Are you looking for a new apartment but concerned about mold growth? Or you’re already suffering from the exponential mold growth in your home? Mold growth can cause severe damage to your home if left unnoticed. But don’t worry as we bring you the perfect guide to tackle it.
This blog will explain the common causes of mold and how you can fix them. We will emphasize certain places to look for where the chances of mold growth are most.
Common queries like “Who is responsible for mold affected apartment?’’or “What are laws about mold in rental house in Florida?” will also be answered in our informative blog. We will be digging deep and let you know responsibilities of both landlords and tenants when facing a mold problem in a Florida apartment.
So, if you want a free mold inspection for renters and secure your property, this blog will be big help for you. Take the benefit of a free apartment mold inspection from a professional mold remediation service in Florida and ensure your family’s safety.
What Is Mold Inspection?
Mold inspection means visually looking out for mold in certain areas (usually humid places), which is done by professional mold remediation services. If you don’t know, mold is a type of fungus that can cause severe damage to both your health and your property.
So, what things are noticed during the mold inspection? You will look for any discoloration or staining on walls, ceilings, and floors. Hiring a professional mold inspection service will tell you where to find the mold and what type of mold is growing at which rate. Valuable information like this will be a help deciding if you need a mold remediation service.
Causes of Mold Growth
Mold is a very prevalent problem in homes and buildings. Mold usually develops in areas with a lot of moisture, such as around pipes, windows, and roof leaks, as well as in areas that have recently flooded.
Paper, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood goods all support the growth of mold nicely. Dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, cloth, and upholstery are some materials where mold can grow.
Let’s dig deep to know what are the most common causes of mold growth in your apartment:
Leaky Foundations
Foundation leaks can be unnoticed for a long time. If your water bill is unexpectedly higher than usual, a leaky foundation could be the cause. Yet, you might not be aware of the issue if the leak is minor.
When a foundation is surrounded by damp soil, the moisture gradually reaches the surface of the concrete causing a perfect atmosphere for mold growth. It’s important for you to inspect for damp soil regularly as your family’s health can be harmed by poisonous mold growing on wet surfaces.
Regularly check the interior and outside of your foundation walls for damage, and scan the immediate surroundings for dangers to your foundation. Because they are simple and inexpensive, you may do modest foundation repairs, but you should keep track of these places. If the situation worsens, you might need to hire a mold removal specialist later.
Broken Walls
A cracked wall may allow water to enter, making the wall wet and eventually triggering mold growth. Before searching for a solution, locate the moisture source if you detect any damp area on your wall.
It would help if you didn’t use solutions like tanking and liquid sealers to conceal mold growth and damp walls. While they may temporarily fix the problem, the dampness will return and mold will grow againif the cause of the wet wall is not addressed.
Leaky Roof
A leaking roof can be a major headache, especially during the rainy season. It not only causes water damage to your home but also can lead to nasty mold growth. Mold spores start forming on the damp surface when water enters your home and becomes sluggish since mold needs moisture and some organic material to feed on to thrive.
If you notice mold growth as a result of a leaky roof, don’t delay – act quickly and seek out professional mold remediation services before the situation worsens. Mold can spread like wildfire, and before you know it, it can damage your possessions and even pose a health risk.
There are two types of mold growth that can occur as a result of a leaking roof: systemic and restricted. Systemic growth is more severe and can spread throughout the entire space because the roof leak provides enough moisture to support its growth. However, if there’s enough airflow to remove the moisture caused by the leak, the growth may be limited to a specific area.
So, if you notice any signs of a leaky roof, don’t ignore them. Act fast and get it fixed to prevent any further damage or the growth of mold. Your home and your health will thank you for it!
Poor Ventilation
As we said previously, a home with insufficient ventilation is a breeding ground for mold and the spread of mold spores. Stagnant air is one of the ideal conditions for mold growth in your house. Try to keep windows open and let the air flow. If situation is still not in control try installing an exhaust fan.
Your home becomes humid due to steam produced by appliances, cooking, and bathing, making surfaces wet and sticky. Eliminate the moisture in your home, and mold growth is less likely to occur.
Damp Basement
It is usual to experience moisture issues as a result of a damp basement eventually leading to mold growth. In a cellar or basement that receives little usage and is isolated from the rooms above, this is not a serious issue.
However, most basements are connected to the rest of the structure and excessive mold can damage the living site severely over the time.Moisture concerns in these circumstances can be unpleasant and even detrimental to health.
You must identify the water source and the way by which it reaches the basement to encourage the mold development in the basement and on the ceiling.
Places to Look For In Your Bathroom
Renting a house with mold problem can be quite problematic that’s why it is important to know the specific places where mold can be found. However, mold enjoys a long, steamy shower just as much as you do.
A bathroom’s warm, moist atmosphere is almost a breeding ground for mold. Mold is particularly drawn to bathrooms that don’t have adequate ventilation (through a window, a fan, or ideally both). There are many less visible areas for mold to grow in the bathroom, even while it may be easy to check the shower tiles for mold.
In The Bathtub And Shower
One of the most typical locations for bathroom mold to be found is in showers and bathtubs. These places often get moist as a result of frequent use. Mold spores will grow if you don’t thoroughly ventilate the area before, during, and after your shower or bath.
It’s important to check for mold on your shampoo bottles, washcloths, loofahs, shower curtain, in and around the faucet and shower head, and the tile grout because these are the most common places where mold first appears.
The Toilet And Sink
Sinks and toilets are vulnerable to mold formation because of the water and the humid environment of bathrooms. The sink and counter surfaces are the most obvious areas to look at if they haven’t been cleaned and dried.
The toilet tank, the area behind the toilet, the area under the bathroom sink where cleaning supplies are kept (any extra moisture left over from using the supplies might develop mold), and all of the pipes for the sink and toilet should also be inspected.
Places To Look For In Your Kitchen
There are plenty of places in your kitchen for mold to settle down, from long-forgotten leftovers in the back of your fridge to the not so easily forgotten dishes that pile up in the sink.
Kitchen mold can spread quickly due to the increased humidity levels brought on by using the stove and running hot water from the sink. The following are some of the most typical kitchen areas to check for mold:
Everywhere Near Sink
Your kitchen sink could be a messy place. Food passes through the garbage disposal, wet sponges lay in the sink or caddies and gather germs, dirty dishes pile up, faucets run, and wet sponges gather bacteria.
If you want to stop mold from growing, keep an eye out for all these items that might lead to it. Oh, and make sure to check underneath the sink as well since mold loves leaking pipes.
Pantry And Refrigerator
Mold can grow as a result of food waste, particularly if it is old. Old food should not be kept in your refrigerator or pantry; the surfaces should be cleaned often. In addition to these obvious locations, water dispensers and fridge drip trays gather water, making them the perfect environments for mold growth.
Why Should You Avoid Such Apartments?
Mold is unpleasant; if left untreated, it may lead to major health problems and property damage. Renting a house with mold problem can negatively impact your health, but it can also have legal repercussions if you rent the property. Here are reasons why you need mold inspection so you don’t face these issues.
- Mold can be hazardous for your health and can cause severe health effects.
- You may need to bear high removal expenditures to remove the property’s mold growth.
- If you don’t repair the property right away, it could already have significant water damage from mold, which might cause more serious long-term issues and expensive repairs for the renter.
- Vast amounts of airborne mold spores can bring breathing difficulties, allergies, and other respiratory conditions in an indoor setting where mold is present or has recently been removed without suitable cleaning procedures.
- The findings of air quality testing reveal potentially dangerous mold, such as black toxic mold (Stachybotrys Chartarum), which needs prompt assistance from experts for removal and cleanup.
Who Is Responsible? (Landlord or Tenant)
The fact that both landlords and renters are accountable for preventing mold growth is a major issue in this situation. Due to the ease with which one may blame the other, the mold problem may worsen because both parties choose to criticize one another rather than cooperate to find a solution.
Naturally, the responsibilities of a landlord and a tenant are different, but each has a role to perform. Finding the responsible party might be easier if you’re ready to inspect with an apartment mold inspection specialist. “How to ask the landlord to test for mold?’’ Know about the florida laws concerning mold in rental house. Here are responsibilities that should be followed by both parties.
Let’s start now!
Landlord’s Responsibility
It is the landlord’s duty to make sure the rental is secure and livable. The health of a renter may be negatively impacted by persistent or significant mold growth. You may assume the landlord would be responsible for promptly resolving any breakouts.
It isn’t always the case, though. It depends on what caused the mold to form and who is to blame.
Tenant’s Responsibility
As we already know, humidity is the key factor for mold growth. The tenant’s primary concern should be controlling the condensation in the home to a minimum.
Although the high humidity level can also occur where the responsibility lies with the landlord, such as insufficient insulation or faulty heating systems, for the most part, it’s day-to-day living that is to blame.
Making a habit of addressing two key areas will help tenants keep moisture under control:
Maintaing Heating and Ventilation
Keeping your home warm and well-ventilated will make a dramatic difference, as there will be fewer cold spots and less moisture in the air – the two things necessary for moisture.
Here are a few moisture-controlling actions you can implement into your daily life and do your bit as a responsible tenant.
- Close the bathroom door when showering and air the room thoroughly once done, either by opening a window or using an extractor fan.
- Dry clothes outside wherever possible or use a dehumidifier to draw the moisture from the room
- Cover your saucepans with lids when cooking to ensure excess steam doesn’t escape.
- Wipe down wet windows and open them for 10 minutes every morning.
- Keep furniture 10 to 15cm away from external walls to allow breathing space and prevent a microclimate from evolving.
Simple changes to how you live, such as those listed above, will create a huge impact and are all required to keep mold from growing. They’ll also likely form part of your tenancy agreement, so they’re important to follow.
In property-speak, this is referred to as behaving in a tenant-like manner, and it’s your responsibility to do your bit as much as it is the landlord to do theirs.
Florida Laws About Mold In Apartments
According to Hallandalelaw, Florida Statute 83.56 states the tenant must notify the landlord or property management company of the issue first and allow time to resolve that issue as (hopefully) laid out in a well-written lease agreement before the option to withhold rent is allowed.
If your landlord refuses to make repairs, withholding rent can be risky. Technically speaking, tenants have no right to withhold rent and risk having their property repossessed or even being evicted.
However, renters who think they have suffered losses due to their flat having high mold levels can claim compensation from their landlord in court to compensate for their loss. Landlords may be liable for damages if a court or jury finds they negligently started a mold problem at a property or allowed one to persist there.
For instance, a Florida apartment complex’s residents were found to be dealing with major mold, leak, and flooding concerns, as well as faulty electrical outlets that constituted a fire threat. The landlord allegedly received a $15,000 daily fee from the city for 31 health and safety code infractions of the health and safety code.
Professional Mold Inspection and Removal Service (Free Mold Inspection for Renters)
It might be unpleasant to consider mold in your home or workplace. Mold may develop and spread without showing any outward indications, posing a hazard to your family or company. For this reason, My Remediator offers Complimentary on-site mold assessment services to commercial and residential customers in Florida.
Mold is a real possibility if you recently suffered from water, fire, or flood damage. To determine whether mold is present and, if so, what the possible cause could be, My Remediator’s mold inspectors can comprehensively inspect the whole property. After that, we’ll talk about testing and, if necessary, remediation.
Conclusion
The blog provides a comprehensive guide to renters who are looking to inspect their home or apartment for mold. It covers everything from causes of mold growth and certain places in apartment to inspect mold growth to how can get a professional mold inspection for renters provided by a professional remediation company.
The blog explains the importance of identifying and addressing the source of moisture to stop mold growth in your home and lets you know about the common causes such as leaky foundations, broken walls, leaky roofs, poor ventilation, and damp basements, to prevent mold growth.
The blog also emphasizes the need for proper ventilation in bathrooms and kitchens to prevent mold formation and covers all the necessary hotspots in these dense area.
Additionally, the article touches upon the legal responsibilities of landlords and renters in relation to mold growth and florida laws about mold growth that every renter should know whenever facing any mold related issue.
Overall, the blog provides valuable information to tenants to help them identify and prevent mold growth through mold inspection for renters from a reputed remediation service provider in Florida.