Hi there. I think I may have mold in my air ducts/vents – I hope it’s only there and not in the drywall. At first I noticed a stinky sort of smell in a spare bathroom that I rarely use and turned on the bathroom vent and that seemed to clear it up. Then I noticed the smell once or twice in the hall but not in the bathroom. Several days later I noticed the smell in the bathroom again but this time the bathroom vent seemed to make the smell worse. This probably has been happening over the course of a month and just in the past few days I noticed the smell in other parts of the house. I’ve started researching mold inspectors to have this checked out as soon as possible.
Questions:
In the meantime I must be breathing in the mold spores and am wondering what risk I’m putting myself to. Should I be looking at staying with friends or in a hotel, spending as much time as possible out of the house? Should I stop using the AC and open all the windows and use fans? It is in the upper 90’s in DC right now which may be why this problem has gotten worse in a short time. And at what point do I involve my insurance company? Sorry for the million questions but this really has me freaked. Thanks for any advice!
3 comments
Hi Alice, If you smell mold, then you have mold. First hire a certified mold inspector. To be on the safe side, find a temporary place to stay so that you do not continue to expose yourself to pathogens/toxins released by the MYCOTOXINS. Please google that word and you will get a good idea to their potential danger. Do not call your insurance company until you hire a public adjuster. I recommend http://www.unitedpolicyholders.org for invaluable information for policy holders who have an insurance policy which has mold coverage. Unfortunately most insurance companies will do their due diligence not to pay a claim and with the help of a P.A. you may have a better chance of settling than not. Public Adjusters work on a contingency basis so there is no out of pocket expenses until you are paid by your insurance company.
In order to avoid cross contamination, do not remove anything from your home, including your toothbrush, until you receive your mold test results. Anything you carry out of your home has the potention to contaminate your new residence. If there is contamination, some things may be salvageable and others may have to be destroyed. We make this call on a regular basis and can recommend what is best for your particular needs. http://www.moldremedy.biz Do the following as soon as possible to avoid further contamination of your property. The longer the property goes untreated, if it is contaminated, the conditions worsten.
Dear Alice, We offer a system that uses positive air pressure to supply safe treated air first to your duct work system and then into every room in your home. It is afforadable and extremely effective. You can visit our website to read first hand how we helped a family with a similar situation. Or if you are on Face Book, you can look us up at Air & Mold Technologies and read the review there as well. We CAN HELP!
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Dear Alice, Agreed…If you are smelling mold, you probably have mold. We offer a free consultation and inspection and if further testing is needed, we can provide that as well. No need to spend hundreds of dollars for someone to confirm what you already know. Our systems have been proven to first clean the mold and spores out of your ducts and then into every room of your home. Both in the air and on the surfaces. Check us out at http://www.airandmoldtech.com We can give you that peace of mind!