Black Mold?

Hey guys,

I need your combined expertise. I have some kind of black mold in my apartment. I want to get it tested, but I don't even know where to start. How do I find a tester? Should they have some kind of special qualifications?

Has anyone else had this problem?

Please help!

The thought that I am dying, slowly, from mold in my lungs is really, really traumatizing me.

This is what the health department has to say about mold in NYC:

www.nyc.gov...

Originally posted by djohnsto77
www.nyc.gov...

From djohnsto77's link:

What does my landlord have to do?

* • Your landlord and building manager must keep your building in good condition so mold will not grow. This means repairing water leaks and correcting persistently high humidity levels.
* • If you have a lot of mold (more than 10 square feet) or it keeps coming back after you have cleaned it, ask your landlord to fix the problem.
* • If the problem isn't fixed, call 311.

Being in an apartment it becomes the landlords responsibility to correct the problem.
We had a problem with mold in the bathroom and kitchen when we moved into our current digs and had to do a bit of work. After a bit of cleaning we used a high quality oil based paint in those two rooms and replaced contaminated chalking with a mold resistance chalk designed for tub and tile applications.
That solved our problem completely.

And just so you know, most molds in small amounts won't harm you at all unless you have other respiratory problems.

Thank you, both of you.

We do have a leaky roof, so that could be it. Glad to know I'm not dying.

I'm still getting it tested, though. I don't trust this post-9/11 air anyway...

I don't blame you for getting it tested, HH, but it sounds like common everyday mold to me. Your leaky roof is a prime candidate for moisture, which it thrives on.

There are lots of products available to combat it, and a simple mixture of one part bleach to three parts water sprayed on it will make it disappear in front of your eyes.

If you have to re-paint, use Killz or Permawhite.

Where is it?

Is it in the same room as your dryer?