Q.
Nov. 14, 2011. I am having a new home built. House was left uncovered
for at least 6 weeks. We had 4 practically monsooning rains and floors
had standing water on them in places 1-2 inches. OSB board flooring has
black spots all over it on under side, flooring is buckling and has soft
spots entire flooring appears to have black discoloration. I was
concerned that it was mold and insisted it b tested and revealed
positive for mold. Now home being treated for mold. Rooms were not
taped off in any way just mold cleaner used and being retested results
not back yet. Then they r supposed to put some kind of sealant on if
clear? From my reading the rooms should have been taped off with
plastic? Sheetrock that is to go on walls is leaned up against 2x4
walls exposed to mold? I am concerned OSB board is infested with mold
because of buckling and discoloration ? Should it be removed? Should I
get out of this commitment to buy? Which I still can! Don't know what
to do? Can OSB board still harbor this mold even if spot treated? Will
I be able to get home insurance? What about resale? Please we
desperately need advice from experts as to what to do, also, my son and
husband have horrible sinuses already from my last home probably
infested with mold??? I really wanted a fresh new home mold free if
possible!
A.
New home mold is a very common problem because of the house under
construction getting rained on due to no tarping of it during
construction and due to the use of building wood timbers that are
already mold-infested upon delivery to the job site from the lumber
supplier. Please visithttp://www.moldinspector.com/new_home_mold.htm.
You need to absolutely insist on getting rid of all of the moldy OSB.
Once mold begins growing on the OSB, the mold growth goes into the
material and cannot be totally removed. OSB is mold delicious food. All
new home construction timbers with mold growth need to be replaced or
cleaned to visibly mold-free by the use of power and hand wire brushes,
sanders, and planers. If the drywall shows any mold growth, require that
it be replaced with new. Insist that the house be covered every night
with tarpalins or plastic sheeting to prevent future water penetration
of the house under construction. Until the house is fully roofed, sided,
and has its windows installed, the building materials are at risk of
getting wet. After the removal of all moldy building materials and all
visible mold growth on timbers, all building materials (already utilized
as well as not yet installed materials) need to be sprayed with a thick
protective coating of Tim-Bor, which is an EPA-registered fungicide,
which we can sell to your builder if the builder cannot get it from a
local supplier. For more info on Tim-Bor, please visit our website
Tim-Bor Professional at http://www.timborprofessional.com.
You would be helped big-time to solve your new home mold problems if you
sign up for my 60 days of in depth, unlimited email mold advice for only
$99 at http://www.moldmart.net,
at which site you should also buy my ebooks Mold Health Guide, Mold
Legal Guide, and Do It Best Yourself Mold Inspection,
Testing, Remediation, and Prevention. You can buy all five of my
mold books for only $49 (Mold Library) or $15 each for email attachment
delivery to you from Mold Mart. To help me advise you in the $99 advice
program, please take many close-up pictures of the building material
mold growth to send me as email attachments to envirodangers@yahoo.com.
You are right to connect your former moldy home with your husband's and
son's sinus problems. A research study by the famous Mayo Clinic found
that 90% of all sinus problems are the result of exposure to mold. Your
husband and son may need doctor-prescribed anti-fungal medicine to get
rid of their sinus mold. As to your insurance question, most homeowner’s
insurance policies exclude mold growth problems from being covered for
possible insurance payment unless the mold growth is the direct result
of an insured accident such as a weather storm or flood or sudden
plumbing line break. Looking forward to being your mold mentor, I close
for now----Phillip Fry, Certified Environmental Hygienist, Certified
Mold Inspector, and Certified Environmental Hygienist.
Q. I
received a letter from my home builder explaining that they found mold in
my new home, but that they took care of the problem. They also asked me to
sign a waiver agreeing to not bring any claims against them with regards
to the mold found prior to closing. Is it safer to build a new home,
refuse to sign, or sign? [July 9, 2003]
A. You
need to ask your legal question of an
environmental attorney in your area. You need to pay for your own mold
inspection and mold testing to know the truth about the existence, types,
and extent of mold infestation in your new home and its heating/cooling
equipment and ducts. Your family's health is too important to ruin by
living in mold infestation. Find a
Certified Mold Inspector.
Use do it yourself mold
test kits from a large hardware, home improvement, or safety store.
For additional more information on new home mold visit:
New Home Mold.