When Mold Remediation Becomes an Expensive Burden for San Diego Homeowners

Recently, a client of ours came upon a major mold issue after inspecting a house she inherited in one of San Diego’s beautiful beach areas.

Already dealing with the grief of losing a family member, the last thing she wanted to do was deal with pricey mold remediation.

No location is immune to moisture problems, but properties located in a beach climate are at even greater risk. This particular home was built over 50 years ago, and, to complicate things, it had been vacant for a number of years, and no one had been monitoring its maintenance.

It doesn’t take much for a vacant house like that (or even one that’s occupied) to develop a mold problem. Contrary to what you might think, you don’t need water intrusion from something like a leaking roof—all it takes is humidity and condensation. If a house is left unheated in the winter or without air conditioning in the summer, it can develop enough moisture inside to start the mold growth cycle. That was partially the cause of the home our client inherited. That, along with a plumbing leak that hadn’t been corrected properly, had created a mold issue that grew into an almost $20,000 problem.

Why Mold Can Make it Hard to Sell Your Home

You probably already know that mold is a fungus that grows where moisture gathers. What you may not know about mold is that it’s all around us, in the air that we breathe and wherever we go and that it’s perfectly normal to have minor mold issues within your home.

Some of the mold growth that you might find within your home can include areas like:

• On your tile in kitchens and/or bathrooms
• Within air conditioning vents or ductwork
• On window ledges
• High traffic floor areas where there is a greater chance the spores are tracked in from the outside

Unless they’re found in large quantities, these kinds of molds can likely be cleaned by anyone with over-the-counter products. But larger-scale mold problems, like those you find beneath carpets or inside walls, require a lot more work, and in those cases, the cleaning process can be incredibly intrusive and costly. That’s the real problem for people who find mold in a home they’re trying to sell: If it’s a large enough problem to require a professional, it will likely mean an extensive renovation, one that could take weeks and cost thousands of dollars.

What the Mold Remediation Process Actually Looks Like

If you find yourself in this situation, it can be helpful to know more about the mold remediation process, and what it means to you moving forward. The steps involved include:

• Professional inspection and damage assessment to determine the extent of the services needed.
• Mold containment to prevent any further spreading. This involves the use of specialized filtration equipment that pulls microscopic spores from the air to prevent them from entering the lungs.
• Repair of whatever system failure caused the mold problem in the first place, whether that’s leaky plumbing, poor household circulation, or general disrepair.
• Removal of not just the mold itself from surfaces, but also the affected materials themselves. This can include drywall, carpeting, and wallpaper, and can be quite an ordeal.
• Deep cleaning all remaining surfaces. This scours and sanitizes restorable items, and, hopefully, prevents the mold from returning.
• Restoration and repairs to any parts of the home damaged by the mold, or which need to be replaced entirely.

The timeframe for correction will depend on the severity of the mold and can range from one to five days. Costs can run into tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the extent of the problem.

Bypass the Hassles of Mold Remediation with Sell Your House Direct

Unfortunately, in some cases, mold issues are sometimes just too much to deal with. After learning the costs involved in fixing the mold problem in her house, our client chose to bypass them by using Sell Your House Direct. She didn’t have the time or money to deal with mold remediation, and she was more than happy to wash her hands of what was supposed to be home but felt more like a mess. It made it possible for her to sell her home quickly and easily, and that’s something she’d never have gotten if she’d decided to handle the mold remediation herself.

If, like our client, you find yourself facing what seems like an insurmountable mold problem, get in touch with us. We can help you explore your options so that you can make an informed decision on how you can best leave your mold problems behind.