Cleaning and Stain Removal - Fear of the Unknown
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teacup25
09-07-05, 10:33 AM
Wow...where do I start...I'm not even sure if I'm in the right forum, so I may post it in flooring and cleaning if thats ok with the mods.
Buyer beware....I'm a single mom who got a great deal on a 65 yr old house last year. I had been renting the house prior to that and stupidly trusted my landlord and didn't get an inspection before I bought it.
Starters, I knew the floor joist in the living room was shot. The sag is about a foot from the entry door and goes pretty much the length of the room. I'm fairly sure there is little to no crawl space under this section of the house. It sits just about flush with the ground.
After I bought the house, I decided to remove the wallpaper in the same room. The vinyl pulled down almost too easily and I was shocked to find the wall behind it was moist. You could actually take a pencil and dig into the mush. There was a fair amount of mildew which I treated with clorox and haven't had a problem with since I painted. My landlord had replaced the windows along that wall a year previously.
Onto the master bath, which was added on 15 yrs ago and has a decent crawl space....I recently decided to pull down the wallpaper in that room and found more mildew not along the tub, but around the walls surrounding it.
I guess, I'm just getting scared of "what" might be under my house. Especially in the living room. That part of the house always smells bad. Keep in mind, the entire house is carpeted, even kitchen and bathrooms.
Could there potentially be something "bad" under the living room, that could be leaking up thru the busted floor joist and thru the carpet.
I purchased this house on a 5 yr ARM and don't really have the funds to completely refurbish this thing. But I have mine and my 9 yr olds health to consider, plus I know it won't sell in a few years with these problems.
So I guess my questions are....
1) Is mildew, when treated, with clorox spray something I should be concerned about?
2) How do I go about hiring someone to inspect under the house for mold, especially in that section that doesn't have a crawl space? What kind of money should I expect this inspection to cost?
3) Could water have been trapped behind the wallpaper for several months? I would like to think the replacement windows fixed any leakage and the mush damage was old.
I can send pictures upon requests. At this point, I'm just clueless and really need some advice.
Thanks for bearing with such a long post.
Buyer beware....I'm a single mom who got a great deal on a 65 yr old house last year. I had been renting the house prior to that and stupidly trusted my landlord and didn't get an inspection before I bought it.
Starters, I knew the floor joist in the living room was shot. The sag is about a foot from the entry door and goes pretty much the length of the room. I'm fairly sure there is little to no crawl space under this section of the house. It sits just about flush with the ground.
After I bought the house, I decided to remove the wallpaper in the same room. The vinyl pulled down almost too easily and I was shocked to find the wall behind it was moist. You could actually take a pencil and dig into the mush. There was a fair amount of mildew which I treated with clorox and haven't had a problem with since I painted. My landlord had replaced the windows along that wall a year previously.
Onto the master bath, which was added on 15 yrs ago and has a decent crawl space....I recently decided to pull down the wallpaper in that room and found more mildew not along the tub, but around the walls surrounding it.
I guess, I'm just getting scared of "what" might be under my house. Especially in the living room. That part of the house always smells bad. Keep in mind, the entire house is carpeted, even kitchen and bathrooms.
Could there potentially be something "bad" under the living room, that could be leaking up thru the busted floor joist and thru the carpet.
I purchased this house on a 5 yr ARM and don't really have the funds to completely refurbish this thing. But I have mine and my 9 yr olds health to consider, plus I know it won't sell in a few years with these problems.
So I guess my questions are....
1) Is mildew, when treated, with clorox spray something I should be concerned about?
2) How do I go about hiring someone to inspect under the house for mold, especially in that section that doesn't have a crawl space? What kind of money should I expect this inspection to cost?
3) Could water have been trapped behind the wallpaper for several months? I would like to think the replacement windows fixed any leakage and the mush damage was old.
I can send pictures upon requests. At this point, I'm just clueless and really need some advice.
Thanks for bearing with such a long post.
Docduck
09-07-05, 01:07 PM
Yes you should be very concerned about the mildew. Even if you have cleaned it the walls could be damaged beyond repair. This can be causing heath concerns. You can get a home inspection. Its going to run you in the area of 400 depending on who and the condition of your home. Water could of been trapped behind the wallpaper for YEARS. I would get it inspected and read the copy of the contract of the purchase. You may also want to talk to a attorney. I am buying a home soon and plan to get a home inspection prior to closing.
mitch17
09-07-05, 02:34 PM
I would definitely be concerned about the sagging floor as well!
Sharp Advice
09-07-05, 03:43 PM
Sagging Floor issue addressed here:
http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=230852
Sharp Advice. TCB4U2B2B Business Management Services.
Web Site Host, Forums Monitor & Multiple Topics Moderator.
http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=230852
Sharp Advice. TCB4U2B2B Business Management Services.
Web Site Host, Forums Monitor & Multiple Topics Moderator.
twelvepole
09-22-05, 03:18 AM
If windows were replaced a year ago and plaster was 'mushy,' then you have another source of moisture. It may be faulty or clogged gutters that are sending water into soffit and fascia and into wall cavities.
Sagging floors and moisture issues often mean insect problems. Typically, lenders require an exterminator's insection to rule out termites and any other wood boring insects. Sagging floors could be secondary to insect damage to joists or decay from moisture.
Musty odors are often a sign of mold and mildew. The spores are everywhere in the air. When they find a moist, poorly ventilated area, they settle in. No crawl space means no ventilation. Soil beneath homes in crawl spaces should be covered with an 8 mil minimum polypropylene (plastic) vapor retarder.
Soil around foundation should slope away from structure to drain away rain. Gutters & downspouts need to be clear and carry water away from structure in drains. (Splash blocks are too short to get water far enough away from structure.
The investment to have had the house inspected before you purchased it, would have saved you money in the long run. The problems you describe appear to be quite serious and expensive to repair.
Sagging floors and moisture issues often mean insect problems. Typically, lenders require an exterminator's insection to rule out termites and any other wood boring insects. Sagging floors could be secondary to insect damage to joists or decay from moisture.
Musty odors are often a sign of mold and mildew. The spores are everywhere in the air. When they find a moist, poorly ventilated area, they settle in. No crawl space means no ventilation. Soil beneath homes in crawl spaces should be covered with an 8 mil minimum polypropylene (plastic) vapor retarder.
Soil around foundation should slope away from structure to drain away rain. Gutters & downspouts need to be clear and carry water away from structure in drains. (Splash blocks are too short to get water far enough away from structure.
The investment to have had the house inspected before you purchased it, would have saved you money in the long run. The problems you describe appear to be quite serious and expensive to repair.