Mold After Water Damage in Franklin Homes

What is mold, and why does it follow water?

Mold is a fungus that grows from spores present in most indoor and outdoor air. It needs moisture, a food source and time. A water loss supplies the moisture and the food, and the question is how quickly the material dries.

The paper on drywall, the wood in a subfloor, the pad under a carpet and the dust that settles on wet surfaces all feed mold. Once they are wet, growth can begin within a day or two, and it spreads deeper into the material the longer it stays wet.

The US Environmental Protection Agency's guidance on mold after water damage is the usual reference for the timing. The principle is the same for any water category: dry quickly and remove what cannot be dried.

Where does mold hide in a Franklin home?

Mold tends to hide where the moisture stays: behind wall board, under the floor, inside insulation, in a crawl space and under stored boxes in a basement.

A wall that held water at its bottom plate is a common place for growth, because the cavity stays damp long after the surface looks dry. A crawl space with damp soil is another, and the joists above can take the moisture into the subfloor. Stored cardboard and paper in a basement are food for mold as soon as they are wet.

A musty smell is often the first sign, before growth is visible. The search should start at the wet material rather than at the most visible patch.

• The back of drywall behind a leak or a stained ceiling
• The subfloor and joists over a wet crawl space
• Carpet pad and stored boxes in a wet basement
• Insulation behind a wall that held water
• Window sills and trim at a leak

When is material removed, and when is it cleaned?

Porous material with growth, such as drywall paper, carpet pad, insulation and soft wood, is generally removed. Hard, non-porous surfaces such as sealed concrete, metal and tile can be cleaned and disinfected.

Cleaning a porous surface leaves growth in the material, because the spores reach into the fibers and the paper. Removal is the honest answer for those materials, and it is recorded so the homeowner can see what was taken out and why.

Hard surfaces can be washed with detergent and then treated with an antimicrobial suited to the surface. The surface is dried before the room is closed.

Which credentials should a homeowner ask for?

Ask which credentials the company holds for the work, which permits the job requires and which insurance covers the crew. Verify each credential with the office that issues it.

The Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors issues contractor licenses and can confirm a company's standing. A homeowner should not rely on a license claim without checking it with the board.

The local building department answers the permit questions for repair work. A company that cannot answer these questions in writing is one to avoid.

Who should avoid a space with mold?

People with asthma, allergies or a weakened immune system should stay out of an open work area, and children and pets should be kept out until the area is cleaned and dried.

Mold can cause respiratory symptoms in sensitive people, and opening a space for removal releases spores into the air. The work area is contained with sheeting and ventilated, and sensitive people should not enter it while it is open.

A person who develops a cough, a wheeze or a rash after exposure should see a doctor and mention the exposure. This page does not give medical advice.

What does the insurer need to see about mold?

The record of the water event, the date it was found, the readings, the photographs of the growth and the material removed. The timing of the drying is part of the claim.

Many policies cover mold only when it follows a covered water loss, and the terms often limit the amount. The record of when the water was stopped and when the structure was dried should be kept with the photographs and the removed-material list.

The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance takes homeowner complaints about claims. A homeowner who disagrees with a mold decision should ask the insurer for its reasons in writing.

How a contained area is worked

Containment keeps spores from moving into the rest of the house during removal.

The affected area is sealed with plastic sheeting, kept under negative air pressure and worked from the clean side toward the contaminated side. Material is bagged and carried out in sealed bags, and the crew enters through a single controlled opening.

Containment is sized to the job. A small patch behind a wall needs a small sealed area, and a large growth in a basement needs a larger enclosure. The homeowner should ask how the containment will be built before the work starts.

A dry standard for a material that held mold

A material that held mold is judged on its readings after removal and cleaning, and on whether the moisture source has been stopped.

Once growth has been removed, the material around it is read again to confirm it is at its dry standard. The readings are taken on the framing that stayed in place and on the cleaned surfaces, because a surface can look clean while the moisture behind it has not gone.

The source must also be confirmed as fixed. A room that dries after growth is removed but then gets wet again from the same leak will grow mold again.

What a homeowner should do after the work

The room is watched through the next rainy period, and any new sign is reported with its date.

Check the room after each heavy rain for the first season, and note any new stain, soft spot or musty smell. A new sign should be reported at once with the date and the weather.

If the crew returns to check the readings, ask that they be taken at the same points as before, so the readings can be compared directly.

Dealing with mold in a rental or shared property

A landlord or a shared-property owner has to handle mold with the same record and the same credentials.

A landlord keeps a dated record of the water event, the readings, the removal and the clearance, and gives the tenant a copy. A tenant who sees mold should report it in writing, with a photograph, so the response is recorded.

In a shared building the owner or association decides who handles the common areas, and each unit's record is kept separately.

Clearance after the work

A clearance check at the end shows the area is ready for use, and the readings and the inspection are recorded.

At the end of the work, the readings and a visual check show whether the area is dry and free of growth. The homeowner can ask for the clearance to be written into the record, with the readings and the date.

A clearance is only as good as the moisture source fixed behind it. The clearance is checked again after the next heavy rain if the room is at risk.

How long mold removal takes

The time depends on the area, the materials and the number of visits needed for clearance.

A small removal can be finished in a day, while a larger one can take several days with containment, drying and the clearance readings. The estimate should show the expected days and the visits needed.

The timeline is updated in writing if the readings or the growth show more work is needed.

Asking about the disposal of material

Removed material is bagged, labeled and taken out of the building, and the homeowner should ask how it is disposed of.

Ask how the removed material is bagged, how it is carried out and where it is taken. Porous material that held mold is not reused, and the homeowner should keep a list of what was removed.

The list and the photographs of the removed material are part of the record for the insurer.

Mold in the air and in the furniture

Furniture and textiles that were in the affected area are cleaned, dried or removed according to their material and their condition.

Upholstered furniture that held mold is generally removed if it cannot be cleaned to a safe level. Hard furniture can be cleaned with a detergent and dried, and textiles can be washed where the label allows.

The homeowner decides what to keep after the crew explains the options and the condition of each item.