Today, we decided to have a Great Cleaning. We pulled the furniture away from the walls.... and there was MOLD. LOTS of mold. A solid hand-span of mold in two corners! EW. Ron scrubbed and scrubbed it all away, and it smelled like rotten eggs.
Then we looked in the window. We don't usually have that window open.
AUGHHHH!! It was at this point we thought to take pictures, and also call maintenance to see if there's something wrong with the buildings. How long have we been breathing this stuff?? That can't be right.
That is really ucky!!! Sorry you had to deal with it! What did you find out?
ReplyDeleteMold needs to be treated, not just cleaned, or it keeps doing bad things to your health. Since I live in the same building as you, I have to know, what did maintenace say about it? The Smiths in our stairwell are moving out because of suspected mold problems. Now I'm all worried and inclined to be grumpy about this.
ReplyDeleteMaintenance said that just because the mold is black doesn't mean it is Black Mold (thanks.), and that 90% of the time when they test it, it turns out to be non-dangerous mold. Also, they will not test any mold unless it starts spreading between apartments. Then they told us off for not already knowing about the mold problem, because apparently they make sure to tell EVERYONE when they move in, and also send out reminders to everyone before every winter, as it is such a widespread problem throughout the apartment buildings. We haven't ever seen anything about mold, but maybe you have? They then offered us an explanatory pamphlet about mold and told us to keep our apartment cleaner. >:( The maintenance guy that came over was from the townhouses, and he said they've got it over there as well.
ReplyDeleteThe Polunds were the neighbors with the mold problem as well. The Smiths are moving out because Bro. Smith has really bad allergies and has been having a hard time since they moved in, and when Ron mentioned our mold problem they were concerned that might be the reason.
If you have mold, it will be on the outside bedroom walls. Check in the corners. Good luck.
Update: While browsing the housing website, I found this gem:
ReplyDeleteMold
Mold can be found in virtually all indoor and outdoor environments. All mold growth can be linked to moisture. The key to preventing mold from
becoming excessive and causing building damages or aggravating allergies is to control excessive moisture. Should you notice mold growth the tips
below may be helpful:
Promptly report all leaks to Facilities at X-XXXX.
Keep heat registers and air returns/vents open and unobstructed.
Keep your apartment warm (at least 70 degrees) in the winter.
Once a week open at least two windows in your apartment for at least five minutes (yes even in the winter).
If your apartment has a bath and/or a kitchen exhaust fan use it while cooking or showering and then let it run for 10-20 minutes after you
are finished cooking or showering.
If condensation forms on your windows or window sills in the winter, wipe it up.
Avoid use of a humidifier.
Never dry laundry in your apartment.
Clean small patches of mold as they appear.
If you have reoccurring mold growth use common sense to determine where the moisture is coming from and then take steps to minimize it. Most
reoccurring mold issues can be solved by increasing ventilation and/or reducing humidity. If you are unable to address mold growth on your own
please contact Facilities for further information/suggestions for preventing mold growth. Also the EPA has some useful information on their website
at http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldresources.html.
We also received the housing newsletter a little while ago, which had some changes to the above:
1 - We are now to keep ALL doors and windows open at least 15 minutes EACH DAY.
2 - ABSOLUTELY NO HUMIDIFIERS EVER.
3 - Housing will now be kind enough to stock a "mold cleaning solution" of bleach and water, that residents may check out if needed.
Tell me internets, does this seem reasonable to you?