Home inspection showed mold and rodent problems

[daisyd]

We just had our home inspection done and we learned that there was mold in the attic and ongoing rodent issues. The owners said that they had mold in the attic 2 years ago from a water pipe burst and that was remedied. I'm unfamiliar with these issues. What is the worst that can happen from mold and rodents? How is it to be remedied? The inspector is not a specialist in mold he observed it in incidentally. Will it help to have a dedicated mold inspector? What would be the expense involved to address mold and rodents. Thanks!

[hillview]

well it depends. I'd get the mold looked at to determine what kind it is and what can be done about it. Rodents also depend -- how bad is it, what kind, where are they -- IME you can usually easily get rid of rodents.

[rupptopia]

When we sold our house last year the buyers' inspection indicated mold in the attic. We had no idea but sure enough it was caused by inadequate ventilation w a very steep roof. We (as sellers) got a bunch of quotes from mold remediation specialists, picked the middle quote bc the guy came recommended from a friend & had it taken care of. We worked with the buyers and shared with them our plans and what we had learned long the way. The buyers wanted it taken care of before thapey moved in.

The mold guys put on hazmat suits, scrubbed the mold out of the walls/boards. They used sealed vacuums to suction out all the "bad stuff" to be disposed of. They then applied a fungicide to the affected areas to make sure it was all gone.

We also installed a fan in the attic to make sure it had proper ventilation. I think the mold was under 3 grand to deal with, the attic fan was maybe $700 or so including installation by a roofer & wiring by an electrician. I'll warn you, the mold quotes were all over the place - one guy acted like it was the worst thing ever & it's going to kill our family and wanted 7 grand to del with it! Luckily a friend of ours is a house inspector and warned us that their is a lot of guys out there that might try and play up the "killer mold" thing.

If Your sellers did have it taken care of they should have plenty of paperwork to prove it! We were kinda freaked out about the mold thing but it turned out to be fine.
Hope that helps a little!

[wellyes]

Mold isn't necessarily a big problem. But it is a red flag to look for additional water damage. A one time pipe burst that was fixed, and years later the mold was never (adequately) cleaned? It's possible. But it's also possible that there is water damage behind the walls that can't be seen in a walkthrough inspection. We had that with our first house, and turns out there was foundation issues, damage to the central beam..... not good.

If it's black mold, considering making the current owners do some mold remediation prior to taking your next step. They'll have to anyway (or they'll have to disclose to future buyers).

[Giantbear]

I would insist on bringing in a mold specialist to examine the area to determine the extent of the problem and i would insist on it being at the sellers cost. Mold can be remedied, but it could also be a house killer. As for the rodents, bring in an exterminator for an inspection (i had a termite inspection done and he also looked for rodent signs), they will be abe to give you a cost analysis and tell you how much of a pia it will be to remedy

[daisyd]

Thanks everyone, it was helpful to get an estimate of the price and what can be done about it. DH has bad allergies and DS is just 3, so I tend to worry. There's also the expense that seems to be piling up. We'll get it looked at further and probably work with the buyers.

[mikala]

IME both mold remediation and rodent control were paid for by the sellers, just like any other big issues found by the inspectors. There's no way for you to have known mold and rodent issues were lurking when you put in the offer but the sellers could have/should have known and disclosed. If they balk at paying remediation expenses I'd seriously consider walking away from the deal. The mold could be a relatively minor thing if it's just on the surface in a small area but it could also be very expensive to fix if the water issue was still ongoing, insulation and other things need to be disinfected or replaced, etc.

Your health is important and it sounds like your family may be more suspectible than some to mold issues.

Re: Rodents, did you get a sense of how bad the problem is? Worst case could have rodents living (and dying?) in the walls, chewing on your electrical wiring, dropping rodent feces in your insulation, etc.

I'd move forward cautiously and make sure they are hiring reputable professionals for the work.

Good luck!

[MamaMolly]

Mold would be a big fat red flag for me. I think there may be issues with getting the house insured by the new owners if it is not taken care of by a mold remediation specialist. Like anything, I'd get multiple quotes and work from there. In cases I've heard about it is the seller's responsibility to pay.

As for the rodents, if it is squirrels then they can keep coming back over and over. You patch one hole in the roof and the little buggers will chew a new one right next to it. We bought a house that had repaired squirrel damage in the attic and then later had to turn around and fix new damage ourselves. Any type of rodent is a gnawer, they can eat anything and will chew wires, next in insulation, etc. Large quantities of the pee and poop can be dangerous, so getting an exterminator out to rid the house of them (what ever kind they are!!) is important. Again, get quotes and go from there.

I personally consider the mold a bigger health issue than the rodents, but both need to be taken care of.

Neither is a total deal breaker for me.

[elbenn]

I would insist on bringing in a mold specialist to examine the area to determine the extent of the problem and i would insist on it being at the sellers cost. Mold can be remedied, but it could also be a house killer. As for the rodents, bring in an exterminator for an inspection (i had a termite inspection done and he also looked for rodent signs), they will be abe to give you a cost analysis and tell you how much of a pia it will be to remedy

This is probably what I would do.