Evelyn in San Francisco, California

Jonathan4730 views
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I moved into this new house for rent and when we cleaned the place there was a little bit of mold but I thought nothing of it. So we have been here for about a year and mind you we are renting from my spouse’s uncle that sold this lady the house. So when the lady came d0wn here from China we told her we threw away 2 pieces of furniture already because I was not going to put my baby (5 months old) clothes in there anymore. The mold grew all the way to the top of the back of the dresser and night stand.

When we told the lady she said you have to keep the windows open all the time. And that there was not mold there from the beginning when she was living in the house. For me that is hard to believe because we didn’t have mold before we moved here on any of our furniture and she is saying we brought the mold here to the house.

Well, I had purchased brand new furniture and now today I’ve notice mold on my new bedroom set dresser this is cherry wood and its very expensive. I dont put anything against the walls from what she told me so I didn’t and mold is still growing on the furniture.

My baby has been sick twice and my spouse always gets bloody noses only in the room but never when we are out somewhere else. I don’t know what to do. I called the uncle to come over but he didn’t show up. My lease is a month to month contract. I need to get this taken care of without any conflict but I will not hesitate to call authorities and take this matter into my hands if she doesn’t act fast.

Questions:

Can the mold specialist find out how long the mold been here and where its coming from? Also the area where I live is very very foggy and if you touch the walls in my bedroom where its the worst at it is like a fridge it is always moist but there is no mold on the walls it just grows on anything it touches. I’ve shown her pictures and still NOTHING.  My brand new $5000 furniture is ruined. I dont know what to do. I want to prove to her that it is the house because I know its not us. HELP PLEASE.

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4 comments

Jonathan July 27, 2011 - 4:14 pm
Evelyn, an environment that moist is ripe condition for mold growth. As to how its getting on your furniture, I will look to the folks with a bit more experience to weigh in. The health risk that you and your family are facing, though, is a big problem. If your landlord isn't willing to get a professional in there to assess and remedy the situation you should be quickly looking elsewhere.
Chrissy Mann July 29, 2011 - 8:17 am
Hi Evelyn, If there was existing mold in the house from the beginning, mold spreads and can contaminate the entire home as well as all your belongings. The fact that you were told to leave the windows open at all times is a 'red flag' to me. If your county has helpful mold help for renters, it would be in your best interest to find out what your rights are as a tenant. Also, you need to have a professional mold inspection performed to determine the extent and proof positive that there is in fact fungal contamination coming from your dwelling. If you can prove that the source is emanating from the house itself, then you should not be held responsible for what is referred to as cross-contamination where previously mold contaminated belongings recontaminate another environment. If the mold is 'toxigenic, pathogenic', you may have to dispose of ALL belongings. You may have to do all of this with no help from the owner as you have already been accused of bringing the mold into her house from the start. As certified mold remediators, we are able to salvage many household items. Wood made products are definately salvageable with our remarkable protocol. If your landlord continues to remain in denial even after you have had the house inspected, you may have to pursue necessary help independent of her. If you or she has insurance coverage for mold, always consult a public adjuster first before your insurance adjuster. Many times insurance companies will do everything possible to get out of a mold claim. You do not pay the PA until the claim is paid. Go to http://www.unitedpolicyholders.org and download their valuable information concerning mold. The fact that your family is suffering physiologically is evidence that you need to get out as soon as possible. Our recommendation as certified mold remediators is to store everything in plastic if you are considering remediating, treating your property. Do NOT take it with you to your next home as you will cross contaminate as the landlord has alluded to you when you began noticing the mold proliferation. Hoping for the best for you and your family.
Robert August 2, 2011 - 10:15 am
Evelyn...With our system, you DO NOT have to throw away all your belongings. We just recently had a similar problem and with our positive air pressure system, we saved a family's treasured photos, documents and furniture! Saving them over $20,000! Read about it first hand on our Face Book page, Air & Mold Technologies. Give us a call!
Faith August 7, 2011 - 10:51 am
Did you test the furniture and everything AFTERWARDS to see if there was any active mold??/? Because testing should be done BEFORE AND AFTERWARDS, if not you will not know whether you are getting the mold or not...
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