Thread: Mold or something else?

New Photos 4.18.17
We have mold in some areas of the house that are in the remediation process.
Some of the dark areas of the photos is probably shadow.
I took photos and video inside the walls yesterday. It does not look good to me. But I have no idea if it is mold or not. Any expert opinions?

Attic (some of the darkness in the insulation could be dirt, but this area appears to be damp)
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Inside wall behind kitchen sink (black material is some sort of tar paper)
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Between vanity and floor in bathroom (object on right is copper pipe):
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Inside wall behind vanity on interior of sheetrock on outside wall:
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Inside wall behind vanity on vapor barrier/insulation on outside wall:
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Inside wall behind toilet on outside wall:
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Inside wall on insulation/vapor barrier behind toilet on outside wall:
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New photo of attic from ceiling below:
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New photo inside wall of laundry room:
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Insulation
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In ceiling — this is attic floor I believe
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Inside wall on horizontal stud I believe (I think this is actually dead animals)
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Inside wall on horizontal stud I believe (I think this is actually dead animals)
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Inside wall in laundry room
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I didn't watch the video, but the photos are all but useless.

Did you ask the "remediator" about what you see?

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

I didn't watch the video, but the photos are all but useless.

Did you ask the "remediator" about what you see?

Yes. He is slow in responding. Also — he was not interested in looking in the walls.

Originally Posted by Scott C Simpson

Yes. He is slow in responding. Also — he was not interested in looking in the walls.

"Not interested in looking in the walls"??? That doesn't sound good. If it were me, I would get a second opinion. If it's in the walls, it seems to me that it needs to be addressed.

Looks like a Colonoscopy gone wrong.

Why not just cut open the wall and see what you really have. Wack out a 4ft x 4ft area which makes for an easy patch job. Then you can tell what you are actually dealing with.

My first thought and question is - how are you looking into the walls?

a) Down through a missing top plate?

b) Through a hole cut in the wall?

The first one, a), would not be a good thing as a missing top plate indicates no fireblocking was installed.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

My first thought and question is - how are you looking into the walls?

a) Down through a missing top plate?

b) Through a hole cut in the wall?

The first one, a), would not be a good thing as a missing top plate indicates no fireblocking was installed.

Through holes.

Several questions. First, what made you look into that wall? Is there an attic above that wall or is it the first floor? Is the mold inspector lic? Is anyone in the house having health issues?

Originally Posted by Scott C Simpson

We have mold in some areas of the house that are in the remediation process.

I think I have the answer that you are looking for but need a little background please.

Parts in remediation process, for what and by whom ???? Who is paying for the work ???

I take it that you do not own the property. Is that correct ???

Do you rent, lease or are party purchase agreement ???

Are you making this inquiry for someone else, if so who ???

Are you or others staying the property during remediation ???

Originally Posted by Garry Sorrells

I think I have the answer that you are looking for but need a little background please.

Parts in remediation process, for what and by whom ???? Who is paying for the work ???

I take it that you do not own the property. Is that correct ???

Do you rent, lease or are party purchase agreement ???

Are you making this inquiry for someone else, if so who ???

Are you or others staying the property during remediation ???

We just had the mold inspection last week and bids are being performed for the 2 known areas of visible mold.
We probably could stay during remediation of these areas due to their location in the house.a
It is my girlfriend's house — it possible insurance will pay for some of the work.
My concern is that there is more mold than just the 2 known areas.
The unknown areas of concern are walls, attic, crawlspace insulation.

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by stanley frost

Several questions. First, what made you look into that wall? Is there an attic above that wall or is it the first floor? Is the mold inspector lic? Is anyone in the house having health issues?

The laundry room wall was suspect because there was obvious recent drywall repair.
The other wall is below the attic, and for other reasons there was a hole in the drywall — so I looked in there.
I have been having allergy symptoms for the past 2-3 months. The mold inspector is licensed — he has begun to look at the pictures I took and considers the areas to be suspect.

Some of that is rock wool. Some is stain, which will affect who how?
If there is mold, there is moisture. If there is no moisture, you have nothing to worry about.

A guy with a $400 moisture meter can tell you what you got.

Everybody is born with a moisture meter in their hand. []
But a meter can measure it in %. Under 12% is normal for a house on the Left Coast.

Originally Posted by Scott C Simpson

We just had the mold inspection last week and bids are being performed for the 2 known areas of visible mold.
We probably could stay during remediation of these areas due to their location in the house.a
It is my girlfriend's house — it possible insurance will pay for some of the work.
My concern is that there is more mold than just the 2 known areas.
The unknown areas of concern are walls, attic, crawlspace insulation.

- - - Updated - - -


The laundry room wall was suspect because there was obvious recent drywall repair.
The other wall is below the attic, and for other reasons there was a hole in the drywall — so I looked in there.
I have been having allergy symptoms for the past 2-3 months. The mold inspector is licensed — he has begun to look at the pictures I took and considers the areas to be suspect.

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First thing you need to do is stop the moisture intrusion. Ground should slope 1/4" per foot away from the house, needs gutters with drainage piped to the street, adequate kitchen fan used when cooking, bathroom fans on automatic humidistat, dryer to outside, commercial basement dehumidifier, proper makeup air supply, roof repairs as needed, crawl space dirt covered with plastic and sealed, etc.

Next, as suggested, just remove the drywall in suspect areas to see what you really have. Drywall is $10 per 4x8 sheet (plus installation, finishing and paint...)

Buy some Honeywell HEPA air filter fans units in key rooms to remove airborne particles. Your allergies will disappear.

The first photo looks like soot, was there a fire? Other wise the photos are useliss!

Originally Posted by Thomas McKay

The first photo looks like soot, was there a fire? Other wise the photos are useliss!

This area is close to the chimney — so I think some of it is soot.

the most common entry point for moisture into interior walls is through the holes the electricians drilled in the top plate during construction to feed the wires through. Some times the holes don't get sealed. We have hot air in the attic getting into the cooler interior walls and condensing. plan on having the interior walls taken down to the studs.

Originally Posted by stanley frost

the most common entry point for moisture into interior walls is through the holes the electricians drilled in the top plate during construction to feed the wires through. Some times the holes don't get sealed. We have hot air in the attic getting into the cooler interior walls and condensing. plan on having the interior walls taken down to the studs.

I am also concerned that moisture has also come up from a damp dirt crawl space (no vapor barrier), and from condensation from aluminum framed windows. The house is on the Oregon Coast, where the temperatures rarely go below 40F in the winter, and rarely above 70 in the summer.