Would You Live And Grow In A Place Where You Found Mold In The Attic?

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Thelight413

Thelight413

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You have a serious issue with your home. The attic is condensating so bad the particle board is wet. Most likely if you are growing up there you are increasing the problem. If you look closely at the particle board seam in your pic it is sagging from the weight of the roof. This is a serious issue you need to fix as soon as possible. In your picture the 2x6s look like they actually have moisture bleeding down them from the plywood this is absolutely bad. If you are going up there for long periods of time I would suggest you wear some type of breathing apparatus around 100100 NIOSH wich is designed for organic vapors. If you look very closely at the upper rite 2x6 you’ll see a very dark brown almost black streak coming from the top of the 2x6 that is caused from the 15 pound felt that is a vapor barrier under the asphalt shingles. Most likely the roof is leaking basically from the bottom vapor Barrier being wet from the extreme amount of humidity that is being introduced in your attic. The white mold is not all that bad but the black mold is a hole different subject that I’m not even going to get into. If you are a healthy individual and want to stay that way I would stay the fuck out of there. I’m not talking out my ass bro, I’m a 23 year journeyman roofer. I’ve been in many attics seen a lot of bad shit over the years yours is by far the worst I’ve seen in a very long time. If your a renter ide get the fuck out of there if your landlord finds out you are the cause of the problem he’s gona nail you in the wallet so hard your head will spin. If you own the place for God’s sake man fix it for your family and your health. Mold in that condition is nothing to fuck with it’s a slow killer that takes time to destroy your body.
Good luck bro your gona need it!!

Thanks for this man, very much appreciated. We'll call your post the final nail in the coffin haha, I'm not the renter or the owner but I will certainly pass this on to my buddy who is currently on a lease with him. It's some real fuckery as the guys who lived there before him said "check the roof before you renew" so clearly these asshats knew there was a problem and didn't tell the landlord.
 
1diesel1

1diesel1

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Thanks for this man, very much appreciated. We'll call your post the final nail in the coffin haha, I'm not the renter or the owner but I will certainly pass this on to my buddy who is currently on a lease with him. It's some real fuckery as the guys who lived there before him said "check the roof before you renew" so clearly these asshats knew there was a problem and didn't tell the landlord.
Rip and tear! That’s the only way to fix that shit there bro!!
 
jumpincactus

jumpincactus

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JIC is right, thats active black mold/mildew in particleboard. You cant really encapsulate it, the roof leaks and needs to be replaced. That moldy sheathing requires special handling, expensive. If you are susceptible to pollen and allergies, black mold spores can kill you. The plants ?
npt to mention after all that. and engineer a way to properly ventilate that attci
Yea for sure well it's kinda a tricky situation man, I'm not trying to be a wise ass about anything, I can't exactly call the home inspector over to my 4 lighter and ask them to test the air quality and send it off to a lab, well I could..but I ideally don't want the home inspector to know whats going on so that Is why I came here to ask some people. And ya.. I wish I could move right on in but my conscience is saying one thing while what pays the bills is saying another thing.... make sense? Just because we smoke weed and may consider ourselves stoners, does not mean that we do not have some extremely intellectual individuals in our scene, not everyone's a pile and a lot of people speak from actual experience which is generally the best teacher. All in all..NO i dont want to move into this place with mold but, IF it can work and I'LL be alright, then shit man thats what i'm tryin to figure out, you got a list of grow friendly landlords who don't want an arm and a leg, shit's not easy and we all aren't licensed these days.
Understood. Some of the smartest peeps I know are stoners. :D

I didn't mean to come across harsh man. I at times am a stoner smartass tho. I hope you get things sorted out. Peace
 
jumpincactus

jumpincactus

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Thanks for this man, very much appreciated. We'll call your post the final nail in the coffin haha, I'm not the renter or the owner but I will certainly pass this on to my buddy who is currently on a lease with him. It's some real fuckery as the guys who lived there before him said "check the roof before you renew" so clearly these asshats knew there was a problem and didn't tell the landlord.
Now your talking!!!!! Good decision.
 
Dan789

Dan789

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As long as you’re not married to the situation, all good, as soon as you sign the lease it’s on you...
I read your question like, “I really want to do this, but if no one says anything bad, I’m going right ahead with it”...
Pass...
 
Trustfall

Trustfall

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That looks like my old attic! If your still on the fence get the mold tested. May not be harmful at all.
My friend rented me one of his places and he was growing 10k worth of light in the basement and he was exhausting the air up into the attack. When I moved in I didnt think anything of it until I went up in the attack one day.
Your first question should be why is the mold up there in the first place?
 
cemchris

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Is there some ungodly bonus to the house like it already has 2 service drops and panels in the basement or something that you can't just pass up? If not the landlord will have to fix it and pass an enviro inspection before I would every consider giving them a dollar. "I promise it will be fixed" fuck that. Just be forewarned. If the landlord does all this I bet your rent will go up by a couple hundred bucks before you move in. So consider that and if that is worth it to you vs a different place. Just like @Freshone said thts going to be a 10-20k plus job maybe more if that isnt the half of it.

Why the fuck do people vent into attics in cold climates. Fucking amateur hour.
 
Dirtbag

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Amateur hour is right. I've seen this on more than one occasion where people have molded out the attic by venting a grow into it. Very common in BC. The vast majority of people have zero clue about RH, temperature differential and its affect on the dewpoint. It's actually dumbfounding.

This is the main reason (besides property siezure in some places) that most landlords dont want grow ops in their house. Fools doing stupid shit like venting into the attic in cold climates. Ruins it for the sane growers who dont do stupid shit.
 
NGA

NGA

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I was at a guys house about 20 years ago he was venting in the attic ,I had a look up there holy fuck every colour in the world just like a rainbow of many colours ,if your attic has that look don’t even think about that place very dangerous for you health
 
SmithsJunk

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Just because a type of old may not be considered harmful does not mean it will do no harm. As a person who's very allergic to mold I'll say even "harmless" molds can be dangerous to specific individuals.

I wouldn't even have it tested. Leave that to the owner and find somewhere else to live. Having years of painting and apartment maintenance experience I can say there are places it's acceptable to find mold and others where it's not. Bathrooms, kitchens, covered porches, these places are expected get moldy and are usually readily cleanable/repairable, but attics are supposed to be dry and aren't built to handle moisture. As others have said, that's a bad roof, maybe bad ventillation as well.

Staying there is a bad move. If the attic is that saturated, surely there are other serious problems that have gone unattended to as well. With that much mold I'd be wondering if the house is even structurally safe. All that attic mold may end up in your living room.

I understand feeling stuck, but there is almost always another option if someone looks hard enough.
 
Homesteader

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Maybe you could speak with the landlord and see about getting the roof fixed but that looks like a big job to undertake. The mold doesn't look to be caused by growers to me but by a bad roof with completely saturated sheathing. How does it smell? Insulation soaked too? Is this the whole area or just where the ice dams form on your roof? That is potentially a massive job if all the trusses are shot too.
 
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Trustfall

Trustfall

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Guys I don’t think there is many landlord that will let you grow in their house, therefor the other houses he will probally have to hide the grow. Nothing I s worst then hiding your grow from the landlord. I’ve done it a million times and everytime that damn phone rings you think to yourself, is that the landlord again.:D
 
SmithsJunk

SmithsJunk

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...one more thing. DO NOT SPRAY THE PLYWOOD AND TRUSSES WITH (chlorine) BLEACH. Bleach breaks down wood fibres. You will only be weakening the roof further. The damaged wood must be replaced. You asked for expert opinions. Not even FEMA and the CDC recommend using bleach for mold abatement any longer. Spraying bleach will only kill the surface of the mold, not the roots. It will just add more moisture and aggravate the problem. If anything, covering the mold with a non-water based fungicide or fungicidal primer would be a better plan.

*edited - added (chlorine) to the warning.
 
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jumpincactus

jumpincactus

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Does Bleach kill mold?
Yes, but it comes with a catch. Bleach labels will warn you that chlorine bleach will only be effective on a “hard, non-porous surface.’’ This basically means that chlorine bleach is not made to “soak in.” Therefore, its disinfecting properties are limited to a hard surface like tile or glass. So here’s the problem: To ensure survival, mold spores spread its roots (Mycelia) deep into a porous surface. Mold remediation requires a cleaner to reach deep down into wood and other porous building materials to remove or "pull out" the roots. The properties of bleach prevent it from soaking into these materials. The surface mold looks gone (it's bleached white) but the internal mold always remains to grow back.

Another issue: Bleach contains 90% water and mold LOVES water. When bleach is applied, the chlorine quickly evaporates after use leaving behind A LOT of water. This water often soaks into the porous surface allowing the mold to flourish and re-grow in this moist environment. So in effect, using bleach actually feeds the internal mold spores! Although the surface may look bleached and clean, the remaining spores will root deeper, stronger and will often return worse than before.

Bleach and mold. A few facts to remember:
  • In some cases, bleach will encourage toxic mold to grow where it was not present before.
  • Bleach will only remove the green stain from mold. The surface will appear clean but internal roots will continue to grow.
  • OSHA and the EPA have specifically advised against the use of bleach for mold remediation. See link below*
  • Chlorine bleach is caustic and extremely harmful to wood and many other surfaces. If bleach is used on wood, it will weaken the wood by breaking down its fibers. This can create further problems with the structural integrity of the home.
  • When bleach is mixed with ammonia it creates a deadly gas! *Remember, Urine contains ammonia! Using bleach in the toilet could also create a toxic gas.
  • Bleach itself is considered a toxic chemical and is classified the same as gasoline.
  • In its gaseous form (room temperature) chlorine releases Dioxins, a known cancer causing compound.
  • Bleach is highly corrosive to skin. Exposure to bare skin creates a hydrolysis reaction. This means the “oily” feeling is actually the top layer of your skin beginning to dissolve!
  • Bleach is not only hazardous to your health, it will make your mold problem worse in the long run.

https://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib101003.html
 
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jumpincactus

jumpincactus

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There is also further data that bleach ruptures the cell wall of the mold spores and releases mycotoxins and allows them to become airborne further exacerbating the spread of the mold spores.

Mold attaches and burrows into wood and other porous surfaces and actually digests the cellulose fibers severely weakening the wood and other porous substrates.
 
SmithsJunk

SmithsJunk

3,430
263
Does Bleach kill mold?
Yes, but it comes with a catch. Bleach labels will warn you that chlorine bleach will only be effective on a “hard, non-porous surface.’’ This basically means that chlorine bleach is not made to “soak in.” Therefore, its disinfecting properties are limited to a hard surface like tile or glass. So here’s the problem: To ensure survival, mold spores spread its roots (Mycelia) deep into a porous surface. Mold remediation requires a cleaner to reach deep down into wood and other porous building materials to remove or "pull out" the roots. The properties of bleach prevent it from soaking into these materials. The surface mold looks gone (it's bleached white) but the internal mold always remains to grow back.

Another issue: Bleach contains 90% water and mold LOVES water. When bleach is applied, the chlorine quickly evaporates after use leaving behind A LOT of water. This water often soaks into the porous surface allowing the mold to flourish and re-grow in this moist environment. So in effect, using bleach actually feeds the internal mold spores! Although the surface may look bleached and clean, the remaining spores will root deeper, stronger and will often return worse than before.

Bleach and mold. A few facts to remember:
  • In some cases, bleach will encourage toxic mold to grow where it was not present before.
  • Bleach will only remove the green stain from mold. The surface will appear clean but internal roots will continue to grow.
  • OSHA and the EPA have specifically advised against the use of bleach for mold remediation. See link below*
  • Chlorine bleach is caustic and extremely harmful to wood and many other surfaces. If bleach is used on wood, it will weaken the wood by breaking down its fibers. This can create further problems with the structural integrity of the home.
  • When bleach is mixed with ammonia it creates a deadly gas! *Remember, Urine contains ammonia! Using bleach in the toilet could also create a toxic gas.
  • Bleach itself is considered a toxic chemical and is classified the same as gasoline.
  • In its gaseous form (room temperature) chlorine releases Dioxins, a known cancer causing compound.
  • Bleach is highly corrosive to skin. Exposure to bare skin creates a hydrolysis reaction. This means the “oily” feeling is actually the top layer of your skin beginning to dissolve!
  • Bleach is not only hazardous to your health, it will make your mold problem worse in the long run.

https://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib101003.html

...and most of the alternatives only bleach out the stain but don't kill the roots. I've had to deal wth this hard fact recently having had mold from roof leaks and condensation in my trailer. This summer I'm removing bad spots and priming the milder portions with a fungicidal primer.

51cg4OZeKUL AC SY400


I was thinking about buying an ozone generator as well and running it once a month overnight. Will help kill the ants too. It's not dangerous as long as the O3 is given enough time to break down to O2 before entering. The machines I've seen capable of sterilising my trailer only run about $70 but I have to find a seller willing to ship to Cali. Good for sterilising empty grow rooms too.

415IjT VjqL AC SY400
 
MedicalDave

MedicalDave

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If I saw that mold in the attic I would hand the keys back to the landlord and run! Its gone way past the abatement stage. That roof needs to be replaced. It would be much less work, frustration and overall better for your health to find somewhere else to live.

You may not notice any acute effects in the short term, but as it accumulates you can develop sensitivities to allergens you previously tolerated.

You could buy pounds and pounds of top shelf bud for what it would cost to fix that house.
Is some cheap homegrown weed really worth the health of your family?
 
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