There are hundreds of articles on the internet relating to mold. You could read forever and you may never read them all. But how do you know that what you are reading is good advice?

I found this one on a Realtor site somewhere written by an “expert” in my field!

I’ve added some comments…don’t believe everything you read! 

The key to mold control is moisture control. High humidity, condensation problems, water leaks, maintenance problems, and HVAC system problems can cause mold to grow. Starts out good…this is good info.

The various resources you check suggest how the problem of mold can be resolved.

• Wash down the walls with bleach (one cup of bleach for every gallon of water) and then seal the wall and paint over it. Allow the bleach to stay in contact with the walls for 15 minutes before you wash it off. Make sure the area dries off; otherwise, mold will grow on it again. You also need to clean the carpets and drapes. Oops…Wrong…Bad Idea!!!

• Make sure workers have wear protective clothing (rubber gloves and long-sleeved shirts) and respirators. Good!

• If the problem is located on an outside wall, look to see if the gutters are plugged or rain or water is coming into the building. If that's the problem, the gutters and downspouts need to be cleared, and the walls still need to be washed and primed and painted. Correct but there could be many reasons why we have moisture on the outside wall…extensions, grade, condensation, insulation, vapor barriers, etc. I don’t understand how the author could isolate to gutters. (Needle in the hay stack)

• Good airflow is critical to avoid mold. Retrofit fans and blowers into the kitchen and bathroom. This is not inexpensive, but since you have decided to make other upgrades in the property, you finance them all together. Not a bad idea but where the exhaust to is critical! They need to exhaust to the exterior through the roof line and the portion of the vent that runs through the attic needs to be insulated. If not you will have condensation in the vent and water in the home.

• Retrofit windows so they can be opened safely about two inches to let air circulate. May not be such a good idea. In modern homes, this would be the last thing we want to do. Can you say CONDENSATION?

• Communicate with tenants in writing regarding the steps they need to follow to reduce apartment humidity -- and the steps you are taking to eliminate mold.

• Engage experts and professionals as required.

• Call your insurance company if the cost is going to exceed your deductible. Your policy may cover the clean up, however the insurance company may have specific vendors they will want you to use.

More Be Careful What you Read Articles HERE.