Users' questions

What does mold look like in an apartment?

What does mold look like in an apartment?

Mold tends to be fuzzy or even slimy in appearance and is typically green or black. Mildew is usually white, gray, or yellow, and it has a fluffy or powdery look to it. Mildew is often what you’ll find on your shower walls, around your windows, and in other places high in moisture, according to the EPA.

Is it illegal to have mold in your apartment in California?

For example, an apartment building in Santa Rosa, California, had such a high level of mold (as well as a rat infestation) that the city ordered several reportedly sickened tenants to vacate their homes. Although the landlord gave the tenants $2,000 for relocation, the tenants are suing the landlord for damages, according to a press report.

How does mold spread from one apartment to another?

Unlike houses, apartments are not usually self-contained living environments. Apartments exist as interconnected units with common ventilation and plumbing systems. As a result, if one apartment has a mold and mildew problem, it can easily spread to other apartments through the air in HVAC systems. Mold can spread from one apartment to another

Is it bad to have mold in your living room?

Mold on the living room ceiling could spread and end up damaging your living room furniture. Perhaps of greater concern, however, is the risk to your health. Exposure to household mold has been linked to all kinds of health problems, including allergic reactions, respiratory infections, asthma, and even bleeding in the lungs.

For example, an apartment building in Santa Rosa, California, had such a high level of mold (as well as a rat infestation) that the city ordered several reportedly sickened tenants to vacate their homes. Although the landlord gave the tenants $2,000 for relocation, the tenants are suing the landlord for damages, according to a press report.

Mold tends to be fuzzy or even slimy in appearance and is typically green or black. Mildew is usually white, gray, or yellow, and it has a fluffy or powdery look to it. Mildew is often what you’ll find on your shower walls, around your windows, and in other places high in moisture, according to the EPA.

Where does Mold grow in a rental house?

Every landlord should take mold seriously. A top environmental hazard, mold thrives in warm, damp places, and often grows quickly in basements, attics, and other parts of buildings with poor ventilation and humidity problems.

When does a landlord have to disclose mold?

California law requires landlords to provide tenants with a written disclosure, prior to signing a rental agreement, when they know, or have reason to know, that mold exceeds permissible exposure limits or poses a health threat. (Cal.

What to do if you find mildew in your apartment?

Like mold (pictured), mildew is troublesome and should be immediately removed. Keep your eyes and nose open to signs of mildew in your apartment. In many cases, tackling mold and mildew should be left entirely to the professionals. It’s important that the job is done right the first time, to ensure a proper and safe remediation.

Can you use bleach to get rid of mold?

While bleach will get rid of the surface mold, mold isn’t a surface fungi – it is growing deep within the surface and if you don’t remove all of it, it will grow back. Also, bleach can exacerbate mold growth – the mold uses the bleach as a food source.

Are there apartments in Texas that have mold?

For example, tenants at an upscale apartment complex in Austin, Texas, contacted a local news station to investigate after allegedly dealing with serious mold and moisture problems and an unresponsive management. The news investigation revealed several tenants with mold in their apartments who claimed to have been suffering foul smells and illness.

Is it dangerous to live in apartment with mold?

There is no debate, however, among tenants who have suffered the consequences of living amidst (and inhaling) mold spores. Keep in mind, however, that most mold is not harmful to your health — for example, the mold that grows on shower tiles is not dangerous.

When does a landlord have to fix mold in an apartment?

This requires landlords to repair any defects that make an apartment uninhabitable, except for those that are caused by tenants directly. If the presence of mold affects the livability of the apartment and the health and safety of the tenants, the landlord is in violation of this warranty and the tenant should move out.

Is it harmful to breathe in black mold?

Currently there is no conclusive scientific evidence linking the inhalation of black mold spores or any type of mold in the indoor environment to any illness other than the previously described allergy symptoms. The term “toxic” is an inaccurate description of this mold. There are many common molds that are black in color.