Former tenant, landlord meet at mold-infested residence

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Former tenant, landlord meet at mold-infested residence

By Jami Kinton

News Journal

CentralOhio.com

http://www.centralohio.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/B7/20070105/NEWS01/701050307/1002

MANSFIELD -- Gibson has no plans to return to a mold-infested

residence at the rear of 140 Sturges Ave. Her former landlord, Terry

Brown, plans to find new tenants once he cleans up the place.

But Gibson and Brown were back together Thursday touring the

residence, comparing notes and talking to the News Journal and

others about problems outlined in a story Dec. 28.

Inside, cobwebs hung from ceilings and bugs swarmed from room to

room, brownish mold creeping up the walls.

There has been no shortage of public comment about the case, which

was publicized when Gibson and her children moved out, claiming the

mold was making them sick.

A News Journal online reader forum is filled with comments that

range from criticism of the 28-year-old Gibson for being " a nasty

housekeeper " to others calling upon the community to pull

together, " not pull apart and bash a person in need. "

Upstairs on Thursday, Gibson's husband, , who does not live

with the family, pointed to a large hole and an indentation in the

wall inside a bedroom where he said rainwater would typically come

in. He said the hole was not there when the family moved in nine

months ago.

" The hole is probably the main source of the water coming in, which

created the mold, " Gibson said. " The health department is going to

send someone in they said to determine what kind of mold is actually

in here. "

Brown, owner of Brown Realty, said the hole, near the home's leaky

chimney, has not let in a lot of water.

" We didn't have any roof leaks when we renovated it right before

they moved in, " Brown said. " I will now take care of the hole, but

if they would have called me sooner I could have taken care of it

earlier. "

Although bedrooms were dry Thursday, parts of the basement floor

were wet.

" For the last four or five months, we've had problems with water in

our basement, " Gibson said. " At one point found water

just flowing from (the basement crawl space) onto the floor. We

don't know how that happened. "

Gibson said the water does not always drain, which he said

contributes to the home's mold problem.

Brown said when he has seen the basement, the floor has been " wall-

to-wall " with clothing.

" The clothes is the reason the water wouldn't drain, " Brown

said. " They soak up the water, putting moisture into the air, which

also will cause mold. "

Brown, who owns about 100 homes, said any house of similar age would

be susceptible to basement seepage.

In the Gibson home, he said, mold could have been prevented if the

family's dryer vent hose had been connected properly and if clothing

had not littered the floor.

" Every time you dry clothes, the water and lint that should go

outside is dumped back into the inside because that hose wasn't

hooked up right, " Brown said. " My first indication of that was when

I saw lint all over the floor in there. "

The Gibsons also complained of mold on the outside of their home.

The small green patch on one side of the house, Brown said, is

likely from the numerous garbage bags placed up against that spot

for a long time. He said the family did not have a garbage service.

Gibson said her children suffered from colds and her daughter

suffered from an enlarged lymph node from the abundance of mold.

Brown said, " I've owned that house over 50 years and have never had

a problem with mold. "

Dave Loomis, of Lucas, said he worked eight years for Brown at

Richland Renovating, another business Brown owns.

" He's excellent, very clean and consistent between all of his

houses, " Loomis said, adding that Brown always resolves problems

quickly. " He'd always go above and beyond what he was asked to do.

Most guys would not go to the extremes that Brown would. "

In a previous interview, Gibson said Brown did not respond to

her complaints, and when he did have someone come in to clean the

walls with bleach, the mold reappeared within two weeks.

Gibson said since her family has been staying with a friend, her

children's illnesses have subsided.

" There have been enough people of authority in here who know that I

didn't cause that mold, " she said. " I may not be the cleanest

person, but I'm not downright filthy. "

Gibson said her family has found a new home at 133 Arthur St. and

will move in next week.

Brown said he will have the mold cleaned up in the Sturges Avenue

home before a new family moves in.

jkinton@... 419-521-7220