cement board or plywood underneath

[Tealeaf72]

Thank you all for your insight into this issue.

We just got the lab info back and they are saying we have aspergillus and stachybotrys in abundance... two of the worst toxic mold specimens from my research...

My husband and I are trying to debate whether we should just clean this up ourselves.... or get professional help.

I am worried that we will be taken to the cleaners if we involve a remediation company.... we have talked to several family members who said they've had mold issues in the past and just taken care of it with bleach. Of course they never went to the bother of testing it.... who would? I guess I am a little anal about this type of stuff... but with all the hoopla in the media about toxic mold, I think it ratcheted up my anxieties a little and I wanted to make sure I knew what we were dealing with.

Needless to say I don't feel much better knowing what we have. Where the issue seems to be just in a small bathroom/closet and adjoining walls we are debating cleaning it ourselves and going after the plumbers insurance for repairs... but we just don't know if it is worth it.

If I should be breaking off this topic elsewhere, please let me know...

Thank you all !

[Peter Kodner]

IMHO this is just the right place, but TFP ADMIN may feel differently

With this development, I would urge you to get some legal advise. I would NOT want to mess with toxic mold issues but would personally get a professional in to eliminate it. Someone other than you should be paying the tab.

In the interim, don't disturb it!!!!!

Tandy has some knowledge of these issues. Mr. Reeves can you chime in with some advice?

[Bud Cline]

Get a camera and start taking lots of pictures, of everything that relates to the repair and the biological issues. If you open a wall take a picture, if you peel floor covering take a picture.

[Jerry Thomas]

With this development, I would urge you to get some legal advise. I would NOT want to mess with toxic mold issues but would personally get a professional in to eliminate it. Someone other than you should be paying the tab.

That is also my sentiments. I also understand your concern about your homeowners ins. dilemma. Someone needs to be held accountable and get this problem fixed asap.

[Tealeaf72]

Thanks everyone.

Unfortunately we have disturbed it quite a bit before we knew what it was. My brother had to open the wall to get at the leak and then we tried to cleanup the floor etc. with bleach (but it needs more work)... so we have been exposed to it a great deal... although I am trying to avoid the entire first floor at this point (I have headaches from just being down there).

This is a really distressing situation... our life savings and then some is wrapped up in this house. We live in the suburban boston area, so the house cost us a lot...even for a relatively small cape cod. I am in school right now making a career change and we are on one income, we have very little supplemental income after paying our bills... and won't have much money for a while until I am working full time again. It is just a difficult position financially for us to have found ourselves in.....very unfortunate.

Oh well, I guess we'll just have to figure out how to deal with it. My biggest concern is that I feel some of these remediation companies are possibly going to come in and spray bleach and remove damaged materials... and charge us thousands of dollars that we can't afford.

Thank you again....

[Bud Cline]

I agree that remediation can be costly but you have to consider that if done properly and according to the law this requires specialized training and equipment. This is costly to acquire.

Remediation companies may come and go in what may seem like a short time and it is hard to see how the cost is justified but there is a sizeable investment on the part of the contractor that the average customer just doesn't see or understand. Then there are also the health risk issues. Special garb is required as well as specialized air handling and filtration equipment - something you wouldn't readily have access to.

Most attorney's in this area will talk to you one time without charge. This gives them an idea as to whether or not somebody has deep enough pockets for them to get involved, it's worth a shot.

****************************************************************************************

Whatever you decide for whatever reasons you decide please don't not do anything.

Here's a source and some information for the MicroBan product, I would start there immediately. In Boston this product will be on some suppliers shelf somewhere and you could buy a gallon today.

Microban Disinfectant Spray Plus

[Peter Kodner]

I would suggest contacting the building department and/or health department in your city. They may be able to provide some help and suggestions on how to get the accountable parties to the table for the remediation costs.

This is not an issue I would be quiet about- I'd be bugging anyone who will listen about the problem. The squeaky wheel gets the oil!

[Layman]

Here in California the state licenses all contractors and the system is a good way to make a contractor do what he is supposed to do. I looked up your state and just as I thought, like most states plumbers have building codes they have to abide by so they are usually stricly regulated. I think you need to go to the Office of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation (OCABR) at mass.gov