We've been here almost a year now. We've had many rains, but this problem didn't start until sometime after Hurricane Hanna in September.
We have fake brick paneling, that we painted white, in the living room. There is mold on the panel next to the front door, from about doorknob level down. Now that the wall is white, it is very easy to see.
Spraying a bleach and water solution on that area helps. I don't think that is the answer, though. I am afraid the inside of the wall is the source of the mold.
These are the first inside signs of mold there. However, I remember last spring or early summer, sitting outside, on the steps, next to this wall, and smelling what I thought was mold. I couldn't see anything, and no one else smelled it. It stopped for a while, and then I smelled it again. It's just once in awhile, and then it's gone.
I really don't know how to go about solving this problem. It has to get fixed, but it has to be the cheapest, most efficient way possible. I'm afraid if I ask for help, people will just start ripping everything apart, spreading mold everywhere, and leaving me with an even bigger torn up mess.
That's fine for them. They aren't allergic to mold, and they get to leave when they are done.
I AM allergic to mold, and I have to live here, wheteher it's all torn apart and my "Mold Cold" is worse or not. I need some knowledge if I'm going to stand a chance of preventing things from getting out of hand.
Is there someone who can give me a "For Dummies" type of plan for dealing with this problem. It's pretty much just me and my 14 year old son. Some people offer help sometimes, and then can't really follow through (health problems or lack of knowledge), and then we are disappointed and discouraged.
Mold On Panel Next To Door
Moderators: Greg, Mark, mhrAJ333, JD
Hi,
Well a couple things come to mind, since you mention it is near the door it is possible that your door is leaking. It could also be a leak where the roof and the wall meet on the exterior. If there is an exterior light it could be leaking there as well. You wll eed to tear something apart before you can determine were the leak is coming from, unless it is completely obvivous from the outside. Any tiny crack in caulking can allow water to seep in. If you have bad roofing shingles it can also cause this type of leak. Gutters, does your home have them and if so are they clean or backed up with leaf etc debris?
As you can see this will require investigation either on your behalf and someone else.
Personally I would investigate al exterior potential problem areas and then resort to removing a wall panel on the interior. Once that is removed you should see a water trail as to the source of entry, then get that repaired.
As for cost, well that can be what you want it to be. Personally I would not use anything that has been water damaged or mildew/mold damaged.
I understand that alot of people are "allergic" to mold, but most only get a mild reaction, such as yourself with the "mold cold" Some folks will react with severe breathing problems requiring immediate medical attention.
Spraying bleach is only a surface temporary fix, and it really is not that either. You need to find the water entry.
Wear gloves, mask or respiratorand eye protection. If you open up the wall you will need to discard all wet items, insulation, wall board etc and replace with new.
In our BOOKOS/PARTS link we sell MH repair manuals, there will be info in it that will help you get through this repair.
Yanita
Well a couple things come to mind, since you mention it is near the door it is possible that your door is leaking. It could also be a leak where the roof and the wall meet on the exterior. If there is an exterior light it could be leaking there as well. You wll eed to tear something apart before you can determine were the leak is coming from, unless it is completely obvivous from the outside. Any tiny crack in caulking can allow water to seep in. If you have bad roofing shingles it can also cause this type of leak. Gutters, does your home have them and if so are they clean or backed up with leaf etc debris?
As you can see this will require investigation either on your behalf and someone else.
Personally I would investigate al exterior potential problem areas and then resort to removing a wall panel on the interior. Once that is removed you should see a water trail as to the source of entry, then get that repaired.
As for cost, well that can be what you want it to be. Personally I would not use anything that has been water damaged or mildew/mold damaged.
I understand that alot of people are "allergic" to mold, but most only get a mild reaction, such as yourself with the "mold cold" Some folks will react with severe breathing problems requiring immediate medical attention.
Spraying bleach is only a surface temporary fix, and it really is not that either. You need to find the water entry.
Wear gloves, mask or respiratorand eye protection. If you open up the wall you will need to discard all wet items, insulation, wall board etc and replace with new.
In our BOOKOS/PARTS link we sell MH repair manuals, there will be info in it that will help you get through this repair.
Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
-
imKarenM
Hi Yanita,
Thank you for your reply. I feel less overwhelmed now. I went ahead and ordered the book you referred to.
While I'm waiting for it I will keep my eyes open and try to get my son to find a way to look at the places I can't get too.
I'm so glad you mentioned the door. The person who was here before had put up a makeshift plywood awning. It looked ugly, but served the purpose of protecting from sun and rain on the steps, so we left it up.
Eventually, though, after enough rains, it fell apart. My son was glad to be rid of that eyesore. I agreed that it was ugly, but I missed the protection from the rain that it had offered.
Now I am hoping that the source of water might be the part of the door that was previously protected by the "awning". That might not make things significantly easier. It just seems a littler simpler to me...at least I won't have to depend on communicating with a 14 year old boy while he is perched precariously on the roof and I am helplessly watching from the ground
Thank you for your reply. I feel less overwhelmed now. I went ahead and ordered the book you referred to.
While I'm waiting for it I will keep my eyes open and try to get my son to find a way to look at the places I can't get too.
I'm so glad you mentioned the door. The person who was here before had put up a makeshift plywood awning. It looked ugly, but served the purpose of protecting from sun and rain on the steps, so we left it up.
Eventually, though, after enough rains, it fell apart. My son was glad to be rid of that eyesore. I agreed that it was ugly, but I missed the protection from the rain that it had offered.
Now I am hoping that the source of water might be the part of the door that was previously protected by the "awning". That might not make things significantly easier. It just seems a littler simpler to me...at least I won't have to depend on communicating with a 14 year old boy while he is perched precariously on the roof and I am helplessly watching from the ground
Hi,
With that said about the makeshift awning I would bet that your water leak is from the screws or whatever fasteners that were used to secure it to the home. Have your son or yourself get a 10ft step ladder and look for any holes where the awning was attached.
You can fill those holes with caulking.
Unfortunately you should still remove the interior wall panel and remove the wet insulation, replace the wallboard if you can not get it completely mold free. You will also want to let the interior of the wall dry completely before you replace the insulation and re attach the wallboard.
Unfortunately you might starting getting some floor damage if you do not get this fixed as soon as possible. You will be able to notice any floor damage once the wall panel is removed, or maybe even now if you put your foot next to the wall and bounce slightly. If it feels soft of spongy pull the carpeting back and let it get dried out.
Marks book will help you in a lot of repairs. Even if you can not do them yourself with the help of your son, it will give you the knowledge you need to let the repair men know what needs to be done and how!
Yanita
With that said about the makeshift awning I would bet that your water leak is from the screws or whatever fasteners that were used to secure it to the home. Have your son or yourself get a 10ft step ladder and look for any holes where the awning was attached.
You can fill those holes with caulking.
Unfortunately you should still remove the interior wall panel and remove the wet insulation, replace the wallboard if you can not get it completely mold free. You will also want to let the interior of the wall dry completely before you replace the insulation and re attach the wallboard.
Unfortunately you might starting getting some floor damage if you do not get this fixed as soon as possible. You will be able to notice any floor damage once the wall panel is removed, or maybe even now if you put your foot next to the wall and bounce slightly. If it feels soft of spongy pull the carpeting back and let it get dried out.
Marks book will help you in a lot of repairs. Even if you can not do them yourself with the help of your son, it will give you the knowledge you need to let the repair men know what needs to be done and how!
Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
-
imKarenM
Thank You!
I really think you are right. I think that's the side that came down by itself in the storm and was not letting the door open when I tried to go outside (it was flat against the door).
I had to push on the door and it came away from whatever was still hanging onto it. The other side was still attached so the whole thing was just hanging there. Later my son's dream came true when he got to take the rest of it down.
I'm guessing that's how it happened. I just know I was trapped inside and I panicked. I was trying to be gentle, but I was desperate to get the door open.
Maybe the damage was already done by the wind and rain, before I even pushed on it. I don't know. It does make sense that this is the probable source of water.
It's possible that my oldest son, who is in the Navy, may get to spend Thanksgiving with us. He never had the opportunity to get much experience either, but he's pretty good at analyzing what he sees.
I'm hoping that he can help taking that fake brick panel (it's some kind of vinyl) down without doing too much damage to anything else. He won't be able to stay long enough to see the rest of the project through, but I'm thinking we can tack up some kind of plastic sheet while we're trying to get the rest done (need to give it a chance to dry but also need to not let it get too cold in here).
I'll just have to take this one step at a time. I have to learn how to take it apart and put it back together, but that;s not the only challenge.
I still have to figure out how to get the materials here. Some things may be to bulky and awkward to bring them home on the bus, or to heavy to carry from the bus stop to the house. My son and I will have to find someone to help with transportation, so I have to be prepared for this to take a little longer.
Maybe by then I'll have my book. It will be nice to see some pictures showing how to do these things
I really think you are right. I think that's the side that came down by itself in the storm and was not letting the door open when I tried to go outside (it was flat against the door).
I had to push on the door and it came away from whatever was still hanging onto it. The other side was still attached so the whole thing was just hanging there. Later my son's dream came true when he got to take the rest of it down.
I'm guessing that's how it happened. I just know I was trapped inside and I panicked. I was trying to be gentle, but I was desperate to get the door open.
Maybe the damage was already done by the wind and rain, before I even pushed on it. I don't know. It does make sense that this is the probable source of water.
It's possible that my oldest son, who is in the Navy, may get to spend Thanksgiving with us. He never had the opportunity to get much experience either, but he's pretty good at analyzing what he sees.
I'm hoping that he can help taking that fake brick panel (it's some kind of vinyl) down without doing too much damage to anything else. He won't be able to stay long enough to see the rest of the project through, but I'm thinking we can tack up some kind of plastic sheet while we're trying to get the rest done (need to give it a chance to dry but also need to not let it get too cold in here).
I'll just have to take this one step at a time. I have to learn how to take it apart and put it back together, but that;s not the only challenge.
I still have to figure out how to get the materials here. Some things may be to bulky and awkward to bring them home on the bus, or to heavy to carry from the bus stop to the house. My son and I will have to find someone to help with transportation, so I have to be prepared for this to take a little longer.
Maybe by then I'll have my book. It will be nice to see some pictures showing how to do these things
Don't forget if you measure your wall panels very carefully Lowes or Home Depot will cut them to size for you. That might make them a little easier to haul home.
I thank you for your son's service. You should be very proud.
I thank you for your son's service. You should be very proud.
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imKarenM
Thank you, Arlo, I am very proud of him. He's finishing up Corpsman training right now. He has enjoyed it and done very well.
Thank you also for the tip about having them cut the panel to size. That will help alot. The panel that is on there is vinyl, so it's flexible. I can probably bring it home on the bus.
I'm not sure how my youngest will feel about that. He is a very good kid, and motivated to help fix this place up, but he is only 14. That's a tough age, between hormones and strong feelings. Maybe he will feel embarrassed to be seen doing that. You know, teens always think they are the only ones who have to make do without a car.
That's OK. I can make multiple trips if necessary. It's more important to give him the example of self reliance. When he is older he will feel differently.
I had hoped I could get the panel off without damaging it too much, so it could be cleaned and reused. Looking at it, I'm not sure exactly how we're going to get it off.
It seems to be nailed on with a lot of tiny nails that have penetrated the vinyl. I'm thinking it will rip. Better for it to rip than for the door frame (that may not be the right word) to be damaged.
It also looks like that "beam" that the previous person screwed onto the ceiling will have to be taken down. Oh well, I was ambivalent about keeping them anyway. In addition to those "beams" he also raised a part of the living room floor (I have no idea what he was trying to do). We are almost too tall to fit in here! I tease the kids that stretching is not allowed here
Thank you both for all the help. I' sure I will be back, with many new questions, as I proceed with this project.
Thank you also for the tip about having them cut the panel to size. That will help alot. The panel that is on there is vinyl, so it's flexible. I can probably bring it home on the bus.
I'm not sure how my youngest will feel about that. He is a very good kid, and motivated to help fix this place up, but he is only 14. That's a tough age, between hormones and strong feelings. Maybe he will feel embarrassed to be seen doing that. You know, teens always think they are the only ones who have to make do without a car.
That's OK. I can make multiple trips if necessary. It's more important to give him the example of self reliance. When he is older he will feel differently.
I had hoped I could get the panel off without damaging it too much, so it could be cleaned and reused. Looking at it, I'm not sure exactly how we're going to get it off.
It seems to be nailed on with a lot of tiny nails that have penetrated the vinyl. I'm thinking it will rip. Better for it to rip than for the door frame (that may not be the right word) to be damaged.
It also looks like that "beam" that the previous person screwed onto the ceiling will have to be taken down. Oh well, I was ambivalent about keeping them anyway. In addition to those "beams" he also raised a part of the living room floor (I have no idea what he was trying to do). We are almost too tall to fit in here! I tease the kids that stretching is not allowed here
Thank you both for all the help. I' sure I will be back, with many new questions, as I proceed with this project.
-
imKarenM
Progress is slow, due to my health, but I haven't abandoned the project. I've been reading the manual and learning a lot.
I am pretty sure I know where the water is coming in. Someone had screwed on a padlock (well, the thing you put the lock on) and then it was removed. There's a hole in the siding. It's just above the door knob and the mold starts just below the door knob.
I cleaned it with bleach and then it rained again. Now there is mold again, but only in the same place. That's why I think that's where the water is getting in.
I know this will sound dumb, but I really DON'T know ANYTHING. Can I use the same caulking you use in the shower? The siding is metal.
Also, is it alright to use Reflectix for the insulation? It sounds like it would be really good, but, I can only find reports of it having been used in cars, vans, and RVs. Is there something wrong with using it in a mobile home?
I am pretty sure I know where the water is coming in. Someone had screwed on a padlock (well, the thing you put the lock on) and then it was removed. There's a hole in the siding. It's just above the door knob and the mold starts just below the door knob.
I cleaned it with bleach and then it rained again. Now there is mold again, but only in the same place. That's why I think that's where the water is getting in.
I know this will sound dumb, but I really DON'T know ANYTHING. Can I use the same caulking you use in the shower? The siding is metal.
Also, is it alright to use Reflectix for the insulation? It sounds like it would be really good, but, I can only find reports of it having been used in cars, vans, and RVs. Is there something wrong with using it in a mobile home?
Hey Karen,
Yes, go ahead and use the caulking you have available and get that hole plugged, and any others that you come across. You are learning that water is the #1 enemy to our home.
Just keep an eye on that caulking to make sure it adheres.
No worries, you are not dumb here, know one was born with home repair knowledge, we all had to learn it sometime along!
Merry Christmas,
Yanita
Yes, go ahead and use the caulking you have available and get that hole plugged, and any others that you come across. You are learning that water is the #1 enemy to our home.
Just keep an eye on that caulking to make sure it adheres.
No worries, you are not dumb here, know one was born with home repair knowledge, we all had to learn it sometime along!
Merry Christmas,
Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
-
imKarenM
Thanks Yanita. I'll get that done with the stuff I have in the bathroom. What about the Reflectix insulation? It's the silver stuff. They say it is mold proof. I just haven't found anyone saying they used it in a mobile home -- so far just cars, vans and RVs. Do you think it would be OK?
I don't know anything about Reflectix but remember you need to also choose insulation based on R-value. I'm not sure but I think you are probably supposed to put at least R-13 in your sidewalls when you make a repair. Not that the building inspector is going to magically arrive and make you remove what you have. If the stuff is made for autos I doubt if the R-value is very high.
Do you live close to a Home Depot that has a tool rental counter inside? Not all of them rent tools but you can determine from their web site. I was rentin' a tool yesterday and I saw a "mold fogger" there that rents for $20 a day. Cheaper for four hours. The chemical that goes with it cost $15.00 a gallon. They had a brochure/instruction sheet with it. It said it fogs a 10x12 room in an hour. It kills mold inside walls. It sounds like just the thing for you once you plug your leaks. I saw an episode of "This Old House" in New Orleans and they were paying a company to fog a Katrina flood house so I think the things work. I would still replace the insulation because it loses all R-value when wet. Anyway the fogger is small enough that you can carry it and a gallon of chemical on the bus. The tool rental guys at my Home Depot are really friendly and love to explain how to do stuff. I'm a mom with helpful school aged kids and they are very nice and patient with us. After Christmas I'm rentin' a cordless finish nailer! Woo hoo!
Do you live close to a Home Depot that has a tool rental counter inside? Not all of them rent tools but you can determine from their web site. I was rentin' a tool yesterday and I saw a "mold fogger" there that rents for $20 a day. Cheaper for four hours. The chemical that goes with it cost $15.00 a gallon. They had a brochure/instruction sheet with it. It said it fogs a 10x12 room in an hour. It kills mold inside walls. It sounds like just the thing for you once you plug your leaks. I saw an episode of "This Old House" in New Orleans and they were paying a company to fog a Katrina flood house so I think the things work. I would still replace the insulation because it loses all R-value when wet. Anyway the fogger is small enough that you can carry it and a gallon of chemical on the bus. The tool rental guys at my Home Depot are really friendly and love to explain how to do stuff. I'm a mom with helpful school aged kids and they are very nice and patient with us. After Christmas I'm rentin' a cordless finish nailer! Woo hoo!
O.K...Here's a link:www.homedepotrents.com/moldcontrol.asp
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