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Forums » Rehabbing and House Flipping » Mold - Here today - Here tommorrow?

Mold - Here today - Here tommorrow? Subscribe to Mold - Here today - Here tommorrow?

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BiggerPockets Founder · Denver, Colorado


Hey all - I've been doing some thinking. One of the areas I've dealt very little in is with that ugly horror MOLD. I actually found a great deal on a property, but it was coated in mold. EVERY inch of the building was black. I was amazed - you wouldn't think that mold could grow in doorknobs and lightbulbs, but it was there!

I quickly left, coming very close to losing my lunch on the way out . . . my question is this: If we eliminate the source of the mold and bleach the hell out of the place, what are the odds of the mold returning? I am scared of such projects because of the possibility of lawsuits in the future - are there any good ways to protect yourself here other than GUTTING?

. . . lets talk about MOLD!

Small_bplogo20aJoshua Dorkin, BiggerPockets, Inc.
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If we eliminate the source of the mold and bleach the hell out of the place, what are the odds of the mold returning?

Can you make any money by rehabbing the building and flipping it, or are they asking too much? I don't know if your mold will return, but it seems like a huge project. I'd make sure there is enough of a margin to make some good cash, otherwise, Stay Away


Real Estate Investor · Fort Wayne, IN


I hear that bleach does not kill mold. I checked with my local janitor supply company and they got me stuff that KILLS it. Just a thought. :groovy:



Originally posted by "BlueStarHomes"
I hear that bleach does not kill mold. I checked with my local janitor supply company and they got me stuff that KILLS it. Just a thought. :groovy:

So - what is it called?



you can install a sump pump and a dehumidifier.


BiggerPockets Founder · Denver, Colorado


I just found a really good article on How to Safely Eliminate Indoor Mold at Realty Times. this one is worth a read.

http://realtytimes.com/rtcpages/20040202_mold.htm

Small_bplogo20aJoshua Dorkin, BiggerPockets, Inc.
E-Mail: webmaster@biggerpockets.com
Telephone: 877-831-4704
Website: http://www.biggerpockets.com
Be sure to check out the BiggerPockets Blog at http://www.BiggerPockets.com/renewsblog/



This seems like it may be more of a hassle than what it's worth. The best way to determine if mold is an issue in a home/business, is to have a mold test performed by trained scientific personnel. Last thing you want is your new home to possibly make you ill.


Real Estate Investor


we bought a home, unoccupied for a long time 6 -8 months and no heat on. during my inspection i pulled a piece of paneling off the wall and exposed the wallboard behind the paneling and found mold. we were able to pitch a lower price and still closed with the bank. once we owned it . we removed the paneling, sprayed concentrated well clorine on the effected walls using a paint sprayer and left the home for several weeks closed up. then started to air the place out. we then used a primer called jammer ( what they use after a fire ) to seal up the walls and proceded to paint the basement and kept the dehumiftifier on after that. so far 4 years have passed and no signs of reoccourance.


Rehabber · Grand Blanc, Michigan


I've flipped multiple properties with mold. My current flip was a mold house, too.

The first thing you need to do is eliminate the water source. Whether it be a failed sump pump, broken pipe, or leaky foundation. It needs to be solved FIRST.

Then, I fully gut the property, including insulation. You need to get rid of the drywall since it's porous and holds in a lot of moisture. If the insulation is wet, that needs to go to. Let the structure of the home dry out. A majority of the mold will likely be on the drywall, but you will still see some mold on the inside of the exterior sheathing, floor joists, 2x4s, sub floor, etc. For that, it has to be chemically treated to kill the mold. I use this product: http://www.traskresearch.com/mold.html. Pricey, but kills the mold. It's applied with the 2600 fogger on this page: http://www.traskresearch.com/order.html.

Once I've applied the product THREE times, I let the house completely dry down with industrial fans, then do an air quality sample with a third party (not Trask Research since I want unbiased results). If there are not excessive levels of mold in the property (using the outside local atmosphere as a benchmark) I begin putting the house back together. If the levels are still excessive, more remediation, more chemicals, more fogging.

Bleach does NOT kill mold. It removes discoloration - and nothing more. The spores are still alive and active with bleaching method. Kilz primer does not kill mold either. If there is exposed wood which will not get recovered with drywall, but is stained, I use Zep Mold and Mildew cleaner to remove the staining, after the area has been treated with the 501 concentrate.

Mold remediation is very labor intensive since it typically involves fully gutting a house. If the mold is as bad as you describe, plan on removing all drywall, all cabinetry, all trim, flooring, etc.

In my current project, I even changed the sub floor since I don't want any trace of mold in the property. In total, I've filled up four 30-yard roll-off dumpsters with debris from the 2,600 square foot home.

And, of course, when you're done, DISCLOSE, DISCLOSE, DISCLOSE.


Real Estate Investor · Long Beach, California


Lots of good advice on dealing with the mold issue here. I would only add that you get an inspection done yourself when you are finished so you can feel secure about the results.



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What if the source of the moisture is a bathroom shower in a bathroom with 1 window and no vent fan. Any tips?


Real Estate Investor · Charlotte, North Carolina


make sure there's no leaks, and then install a fan


Real Estate Investor · Little Rock, Arkansas


Originally posted by Ken Yearwood
What if the source of the moisture is a bathroom shower in a bathroom with 1 window and no vent fan. Any tips?

I am living through this right now. I have a 40 year old upstairs shower pan that has leaked for apparantly a long time. Long enough to rot the floors down to the decking. The leak drained downstairs through a wall and has destroyed about 250 square feet of underlay. A fan would not have helped this neglect. So far, 2 trips to the dump has made a start.
Don


Real Estate Investor · Plano, Texas


I've said it before and I'll say it again; I love moldy properties!

http://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/1028/blog_posts/5926-real-men-love-mold


Real Estate Investor · Lynnwood, Washington


I have made offers on moldy houses before, the worst of which would have taken $40k to be fully remediated and have a certificate of cleanliness.

A little mold can be pulled out and cleaned up, but when the whole house is moldy, I want pros in and a certificate from a 3rd party saying it is clean.

The last thing I want is the new owners to talk to the neighbors and find out what was growing in their 'new home' before they bought it. That is just a lawsuit waiting to happen.


Real Estate Investor · Plano, Texas


Originally posted by Chris Cliff

A little mold can be pulled out and cleaned up, but when the whole house is moldy, I want pros in and a certificate from a 3rd party saying it is clean.

The last thing I want is the new owners to talk to the neighbors and find out what was growing in their 'new home' before they bought it. That is just a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Exactly! that is why paying the big bucks for the professional to certify that the property is mold free is a must from a liability point of view. But paying the big bucks for the professionals to re-mediate the mold is not necessary. In fact, I avoid it as they charge like wounded bulls.

And as someone else already said on this thread I think; DISCLOSE, DISCLOSE, DISCLOSE!




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