There is a health inspection for all apartments in my building tomorrow. We have a couple small (one maybe 18 inches long, varying in width half an inch to about three inches, the other just a maybe 2″ x 2″ patch in the other corner) patches of mold in our ceiling along the corners. It’s been there for a while, and spreads extremely slowly. As we’ve never noticed any smells or health problems, we’ve never taken action on it.
I’m just wondering, what course of action will likely be taken when the apartment manager and health inspector see it?
#1 by MAC on February 11th, 2011
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They would probably tell you to remove it. Spray it with a mixture of water and bleach (chlorox)
#2 by E on February 11th, 2011
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If you own the apartment, you’re gonna have to pay to get mold remedial specialists in to properly remove and dispose of it. If you’re the tenant, then your landlord will have to, unless he pays off the inspector, in which case nothing is done about it unless you do it yourself.
#3 by fluffernut on February 11th, 2011
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It really depends how extensive the mold problem is. Surface mold on the outer surface can be cleaned easily…you should have been doing it all along. Improving air circulation often stops surface mold from growing. Simple things like running the bathroom ventilation fan for at least 30 minutes after each shower, running the kitchen ventilation fan when boiling water, opening windows from time to time, keeping a small fan in the apartment to keep the air stirred up, etc.
The kicker is if the mold is growing underneath, lets say between the walls, under sinks, under vinyl floors (say from a toilet seal leak), in vents, etc. That is serious.
Don’t assume odor needs to be present to have mold.
#4 by raulbesquival on February 11th, 2011
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You need to better inform this before any inspector ask about it. Tell him the whole story other wise it can create problem for you later.
#5 by saaanen on February 11th, 2011
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Can’t answer. Too vague. What kind of “mold”?
If it’s simple mildew, YOU will be asked to clean it up.
If it’s something else, like being caused by a leak, the landlord will be told to repair.