Selling a House With Mold

This is tricky business, as a lot of people panic when they hear the word. In reality, mold is all around us, and seldom makes anyone sick, because the molds are dispersed throughout our environment. But things being what they are, if you have mold in your house, and you’re trying to sell it, you’ve got a problem.

Unfortunately, Illinois laws, and the laws of most other states, make it mandatory to disclose the presence or history of mold in a house to potential buyers.  This is true even if you have successfully remediated the problem.

So here are  some ideas of  what to do.

First you need to establish the extent of the problem.  Mold generally cannot exist without water, so  most likely the mold in your house is in wet or moist areas.  You will be able to see it, as mold is generally black or green. Take note of the kinds of surfaces the mold is on; whether it is primarily on drywall, on wood, or on tile, for instance.  You might also measure the extent of it, so that you can convey that to a contractor, if you go that route.

Next, it is advisable to have the mold analyzed to see which species it is.  Some species are very toxic, but other are relatively harmless.  The experts you want to do this are Industrial Hygienists. They will collect samples, and have them submitted to laboratories for analysis. They will then  tell you the degree of danger the mold poses.

If the mold is relatively benign, and your are dealing with drywall, you could probably do the remediation yourself.  Removal of the mold with soap and water is the first step.  Thorough saturation with a good quality  commercial fungicide is the next step.  After things have dried, you should paint the area with a shellac  based primer, such as Binz or Zinsser, then paint it two coats with any latex or alkyd paint.

If the mold is a  very toxic black mold, such as Stacybotrys,  you may have to  totally remove the drywall that has been infested.  You’re now into a whole other ballgame,  and it’s definitely not a DIY project. It’s advisable to hire a contractor to do the removal and subsequent replacement of the drywall. The contractor will have the proper safety equipment and know the best procedures to follow.

Having removed the moldy surfaces, and/or completely sealed  them,  you can now  order tests of the inside air to make sure all of the mold spores are gone.  You will want to keep copies of the lab reports to show to potential buyers.

Could you sell a house with mold without doing anything to it?  Absolutely.  Chartered Quarters will buy it.  Go to Charteredquarters.com