Black mold problem?

How can I tell if black mold is making my family sick? We just moved into this home 6 months ago?
We just moved into this home 6 months ago, and my family has been sick, ever since. I just noticed in the bathroom that the floor is sinking near the tub and toilet. I can see what appears to be black mold growing on the deteriating wall and floor. I rent this home and I'm stuck in a lease for 6 more months. What can I do? I really can't afford to spend money on getting it tested. I can't even afford to move if I pay my rent. Can I break my lease if this house has black mold? Any ideas on what I should do?

Yes, you can get sick. It happened to my daughter.
Get a spray bottle, put bleach in it and spray all the areas you think have mold. Keep well ventilated while doing this, wear a good face mask.
It will turn from black to nothing instantly.
Since it is a known health problem contact your landlord.
Contact the Health Dept of the city where you live.
Use the information you get to see if you can break the lease and get your deposit back and leave.

Yeah sweetie when you're looking at a house you always need to go with the GREEN mold. Green is the new pink.

tell your landlord there is black mould growing in your bathroom and he has to fix it...the drywall will have to be removed and repaired...there might be a water leak in there.

Tell the landlord to fix it or else u will call the health department. I bet they will fix it then. Good luck and hope that u all get better.

Tell your landlord about the 'black mold' and deterioration you are seeing and tell him that he has a choice ... get it fixed properly IMMEDIATELY or you will sue him for 'damages' which includes ALL of the medical bills incurred by your family since you moved into this house. His 'other option' is to let you out of the lease and to PAY YOU to move, including as many months rent in this ILLEGAL apartment. Black mold is toxic, and the house is 'unliveable' but he still rented to you knowing that it was illegal. Be polite but firm ... you should get good results.

Inform environmental heath NOW!
I saw a family on Forensic Files, where three members died from a type of bacteria mould found growing in their home.
If the home was contaminated and unsafe to live in when it was rented to you, then the lease will be void and you should get back your deposit and any rent paid- but this will only work with actual medical and legal proof.
It may be a comon type of mould called rising damp- this would mean that there is an insulation problem which would meaan extensive redecorating.
If it is this, chances are the landlord already knew and simply cleaned it up before you came along-as this mould needs time to appear.
This would definately be grounds for a termination of lease and full refund of rents, medical charges etc.
So get moving, time is of the essence!

Certain black molds can be toxic. DONT try to eliminate them without checking with a pro first! Also, avoid contact with them as they may be harmful! Try to get enough money to get it tested, it could be dangerous.

that is a health hazard, u should be able to break yer lease. talk to yer landlord. before people rent out an apartment they have to have it inspected i know where i live thats the law. i would look into the laws on such things in yer area.

You can confirm the presence of black mold and depending on the state in which you live, may after confirming the presense of black mold, get help in removing it or moving away from it. You would have to check local laws. You may also call your local health department.

There is a website that provides some information on detection.

Yes black mold can make you sick. It will cause nose bleeds and breathing problems. You should let your land lord know about it. It has to be fixed and he is responsible to get it done. If he refuses you can call the Board of Health. They will go in and inspect the house and force him to fix it or they will condenm the house. Good Luck.

Do you live in Maine by any chance... we have alot of mold problems up here. First...you IMMEDIATELY need to take the kids and spend the night with friends or family until you find out what it is..... black mold can cause FATALITY!!! Next, you go to your local town office and report it to the code enforcement officer who will go out and inspect the house. The building may end up being condemned, but you should not have to pay any rent under these circumstances. Do this by sending your landlord a letter why you aren't paying the rent with a request that he fixes the problem... make a copy of the letter for yourself and be sure it's dated. And if the landlord does NOT fix it within 30 days you can break your lease with him. But first and foremost... GET OUT OF THERE! If you have no-one you can stay with, then ask the town to put you up somewhere, or go to a shelter.

If it were me, then I'd START with a call to the building code Inspection & zoning department in your location. You could also call the Environmental Health Department & they can advise you of how to go about getting your mold identified & give you telephone numbers of other agencies that could assist you. Whatever you do, it's best NOT to disturb the mold until a professional looks at it. I was told that household bleach in a 50/50 solution with water will kill surface mold. Just put it in a spray bottle & use it around the edges of your floors & surfaces. If you can't handle the smell of bleach, then get yourself a few bottles of rubbing alcohol & put it in a spray bottle & spray it EVERYWHERE throughout your living spaces. Simply hold the bottle above your head & walk in & out of every single room & spray as you go...that will take care of much of the airborne particles in the air you now breathe. Do it daily & see if you start to feel better. It sure can't hurt at this point! The spores float through the air & into your lungs & if they are dead, you have less of a chance of getting a viral infection growning inside of you once you breath them in! If the wood has become rotten & moldy, then you need to vacate before the work begins to stay on the safe side/ Have you seen a Doctor? If so, then the owners insurance should pay for your medical bills. You might need to speak to someone in legal aid & start a case once you get toxic mold confirmation.

I have the same exact problem. The tub has dropped 2 inches. The health dept. has been notified. The town health officer has been here as there are many issues such as leaking roof,garden hose plumbing,mold all over, no heat upstairs,pipe straight from septic tank to brook. Big things. I wish you all sorts of luck. I have been here for seven yrs. and nothing has been done. the town admitted to my lawyer they have been letting it slide. Lots of politics involved. Just because it's our right by law to safe and decent housing does not mean it will happen. I just spent three yrs. trying to find legal help as I am disabled with a severe spine disease and an income of $607.54 a month. We are going to court and I am moving out next month I hope. I stand to win a big settlement but it will be a couple of yrs from now. Get everyone involved you can. Is he in compliance with the lead program, are there any agency of natural resourse problems,call your town health officer, I got an independent inspection done and they said there is so much mold and rot that he doubts the structural integrity of the building. And take pictures. As many as you can and of everything that is wrong. I have kept a journal for the whole time and wrote in it every time something happened or he did something dumb and illegal. I mean we have some serious issues here. The windows upstairs are too small to escape from in case of fire. When I asked how the hell we were to get out of them he replied," Adrenaline, when the flames start licking your *** you'll figure it out." Imagine huh? So stick with it and document all that you can with text and pics. Good Luck! After reading the aboves I wanted to add that mold is bad but the courts are still out on just how serious it is as far as they are concerned. I have an expert lawyer in hte field working on this right now and our case can not be made on the mold alone. the insp. guy said the same. We are not supposed to have to live around it but wait until you see how hard it is to get something done about it. You will see.

Yes, many strands of mold are terrible for your immune system and can cause your allergies to act up. Call a Waterproofing company. Many specialize in finding out why you have mold and can lead you in ways to fix the issue. Go to www.basementsystems.com and find an office in your area. They looked at my home for free. If the home has mold then I would alert the person renting you the home. I'm sure the inspector would help you communicate the issue to the owners. If they don't fix it asap I would move. I once moved out early on a lease because the house had some issues. They tried to sue me but lost. Check the laws in your state. I'm sure that you can find info by doing an online search.