Question about mold in an apartment....?

Question

My friend lives in a 2 bedroom apartment. Her spare bedroom closet is used as a storage for off season clothes and Christmas. When opening the closet yesterday she noticed that the whole right side of the closet is covered in mold. She has been having health issues, flu/respitory for over a year on and off. The section covered in mold is about 8 feet tall and 4 feet wide. It is COVERED where most of the wall is mold and not white. The apartment complex said that is is fine they will just replace the drywall but I feel that it has to be in more places than that. Anyway have any experience with mold?

Thanks

Answer 1

Her problems most likely came from the mold, it is known for all of those symptoms, and it can kill you over time. The apartment should hire a special team to come in and remove the mold, most states have laws about that kind of stuff, but she shouldn't just let some apartment repair man come in and do it. Tell her to insist on the complex having an outside guy come in and fix the problem.

Answer 2

Mold has to have moisture to grow. Replacing sheet rock will only get rid of the visible mold unless the water issue is resolved too. Moving will likely be less hassle than getting a good repair. What the complex is willing to do will be temporary at best. It will grow back.

Answer 3

hi,

if the mold is originating from inside the walls then its toxic mold. they need to replace the drywall and fix the cause which is probably a leaking pipe.  is your friend having etreme headaches as well? maybe she needs to take some anti-fungal meds asap. ok god bless you guys

Answer 4

I agree with the moisture and grow back comments.  but if the source of the moisture is found and all the mold is removed (by removing sheetrock and so on) then it should be fine.  now she knows where it is and what to keep an eye on if it starts to grow back.  the moisture could have been as simple as her putting away a really wet coat into the closet and closing the door for a few months.  but if the moisture is comming from somewhere else then it Must be tracked down.

moving may be an easy answer if it's easy, mold dosn't release her from a lease.  and she has no legal right to demand an outside mold abatement company.  she can however notify the health department.  in most states they take mold very very seriously.  i recently looked at a house that was refused an occupancy permit for a 1.5 foot circular patch of mold in the basement.  so the health department will be able to inspect and make sure the appartment management is doing there job.