Mold an issue? Just paint over it?

Question

Tenants moving out showed me mold in the closets.  Is this a long term problem or just something maybe specific to these tenants? This is coastal New England.  Planning to paint it with kilz or similar, anything else I should do?

Mark Ferguson · Answer

Get a mold guy out there to look at it.  He can test the moisture in the walls to see if that is the problem or something else.  He can also tell you if it is a simple fix or major problem.  Either way if you cover it up you are asking for big problems.

Joel Owens · Answer

Find out if it is an air circulation problem for mildew or is it actually mold??

Some of my family lives in New England and many houses do not have A/C as it does not get as hot there often. This year however they have said it has been in the 90's and up. If no A/C and air circulating you could have problems with mildew etc. and musty smells.

So I would NOT just paint over it. Find out if mold or mildew and if caused by air circulation or a water issue first. If you do not fix the underlying problem and just throw paint over it that shows you were trying to cover something up. Last thing you want is sick tenants saying see where there was mold but the landlord just through some paint on it so we wouldn't see and we got sick from it.

Christopher Coleman · Answer

try not to disturb the spores as much as possible, they can become airborne and spread easily.

I have had good luck with commercially available fungicides or colloidal silver.

Finding the original source of the moisture is key.

Mark Ferguson · Answer

FYI, my mold guy told me if you spray mold with bleach it may discolor the mold, but not kill it depending on what kind of mold it is.  You may also only kill the visible mold on the surface.

Karen Margrave · Answer

DON'T PAINT OVER IT, FIND OUT WHAT TYPE MOLD IT IS! If you paint over it and someone ends up having respiratory problems, and then finds out there was mold in the house and you didn't investigate it and treat it properly, you can be sued. Why chance it?

Phillip Cailey · Answer

spray it with bleach, then see if that kills it. no use spending more money that necessary.

Caleb B. · Answer

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Rob K. · Answer

Evem is there's no water problem, I would cut out those sections of drywall and replace.

Andrea M. · Answer

No I wouldn't just paint over it, I agree with all the comments above regarding the testing to find and fix the underlying problem.

Heidi Rogers · Answer

Joel is right. Investigate the cause and fix it now while the unit is vacant. Mold and mildew in closets are common problems at the coast because of moisture and stagnant air, but building damage from water penetration is just as common. Also common: landlords who don't address the extra maintenance required at the coast and end up with a rotten building and a bad reputation.

Mold an issue? Just paint over it?

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