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Is this mold?

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highland145 said:
15 min after a shower. Does it vent outside (like it should)?

Warm apartment, cold water in the tank = condensation. iirc, you can get some type of insulation for the tank.
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Oh, I never run it 15 minutes after a shower. I always turn it off as soon as I get out of the shower. Could that be my problem? Especially with such a small apartment? I'll try to leave it running more often and see if that helps.

Did a walk around my apartment. There's nothing "mold looking" in the living room or bedroom. The only thing that's "mold looking" is some grit around the sink and some grit in the shower (I'll admit, I don't keep my bathroom the cleanest when it comes to spraying the shower and such... I should probably have someone come in and clean it all up and then work to keep it clean after that).
 
manlymatt83 said:
Oh, I never run it 15 minutes after a shower. I always turn it off as soon as I get out of the shower. Could that be my problem? Especially with such a small apartment? I'll try to leave it running more often and see if that helps.

Did a walk around my apartment. There's nothing "mold looking" in the living room or bedroom. The only thing that's "mold looking" is some grit around the sink and some grit in the shower (I'll admit, I don't keep my bathroom the cleanest when it comes to spraying the shower and such... I should probably have someone come in and clean it all up and then work to keep it clean after that).
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vent at least 20min after shower.
 
manlymatt83 said:
There's a fan. I only run it when taking showers. Should I leave it on more often?

For what it's worth, my toilet is *always* sweating. Sometimes to the point of dripping to the ground (not actually really puddles).
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we have a problem with the toilet upstairs sweating pretty badly. Its causing the bathroom to smell musty.
 
manlymatt83 said:
Dangerous to health though?
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possibly if its causing mold. i dont have the money right now to rip out the floor, replace the sub floor and tile it. The current flooring is the fake wood floor stuff thats 20 years old. i know for a fact moisture has gotten underneath it and needs to be replaced.

my parents have the exact same house a couple streets over in my neighborhood. My dad completely gut the bathroom down to the studs the mold was so bad. He had only intended to replace the tub.

So what im trying to say is that the exterior may look fine, but you never know whats lurking behind the drywall. I'll bet you money you have mildew at the very least causing the smell.
 
Waking up with a sore throat could mean you are sleeping where there is a draft overnight.

Do you leave ceiling fan on?

Is there an open window overnight?

Are you close to air conditioner which might create a draft in area where you sleep each night?

If you have mold, turning temperature down and dehumidifying area (ac will do this to some extent, I think) should at least not promote mold growth aggressively.

IIRC, most common problems with mold are inflammatory and allergic; toxic lung problems are rarer. Don't start aerosolizing it by moving things around a lot or taking down lots of drywall unless you know what you are doing (small mold problems, if not black toxic mold, you could probably leave alone if you stop moisture and use something such as microban. Large areas, or where you are having health problems, may require mold remediation specialist, but like asbestos removal, even if you have it, main harm is if you disturb and aerosolize it. See Holmes on Holmes "This Mold House" on HGTV if you can find it archived on web via google search (http://www.hgtv.ca/ontv/titledetails.aspx?titleid=83996)
 
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mshan said:
Waking up with a sore throat could mean you are sleeping where there is a draft overnight.

Do you leave ceiling fan on?

Is there an open window overnight?

Are you close to air conditioner which might create a draft in area where you sleep each night?

If you have mold, turning temperature down and dehumidifying area (ac will do this to some extent, I think) should at least not promote mold growth aggressively.

IIRC, most common problems with mold are inflammatory and allergic; toxic lung problems are rarer. Don't start aerosolizing it by moving things around a lot or taking down lots of drywall unless you know what you are doing (small mold problems, if not black toxic mold, you could probably leave alone if you stop moisture and use something such as microban. Large areas, or where you are having health problems, may require mold remediation specialist, but like asbestos removal, even if you have it, main harm is if you disturb and aerosolize it. See Holmes on Holmes "This Mold House" on HGTV if you can find it archived on web via google search (http://www.hgtv.ca/ontv/titledetails.aspx?titleid=83996)
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Good to know. I always figured mold = dying, the way they make it sound on TV.
 
highland145 said:
SOLD. I'll pm my paypal #.

If it's causing mold. Still think you have something else going on. Moisture in the walls.

Didi you say you feel better if you stay away for a few days?
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Yeah, I do. When I was in Florida I felt better. Should I try staying in a hotel in my town for a few nights and see if I get better? Is there any easy way to see mold? Should I call my landlord?
 
HydroSqueegee said:
possibly if its causing mold. i dont have the money right now to rip out the floor, replace the sub floor and tile it. The current flooring is the fake wood floor stuff thats 20 years old. i know for a fact moisture has gotten underneath it and needs to be replaced.

my parents have the exact same house a couple streets over in my neighborhood. My dad completely gut the bathroom down to the studs the mold was so bad. He had only intended to replace the tub.

So what im trying to say is that the exterior may look fine, but you never know whats lurking behind the drywall. I'll bet you money you have mildew at the very least causing the smell.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Good to know.
 
manlymatt83 said:
I've been waking up with a sore throat in my apartment lately, and when I come up, it smells misty. I don't really see any physical mold (other than my shower, which I'll admit isn't the cleanest right now).

However, I did notice that the bathroom sink, which used to be attached to the wall, is coming apart from the wall. In the corner and space between the sink and wall is this:

http://oi52.tinypic.com/wqqxj4.jpg

Is that harmful mold? I can't seem to get it clean with a paper towel... perhaps it's dry.

Just trying to figure out what could be causing our sore throats... and some people suggested mold since my apartment is so small and so old.
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There could be a leak behind the wall. Is the drywall soft? How about the base molding?
 
Bin Zinser shellac based primer (alcohol solvent) does not contain organic compounds that mold enjoy eating.

You obviously have to eliminate moisture source if you have that problem creating ongoing mold problem, but once that is done, if area of mold contamination is small and isolated behind drywall, you may be able to seal it off using bacteriostatic primer such as Bin Zinswer shellac based primer and paint that doesn't have organic compounds mold likes to eat.

If you are not sure, as always, consult an expert and don't take chances.
 
its the time of year for sore throats and hacking. all your issues are probably booger related.

but if there is a musty smell, have your landlord take a look at it, because thats just nasty.
 
Leave bathroom fan on longer and run a dehumidifier. I doubt it's mold causing your sore throat, but you never want a musty smell and moisture issues can cause dry rotting and other stuff.
 
I think mold in OP's pic might just be due to splashed water while washing face accumulating in that crevice and promoting mold growth.

Obviously want to rule out hidden leak of plumbing, but once that is done, just spray some Lysol on it and / or get some Mold Control from Home Depot or Lowes. Would probably recommend mask and disposable gloves and maybe old toothbrush to get rid of that mold, but make sure it is totally soaked down with mold control so you don't aerosolize it.

After it has been cleaned up and area totally dry, just get some silicone caulk designed for bathrooms and showers and run a good bead all along that gap between sink and all walls so water can no longer collect in any crevices around sink anymore.
 
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