Not All Mold Can Be Prevented: The Case of Condominium Bathroom Mold

In a previous post, we talked about the 7 ways homeowners can reduce the problem of mold in their bathrooms
They’re simple steps anyone can take to reduce bathroom mold.

However, not all mold can be prevented, and condominium bathroom mold can be particularly difficult to prevent.

Why?

Because your condo unit shares walls and ceilings and floors with your neighbors. These shared walls can harbor mold where you least expect it.
And that’s exactly what happened to these owners.

The Cherry Hill, NJ condo owners noticed the tell tale signs of mold growth: black dots on the ceiling above the tub and shower.
Thinking it was just excess moisture, and being conscientious homeowners, they replaced the bathroom exhaust fan.
They kept everything as dry as possible. The owners even used a squeegee to remove water from the walls after every shower.
They cleaned. And cleaned.
But the mold kept coming back.

Fast forward a few weeks. . .

And then the owners noticed blisters in the paint on the ceiling and walls around the tub.
Curious, they wondered what it was all about. So they peeled some of the paint.
Lo and behold, the paint peeled off and slimy water poured out.
And then the ceiling over the tub and part of the wall collapsed.
The back side of the drywall was covered by what looked like many species of colorful mold.

And now the condo owners had one question: How did this happen?

Once the ceiling fell down, it was easy to see.

The drain pipe coming from their upstairs neighbor had been leaking.
Slowly at first. But as time went on, the water damage escalated.

Because the water was sealed in a warm dark place with lots of cellulose (wood & drywall) to feed it, the mold was having a party!

We did what we do best.

After the condo association called in a plumber to fix the drain pipe, we created containment to prevent cross-contamination with the living area.
Then, we used HEPA filtration air scrubbers to clean the air while we removed the contaminated building materials.
Then we treated the whole area with antimicrobial solution and prepared the room for rebuilding.

For problems identifying the source of water damage causing mold growth, and for remediating condominium bathroom mold in Cherry Hill, Philadelphia and the surrounding area call 877-750-7876.
We’ll get your condo unit clean, dry, and sanitized quickly and safely – using IICRC protocols.