Keep an Eye on Household Mold and Prevent a Major Problem Down the Road

These days the problem of household mold is drawing a lot of attention from homeowners throughout the nation. Even here in the relatively dry, warm climate of Santa Monica mold remediation is an issue on the minds of owners and prospective buyers alike. This is because the spores are everywhere, and when the right conditions arise for them to flourish in a home, real health hazards can be created.

A common culprit for dangerous mold formation is a broken or leaking pipe that cannot be easily detected. Hiding behind the wall or in your crawlspace, they can slowly drip moisture, raising the humidity of a nearby area and creating a great home for mold to flourish. Years after the leak begins, entire families have been known to suffer from dizziness, headache, fatigue, and respiratory problems without knowing the exact cause of the problem. But a small moldy spot can move through a home, feeding on sheetrock that essentially acts a sponge for moisture and becomes a safe haven for spreading mold.

Bearing this in mind, prevention and good monitoring of your home environment is key to thwarting this common problem. A quick checklist like the one below should help you to stay vigilant and keep any spreading mold in check:

1. Be sure to inspect heating and air systems periodically. The movement of cold and hot air can raise humidity in ducts and thus they can become moldy over time. And if you have portable filters, be sure to replace these at least once a year.

2. Inspect your walls for any bubbles or dampness, especially in areas where two surfaces meet. If you do find bubbles or soft spots, consider having the wall opened up to check for moldy spots, and then replace any drywall that shows problems.

3. Make sure to ventilate your home when you can, especially in damp use areas such as bathrooms. These rooms should always have some sort of outside venting, whether via a duct or window. This is especially the case if you have chosen to have carpet or wallpaper in the bath, as mold loves to grow in between paper seams and underneath carpet that gets dampened on a daily basis. In addition, try to use mold killing bath cleaners periodically to inhibit the spread and growth of mold.

4. Take a look at the periphery of your home for accumulating ground water, and improve drainage if necessary.

A simple solution of water and bleach can be used to quickly wipe up small moldy spots. But if you do turn out to have a more extensive problem, i.e. mold that keeps returning far sooner than you would expect, then you might want to consider a more extensive inspection. If you act quickly enough, you can avoid a great deal of further damage to your home, not to mention the potential need to disclose recurrent mold issues to a future buyer. This has been a big sticking point in home sales in recent years, creating a lot of litigation between new and former owners when unsolved mold issues are simply passed along to a new owner. This is why in any Los Angeles remodeling project we do where the owner is intending to sell, we make sure that any mold issues are thoroughly addressed.

Jannone Construction and Development
502 San Vicente #105 Santa Monica, CA, 90402 USA
marc@jannonedevelopment.com • 310-989-3499

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Creating an open concept kitchen and family room in Santa Monica, CA.

When thinking of a remodel project, often times clients wish for a more open feel in the room they are renovating. Whether it be a new Santa Monica master bathroom, a basement or a great room (open concept kitchen and living area) sometimes removing just one wall can make all the difference for your space.

There are several things to consider before choosing a wall to remove. First of all, you will certainly need the assistance of an experienced Los Angeles contractor. Second, make sure you know if the wall you’ve chosen is a load-bearing wall or not, which is a wall that helps support your home’s weight. Make sure to move all furniture and valuables out of the way, as demolition can be very messy. You may want to use things such as drop cloths, plastic sheeting, and safety goggles.

Next you will need to remove wall molding and trim (GENTLY!) with a pry bar or hammer. If you have any light fixtures on the wall, shut off the power, unscrew the fixtures, disconnect attached wires, and cover the bare ends of the wire with tape. If you are working with drywall, knock a hole in the wall with a hammer, and then pry large sections of the board off the studs with the pry bar. Once you remove the drywall from one side, you can easily loosen it on the opposite side by pushing from the backside. If you live in an older home, remove plaster with a sledgehammer, and pry off the lath. At this point, you will be able to see the electrical boxes which will need to be removed (shut off the power first, then remove conduits to a point that’s not in the wall). Also, you will need to remove any wall insulation.

Next, with the reciprocating saw, cut through the top plate on either side of a vertical support stud. Remove the chunk of the 2-by-4 top plate and use a pry bar to remove the two sections of the top plate. Then, cut along the base of the wall, horizontally, with the reciprocating saw. Once that is done, the wall will need to be lifted and removed. Pry the base plate from the floor using a crowbar. Since this will make a pretty large mess, you will need to use a shop vacuum to clean up. Smooth the edges of the cutout area on your permanent wall. Cut and install a patch using a power drill and drywall screws. Cover the joints of the patch with drywall tape. If you are removing a load-bearing wall, you will also need to install a load-bearing beam above the wall you remove (so you will need to use a temporary support system while you are removing the old wall).

The picture above shows a newly demolished wall that separated the family room and the kitchen. The drywall around the frame is new and there is now a more open concept area in this home in Santa Monica, CA. Check back soon for more information on renovation projects around your home!

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