Is mold in my apartment unsafe for me and my three young children?

Question

I live in northern California in an apartment that has serious mold all around the window frames, there are also two access panels in the ceiling in my childrens room and the bathroom, which have mold coming out of them. The property manager has been notified several times, I've lived here for over three years, but nothing has been done to stop the mold. It is so much I can not keep up with cleaning it all, plus it stains the paint where it's been. Is there any advice or information you could provide?

Answer 1

Call the health department in your city to express your concerns. In my rentals, a call such as that would generate an inspection which would result in a report telling me whether the unit was safe to inhabit. Also, I am surprised that the landlord or owner is not concerned enough to call the health department himself as mold spreads and could make other units uninhabitable, as well. The health department can determine whether action needs to be taken and the source of the mold. In most cases, it is a water leak which should also be remedied in order not to have further damage like wood rot, termite infestation or structural damage. Good luck!

Answer 2

Move out. Some mold is very toxic. If the property manager won't do anything about it, call your local health department. Mold is always related to a moisture problem. Mold won't grow in a desert. The source of the moisture is a building problem. It has nothing to do with how clean you keep your apartment.

Answer 3

Get an inexpensive camera and take photos of the windows and mold. Some molds can be very harmful to inhale. Can cause illness.

If your landlord has not done anything to correct this, I suggest you contact your local Health dept. explaining that the landlord has been notified, provide dates if possible,and produce the photos (keep a copy) also any further communication w. landlord should be in writing. Be warned, your landlord will not like this.

I would move a.s.a.p.

Answer 4

I'm from PNW also and every winter this problem occurs.
Here's the deal, most likely you have aluminum windows and when you "close" your house up in the winter, your not allowing fresh air to circulate. Plus heat transfer on aluminum windows is always going to be there. Your solution.....Keep cleaning the windows. After your done cleaning them, apply a solution of approx. 75% water and 25% bleach from a spray bottle. It will reduce your mold growth between cleanings. Then in the summer, open windows to "dryout" area around the windows.

Either that, or have the property manager replace the existing windows to vinyl ones. OR MOVE>>>>>>>>

Answer 5

YES. There is no escape from mold, it's everywhere, but it needs to be kept in check and not allowed to overrun your living area! I just moved out of a house that had black mold growing up the sides of the walls in the basement, not to mention some weird looking barnacles. I tried bleach and it didn't work, as the basement flooded after a heavy rain, and for weeks on end in the spring when the ground thawed. It didn't help that my idiot landlords would plow the snow right up next to the house!
I began having health problems shortly after I moved in...I'd wake up with pounding headaches, I developed chronic sinus problems, joint pains, rashes on my body, I'd be grumpy and forgetful. I assumed it was due to the weather and stress, but it was actually due to the mold. Do some searching online about the health effects, including the effect of VOC's on your and your children's nervous system.
If you or your family has developed any health problems like the ones I had, *Keep good track of your medical records!* If you can, get your doctor to attribute these conditions to exposure to mold. Get a good camera and take LOTS of pictures of the mold, contact your local health department and provide them with lots of information.
Your landlord sounds like they don't care, just like my ex-landlords. They got their rent, that's all they cared about.

Answer 6

If they aren't doing anything I think I'd call the health department and ask for a safe way to remove it. You should be able to handle it yourself unless it's black mold which is dangerous. IF it's black mold you should move ASAP because it's very bad for your health especially your kids. Most mold can be cleaned up with bleach and water. Just wash the areas well and rinse. Check out this link: http://www.toxic-black-mold-info.com/moldsigns.htm
If you call the health department to ask about how to remove it they may even come and have a look for you.

Answer 7

Im the infant of the kinfolk. I truthfully have 2 sisters yet they are the two 7 yrs aside. My oldest is 7 years from the midsection and Im 8 from the midsection! Sooooooo we r all no longer very close in any respect. via time I hit little ones they have been the two moved out and it grew to become into like being an in trouble-free terms infant besides! I now have a 17 3 hundred and sixty 5 days previous son and he's the only infant and now and back he desires he had a brother or sister yet majority of the time he loves being the only infant- he enjoys his privateness and loves the quiet whilst that's quiet- LOL. Plus he's conscious he's a tad bit greater spoiled via fact he's our in trouble-free terms son! :)

Answer 8

i would definitly have it checked out. it could be very harmful to you and your children depending on what kind of mold it is. and if it needs to be removed than the apartment complex will have to pay for it. you can bring it up to the city or county where you live because that is not up to standard.

Answer 9

You need to have this problem fixed ASAP. You are breathing in the mold and it is not good for you or your kids lungs.

Answer 10

Call the Health Dept.