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An old house is in the process of being signed over to me. The house has been neglected for several years and I have begun trying to fix the place up. The front of the house has been victim of a severely leaky roof for several years and the water damage/mold problem is pretty severe. The roof has just been replaced and the leak resolved.

There are two bedrooms affected and the whole front wall of the house in these two rooms are moldy. I've begun striping away all of the materials I can, such as insulation, paneling, window frames, ceiling tiles, etc., but some of the materials I cannot remove, because it's the front of the house and I can't tear down the whole front of the house.

That said, would it be acceptable to spray mold killer (or rather, soak) the affected areas and paint over it with a mold preventative paint? I'm worried this will not be sufficient, as the affected area is severe and I'm not sure I can even access everything. Finances are limited, so I'm unable to pay a professional to complete the project for me. Not sure how fast mold spreads or how long it takes to grow, but would this be an acceptable remedy for a few years to come? How reliable ARE these mold killing chemicals I see online?

Sorry such a long post, but since I have eliminated the source of the leak, will this help kill off the mold?

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    Could you share some pictures of the problem? is there rot in there?
    – hookenz
    May 30, 2013 at 0:12
  • Sure. I can get some pictures. Yes, the 2x4s have rotted.
    – Mr. T
    May 30, 2013 at 0:53
  • Pictures coming tomorrow evening. I need to charge my battery first. As for now, I need to get to bed. Thanks for your response
    – Mr. T
    May 30, 2013 at 1:14
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    Start with this answer: diy.stackexchange.com/questions/27810/…
    – HerrBag
    May 30, 2013 at 2:27

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I really don't have time to write a good answer, but I have and others have written some good responses that would answer your question. Look at the tags for mold. ID is important before remediation can be done. You have to know what kind of mold you are dealing with. Some minor mold can be dealt with DIY, but other toxic molds need professional attention. Samples need to be taken and IDed by a lab. Don't take chances, get it right.

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  • I'll take your advice and look for a professional to test the type of mold. I doubt I'll be able to afford the services for their treatment plans so hopefully it's something I can do myself.
    – Mr. T
    May 30, 2013 at 0:27

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