Re: help with moldy apartment

[Guest guest]

A link in another letter today

(http://news10now.com/content/health/?ArID=2461 & SecID=99) has one very

important message you must always remember: " Mold is everywhere,” said Dr.

Slavin, “but it will only grow with water damage. "

If mold is present and returns no matter what you do, you aren't doing

enough. You must stop the water problem. What is on the other side of the

wall, or up above. Is there a bathroom with bad caulk around the tub. Is

there a toilet upstairs with a bad wax seal? Is there a roof leak? Or even

simply a slight opening between a vent stack and its boot, which can easily

be repaired with a little roof tar? Is this an outside wall that is somehow

failing, perhaps no tar paper or other moisture barrier is over the wall

sheathing before the exterior surface was applied? Maybe the wall is simply

uninsulated, and in cold weather, cooking and long hot showers condense

enough moisture on and in the walls to stimulate mold growth. Maybe a window

was not installed properly, and flashing is not present, or is directing

rain water inside instead of outside.

There are many possibilities for stimulating mold growth, and all involve

water. The water must be stopped first. Next, all moldy drywall or plaster

on lath must be properly removed, being careful not to spread the problem

around, the wall interior disinfected and sealed, then repaired.

Since you are experiencing symptoms, you have become sensitized. Your best

option is to move out, into an apartment with no moisture problems. This may

mean breaking a lease. However, a landlord is responsible for providing a

safe and healthy living place. Failure to do so justifies breaking the

lease. The local board of health should be able to help with any necessary

clarification.

There is a good deal of controversy about what you should take with you.

At a minimum, be suspicious of bedding and upholstered furniture. In damp

environments, the stuffing can grow significant mold which cannot be removed

or otherwise made safe for a sensitized individual. Clothing may or may not

be too severely contaminated to take with you.

Continuing to live there will simply make your symptoms progressively

worse. You should get that idea by reading the stories of many others on the

sickbuilding page. Good luck.

Gil

Date: Tue, 02 Dec 2003 16:45:02 -0000

From: " scottish_bird " <scottish_bird@...>

Subject: Please help.

I'm new to the board and was wondering if anyone could give me some

advice. I moved in with my boyfriend about 9 months ago. He has

visible mold in many of the rooms in the aprtment, but the worst is

the bedroom where the mold has a rather wet appearance. He bleaches

it, treats it with mold resistance paint, but it comes back every

year! I never had any health problems before I moved in, but now I

suffer from bad sinus problems, headaches, depression and have just

recently found a rash that is beginning to spread over my body. I

have looked at many of the web sites and find much of the information

conflicting. I want to go get this rash checked out, but don't know

whether to go an allergist or a regular doctor, and also we don't

know how to present this problem to our landlord. We have already

asked him to have a look at the problem, and as a remedy he sent his

non english speaking wife to look at the mold and since then nothing

has been done. He is a good landlord and always does his best to

rectify problems but I think he is worried about the economic

implications this problem might have, any one have any ideas or

suggestions???

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