I have a dirt basement and it flooded now there are fungus growing up out of the dirt what is this?

Question

The basement flooded back in late July and yes I lost all of my stuff but besides that the furnace is down there and these spiraly looking fungi are growing down there and with the furnace running and all the intake of air from the basement to the inside of the house I am worried, the lanlord is slacking and is well aware there is a wall that is crumbling down there also and everytime it rain water runs in from the outside to the inside from behind the furnace and puddles about 2 feet sometimes at the end of the basement stairs which are in the attached garage I am worried about this and dont know what this is I have small children and I am concerned. Now I also have a Gnat of some kind in my home that is not being caused from fruit they dont go away can someone help............

Answer 1

If this was sewage, get help immediatly! You can become deadly ill from raw sewage!! If your in a rental unit, call the city and file a complaint, put your rent checks in escrow until the problem is resolved by the landlord.

If its just mold from water, buy some bleach or tilex mold and mildew and scub it all down. Mold may cause breathing problems in children.

Google "servpro" for more info on the mold issue, I believe they have a good FAQ on it.

Answer 2

Since this is a rental unit you have no responsibility or liability in replacing or repairing any damages due to "acts of god" One major thing that you should do just to protect yourself is take some polaroid or standard photos just in case you need them in the future, because the landlord could state you dumped water there, leaky washer / sink, etc..

If the landlord continues to be difficult find out what your state's renter's rights policies are. Many times if you can show the landlord something in writing things tend to get moving much faster.

You are correct with your concern though. Some fungi will produce spores that have asthmatic results in small children under the age of 5 usually. Being in my final year of pharmacy school I have seen various patients with respiratory conditions from allergies aggrivated by fungus or mold. If either child develops a rash or difficulty breathing with wheezing get them to a health care provider immediately as this may be symptoms of allergic reaction.

As far as the gnat problem is concerned go to your local hardware store and purchase some smoke bombs that will kill the gnats. The only downside to these is the fact that you will have to remove all open containers of food and leave your home for 1-3 days depending on the type you purchase. Make sure to buy the type that smoke as the smoke will penetrate your carpets etc to kill the eggs as well as the insects that are causing the problem.

If the landlord continues to give you difficulty contact your local Department of Health and Human Resources.

Best wishes and I hope this helps you out a little.

Answer 3

It means you have a mold problem that the landlord should be formally made aware of. Everything in the basement needs to be disposed of. The source of the moisture needs to be found and corrected. Notify the public health authorities. Contact a lawyer who may advise you to move out as well as prepare a claim for your ruined property. In other words, you have already wasted at least three months so now is time to get serious about a serious problem, Good luck.