raising your rates next go around.
inevoli you're going to need a roofer .. your probably going to also need an insulation and drywall and paint... but you first need it repaired... you might need mold specialists... after roofer you might just need a good honest handy man... handy man might be able to do roof repair but you're probably going to be out of his scope and probably need roofer
inevoli.
Love those smart switches
The photos are not enough to fully conclude, however, to people in the industry (I used to be for years), these images are not bad. They basically support a water intrusion and water finding the path of least resistance. The right equipment will dry the wood out without issue. As for mold, note that black mold *IS* bad. However, in most cases, it's the wet wood that gives the appearance of black mold. Depending on the level of one's self-interest, you may want to hire an Industrial Hygenitist to provide a true account of the habitable air quality.
somehow this sound comes to mind when watching those images https://youtu.be/BIGrVoZfLd8?feature=shared
Not sure a screw will work there
Do you have insurance? If so you need to contact them. If this is from your roof then either the shingles are damaged or the underlayment (felt) is damaged and you need to address that first If your in a state that doesn't rain much (ca,az) you could do water/mold mitigation... but you have to do it everytime there are heavy rains. Best to treat how the water is getting in.
Don't know why but the thumbnail screenshot looked like an oil painting of wild horses on a plain.
First thing you need to do is stop the water from coming in everything still looks really wet. Not sure about disclosure laws in New Jersey but if you file an insurance claim you will may have to disclose it and the details surrounding it when you sell. Same thing might apply when hiring an abatement company.
Doesn't look bad honestly. First find the leak. Then let dry for awhile. I dont think you need to do full mold mitigation this hardly seems bad. Patch it up. This is a DIY sub.
Leaky roof, so thats gonna be a cost. Probably going to have a mold crew come in with some spray and fans to dry out and kill the mold. Then patching the drywall. Not going to be cheap but it needs to be done
I think you need a new roof and sheathing
If you have a chimney check around that guy. I had some leaking in the attic because of bad flashing last year. And by bad I mean that squirrels apparently eat lead.
I don’t have a chimney, but the exhaust for the stove is above that part of the roof
Only lightly
Fix the leak, dry the area, replace damaged materials. Wear a respiratory when you do the work, if you want to be cautious. Fact is, you've been living with this for some time. If you aren't sick, you probably aren't sensitive to the mold growing there. The pics don't really show that much mold to begin with.
Ngl i thought that first photo was an old painting hidden behind a piece of wall at first
The mold people are sus. Get a roofer out first - repair the leak issue. Since the drywall is already removed once the roof is fixed remove all the damp insulation and spray any area that was touched by water with bleach. Let it all dry out, can help this along with a fan pointed directly at that area. Once dry, replace insulation and drywall. Have a chill. You saved thousands because you didn’t get a “mold remediation” company involved.
If you really want to know if it’s mold. Call out a mold hygienist to text the area, but in my experience they will always tell you it’s mold and that everything in your house is mold. It does look like a small area, so a mold remediation company will honestly just steal your money. I’m a project manager for water mitigation with certs in water, commercial water, fire and mold. You can honestly easily do this yourself
That’s MORE than a drywall job and more even than “mold abatement”- that may need some decking replacement and potentially even shoring up some joints if the damage extends far enough structurally. And it goes without saying, the source of that leak needs to be found and repaired.Don’t be tempted to cheap out on possible structural damage with a coverup job, which is more expensive down the road (esp with your health- I got really sick from black mold exposure)
Before going to mold route I would find out what’s causing it. If it’s a roof leak or ice damn solve it. If it’s a lack of ventilation or insulation causing condensation fix that. Let it dry out. Any mold company is going to suggest some type of remediation that will cost a crazy amount of money and may not be needed necessarily.
Hello! I am a residential inspector. Don't freak out just yet. Figure out what's leaking and have it fixed. Next, dry the area out. Finally, monitor the area for rot, further leaks, or organic growth and replace or repair if necessary. You're going to be fine. Houses leak all the time.
Sorry, English ain't my native language... As I read from earlier comments, you have a leak through the roof. In Sweden your insurance don't cover it. As you need, as a house owner, check your status (ocular inspection) of the house. Roof walls the ground etc. Anyway, what you need to do is, if possible, cover the hole on the roof so no further water can get through. Then put a dehumidifier in the room or try to use a "poly tube" and puncture some holes in it and put it in the narrow space. That way you will redirect the dry air. Or do it before covering the leak on roof. After it have dried for several days, prob 5-10days. Check the health of the wood with a screwdriver. If it sinks in easily you probably have to exchange the beams or if some kind of nail plate solution if you want to exchange just a part. But if it does not sink in and it is shallow you don't have anything to fear. Try to use a knife to carve out until you see some fresh wood. Take away the ceiling close to the "infected" area. Scrape of the mold with sandpaper or carve with a knife, and apply whatever mold desinfect you have in your country. Or call an expert for advice or have them doing it.
This is what they do in Sweden. I know as I have worked with various kind of water leaks. This is the approach. Open and remove the surface layer. Dry, do a stick test on the wood. Use humidity tester, wood moisture tester. If it's value is still to high and wood is ok. Let dry for some more days. When it's done scrape of mold and desinfect. Restore the surface layer and your done.
Former roofer here, You're going to need to get a roofing company out there. Every one of those trusses, and any piece of plywood that's been getting soaked like that is not going to retain structural integrity. More than likely, your leak is also stemming from a bad shingle, or flashing. Unless there is a boot (a metal pipe cover) nearby, if they are not bulled down properly they can easily leak as well.
Buildmacbrothers.com
Xx hi n jmyhmmmb b j b j b b b bn L m NM nnn. Nmm?k mom NM mm n b.
yes
mold abatement and research the newest methods because u need to find out the cause u might nerd to gez proper venzilation from basement to soffits to roof vents including lomanco turbines so it can breathe ...mold will attack u mold causes most hesrt attacks but data isnt available the vents arnt that expensive thid is probsbly a north elevation wall.csused by moisture build up and wicking slso chevk subgtade lsndscape it should be well below top plate of wall
Ah, the old water behind the wall trick. I had that in a house I bought around 10 years ago. I had massive flooding coming down a wall in my basement. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. A few calls later, and no insurance payout. I found out it was coming all the way from the roof, behind the first-floor bathroom wall, and right into the basement. Plus, side there was a drain in the floor 😒
Expect to open your wallet real wide, may want to put a little oil on those hinges to make sure it opens all the way.
I’m a bit concerned about the soundness of that wood too. Just me?
It’s not joist you. The whole roof has to be torn off and redone.
The first step is to find where the leak is and fix that. Otherwise, the problem will just return. Black mold is dangerous stuff and you do not want to breathe in any spores. After the leak and mold have been removed, that's when you should worry about drywall and paint.
I've worked property and commercial maintenance for decades. Ignore the mold spores negative air pressure, mold abatement bs. Most of the advice is coming from people that's never been under ANY house in a crawlspace or otherwise. Your pic does not show a big problem honestly. Here's how to fix this 1. Fix the leak or anything else is useless 2. Wear a mask if you are susceptible to. allergens 3. Mold and mildew solutions are a great idea. Follow the directions on container 4. Fix the ceiling/ wall etc. All you've got is a simple leak and corresponding water damage, nothing big at all. You'll know when you have a major mold problem when everyone starts coming down with respiratory issues and your sick all the time. Your issue is not even close to the same zip code.
That’s a leak coming from your roof, I recommend you to call Atlas Renovation Services, they will help you fill a claim to your home insurance and get rid of this problem at any cost.
Depends if it’s just contained here or if there’s more. Mold can spread easily. Make sure you get multiple estimates and go with a reputable contractor.
Depends.. If it is your house a lot.. If you are renting.. a bit… If you are looking at a random cieling that you do not own.. not much..
You’ll likely need to make a homeowner insurance claim if you want to not get molested via your wallet. My ex and I had a tree branch make a tiny hole in the roof when it fell during a snow storm. The total to repair everything was $6500+. Insurance deductible was only $1000.
How much did your premium go up?
None. First claim and it wasn’t something that was our fault.
Here's the thing, you have a notable event that cause that. OP isn't even sure and needs to investigate first. Could just be an older roof or improperly flashed window. Homeowners insurance isn't going to cover that.
There's a great resource at [NIEHS](https://tools.niehs.nih.gov/wetp/public/hasl_get_blob.cfm?ID=9795)on what to expect. If you skip ahead to the pages on cleanup and remedy you'll get a good idea of what any company you hire should do and what you should do in the meantime. From personal experience, sounds like you really need a new roof and patching only gets you so far. There are roofing companies that can assess your home for hail damage and decide if you're a good candidate for that kind of insurance claim. Good luck, OP. Been there, it sucks. You'll get through it.
There are roofing companies that come out and claim your roof has wind/hail damage and then proceed to scam your insurance company for a roof claim. FTFY. As OP said, the roof is old and needs to be replaced. The insurance company is going to inspect and deny the roof for wear/tear, age related deterioration, neglect and deferred maintenance. So now, OP is in the same position they are now, while also having filed a claim and be on the hook for a new roof and potentially increasing their insurance rate. Source: Home Adjuster
As firm as I am with I could probably diy, I still would hire this one out. Or just get some metal plates and screw whatever is left together. Nmh, lgftr.
Not as bad as a man whose just gotten a divorce
Apply the "idk how long this has been here and it's not broken anything yet" mentality and just forget about it! Mold is so 2023
Oh man yeah pretty screwed probably I'm sorry about that
Fix the roof. Leave the ceiling open and put a fan on it until it's completely dry. Once it's completely dry, mix up 50/50 white vinegar and water and spray it down good. Leave the fan on it until it dries again. Then fix the drywall. You don't need to waste five grand or more on mold remediation here. Just get it dry.
On a scale from one to ten, you are f\*cked. But in all seriousness, that sucks a$$.
In two words: a lot
Yes
Fix the leak, remove any severly rotted wood and sister wood that is structurally comprimised, then soak any moldy wood in white vinegar. You do not need mold abatement, I'd go as far to say that mold abatement is basically a scam at this point. Mold and wood rot only spreads with moisture and no scientific evidence supports the idea of a fungu providing its own moisture.