Property owners know that in handling repairs and maintenance, catching the problem promptly and fixing it fast are reliable money-saving strategies. Overlooking a maintenance or repair issue can cause much more costly repairs down the road and can even possibly put you or your tenants in danger.
One problem that can surprise property owners and residents is mold showing up on the property. Since it begins slowly and grows gradually, frequently within walls or hidden inside other structures, specific molds can apparently go from invisible to a serious health hazard in a blink of an eye.
There are multiple mold types, but the toxic variety is called Black Mold or Stachybotrys atra. Usually slimy greenish-black or gray in appearance, toxic mold grows in damp sections in the home, including leaky roofs, pipes, or windows, or even under floors and in ceilings if a flood or leak occurred. Black Mold releases an unfriendly musty odor and, when present, can severely impede your ability to guarantee a rental home’s safety. It is important to recognize that Stachybotrys molds are not always black, meaning molds of varying colors could also be hazardous. In other words, there’s no way to know just by looking whether you’re dealing with toxic or harmless mold.
While mold is typically very common in moist indoor environments, Stachybotrys is less common than other mold species, including Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) don’t have records concerning how often Stachybotrys molds are discovered in buildings, but it’s less common than ostentatious media reports would want to admit.
Health Hazards
The existence of toxic mold is a serious health concern. The CDC reports associate the presence of mold in the residence and serious health effects, including respiratory problems (coughing or wheezing, throat irritation, nasal stuffiness), eye irritation, or skin irritation. Persons with allergies, asthma or lung disease might be even more severely affected, leading to serious lung infections or other life-threatening conditions.
Property Damage
Because of the risk posed by toxic mold, it’s important to get a handle on any outbreaks as quickly as possible. As a landlord, you may be deemed liable if you know of the mold’s presence in a rental property but do not take the right steps to deal with it.
Past legal liability, toxic mold can lead to severe damage to a rental home if left unimpeded. Mold flourishes well wherever a steady stream of moisture exists. It can grow on cardboard, ceiling tiles, wallpaper, upholstery, and carpet. It can also grow on wood products, like the wood inside walls and floors, on insulation, and even on drywall and paint. With so much at stake in your rental homes, it’s essential to do regular upkeep that includes good mold prevention strategies.
Call the Experts
Oddly enough, a number of property management companies don’t consider mold a serious problem. They may attempt to avoid costs by ignoring water damage or telling tenants to deal with it themselves, but mold must never be treated lightly and placing the health of your residents in jeopardy is never a good idea. The serious nature of the damages caused by ignoring mold makes it a job for a company that will work to safeguard you and your residents from undesirable consequences.
In Conclusion
At Real Property Management Fairmate, we know the hazards that uncontrolled growths of mold pose to rental homeowners. Our team of proficient property managers and service specialists in Monterey Park will address the problem early and fix it, thereby saving you both time and money. Do you want a free assessment of your rental property? Please contact us online or call us at 626-691-9749 for additional information.
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