Intermittent roof leak (not fixed for four years)..is this mold?

They’ve had a leak here during heavy rain only, rain drips on the carpet below… is this mold and how bad is it if it is?

All the people in that house should be dead by now, John. :flushed:

Kidding aside, no-one can tell how bad it is from a picture or two.

Get the leak fixed and the potential mold tested…it may go away with out the leak.

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what did it taste like ?

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The REAL key is bitter or sweet… … …

Are you lead testing? :thinking:

From the looks of the damage, it is leaking more than just under a heavy rain. It’s just the heavy rains make it drip onto the carpet.

What was the moisture content?

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The only way to accurately determine the presence of mold is to have it tested by a certified laboratory. Once it’s dry it won’t matter anyway. Dry mold doesn’t release spores, which are the health hazard.

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Not naturally when dead although I believe that is how it can spread when it is dried out.
For instance, remediators will spray drywall with H2O before removing it to discourage spore dispersal.

I don’t see any mold!

Generally, fungal colonies stop reproducing by releasing spores when water content in materials falls below a certain level (somewhere around 27%). They stop feeding and go dormant when water level falls even lower (somewhere around 20%).
I don’t see any advantage in dispersing spores. Spores can cause health problems in some people and should be contained!

I was simply referring to the possibility of spore dispersal from say like… cutting out infected drywall, even closing a nearby door… meaning the vibration can disturb the surface enough to put it in the air.
That’s why for larger jobs there should be a containment in place for prevention.
Think we’re thinking of two different things. :cowboy_hat_face:

I thought mold spores are in the unfiltered air all the time everywhere. How else could mold start growing if you wet something and don’t let it dry out.

The largest biomass on earth.
It is everywhere… … unless you’re in outer space.

Mold is a fungi. Even when dead or dormant the bits and pieces that move in the air are a known allergen. Moisture levels below 20% restrict it’s growth. Below 17% it will not grow and will go dormant until the moisture level rises again. It loves to grow on gypsum board paper. This should be further evaluated by an properly trained mold inspector such as one with an IAC2 credential.

If there is mold it’s likely on the insulation side. Just recommend replace of all water damaged drywall, which should take care of the problem.

This is what mold looks like. From a home inspection this week. Lab results back today. Yuk!

There is a flipper somewhere thinking; "Paint it quick and get ‘er on the market’. :rofl:

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Home owner found out about the mold inspection and traveled 4 hours the day before to crank up the heat in the residence. Didn’t help at all.

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…after the leak is fixed, eh Randy? :cowboy_hat_face: :crazy_face:

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LOL! LOL! LOL! …some people…shaking head.