What to do about mold?
Answers:
First of all the amount of mold you see on the wall is only part of the problem...it is what you don't see between the walls that is going to be your big problem....The mold is 10 times worse in the wall....It is best to remove all matterial effected by the mold and spray with anit fungil chemical...Bleach will not kill all the mold and if the area gets wet again...the mold will return...
I would say...if you want the house...get it cheap...you will be doing a lot of repairs..
Other answers:
bleach
bleach
Get a inspection done, Look in the yellow pages or ask a realtor. Mold can be a BIG problem at times and can be TOXIC!
look for another house......
There are companies that specialize in mold remediation however that are often expensive rip-offs...
Bleach will kill your mold cheap...
Anytime you purchase a house - inspection is must (some places require it). Find a good inspector through friends and family. They will tell you to what extent the mold is and if it's at a dangerous level. Some mold can be easily cleaned, other kinds can be toxic.
bleach won't help this- you have to cut and replace all the paneling and wood damaged. Which is probably inside the walls all the way down to the first floor.
If you can, get a "home inspector" (listed like that in the yellow pages) to come verify. Also, disaster cleanup crew would inspect that area for you.
It's a serious problem, but if the house is affordable enough, the cost of fix should make the price come out to average for the area.
The owners know how bad it is and probably lie to try to sell it. If you have an inspector and really want the house, have them come down by the price of repair of the mold.
Best of luck.
You need an inspector and also need to see under the carpet. You might have serious wood damage due to the water leak. Mold take three things to grow, heat , food and moisture. Heat - its in the house, yes. Food - carpet, drywall, wood is all food for mold to grow. Moisture - about 50% humidity is enough moisture for mold to grow. Bleach mixture 50/50 with water will kill the mold spores. But mold is everywhere in the air. Get an inspection and inspect the water damage to the structure as well. Carpet has to go.
Good Luck
The mold is probably in the wall, the wallboard will have to be replaced. You should ask the sellers to pay for the mold removal and repairs as a condition of the sale, and to provide proof of the removal company's license, copies of the bills and work orders. Or you should ask for a reduction in price or cash back at closing to cover the cost of doing the work your self. Have a mold specialist check the area first, to make sure the mold isn't toxic, if you are going to DIY. Also check that there isn't structural damage caused by the water, that will cost you much more that replacing some damaged wallboard will.
Also, you should make sure that the house no longer leaks.
Get a professional home inspection as well (although, most inspectors offer no guarantee that they will find all problems and cannot be held responsible). Be there for the inspection, and make sure he looks at everything from crawlspace to attic.
mold at any level can make you very sick over time. if you can see any evidence of mold, that means there is LOTS more hidden mold that you CAN'T see.........u need a qualified inspector to tell you what and where the problems are and if that "leak" is really fixed or not. your realtor should know about inspectors or call your city inspector's office and ask if they know of licensed home inspectors who can advise you about mold..
BEWARE, that maybe only the tip of the ice burg. Rain / snow has entered from some where and for how long? Rot a nd insect damage may be minor or very extensive.
As for Mold you may have to completely strip the paneling and dry wall / plaster, lath and treat inside the wall to completelykill it.
Stopping the water from coming in