| Author |
Message |
    
kraines
Citizen
Username: Kraines
Post Number: 5
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 5:20 pm: |     |
We are a little freaked out after learning that our new house was "submerged" under water for several days last winter and had a substantial amount of water damage (due to a faulty water heater and subsequent frozen\burst pipe on the third floor). The sellers did not disclose this to us, so we have no idea (other than the fire department's report) about the extent of the damage or how it was cleaned and repaired.
When we pulled down some panneling in the dining room, the plaster was covered in mold, which leads me to think that there is probably more mold hidden in the walls\ceilings, although our home inspector did not find anything, and there is no obvious sign of mold or mildew.
Does anyone know of anyone who specializes in mold detection? I saw an episode of "Jon Eakes" with mold sniffing dogs, but I don't have any idea on where to start looking for such a thing. |
PJV
Citizen
Username: Pjv
Post Number: 1
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 6:12 pm: | |
PMK Group in Cranford, New Jersey is involved with mold sampling to determine what types of mold are present as well as remediation. Also, your homeowner's insurance company may have a firm that they use to handle these types of situations. |
eliz
Citizen
Username: Eliz
Post Number: 732
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 6:41 pm: | |
I just read on article on mold in New York magazine and according to the author most home insurance policies no longer cover mold remediation.
I have no legal idea but wouldn't the seller have been under an obligation to disclose this? From the article I read remediation can be very expensive. |
Blueandgold
Citizen
Username: Blueandgold
Post Number: 9
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 9:15 pm: | |
Call Jim Malek of Indoor Environmental Services, 732-288-2981 or 908-910-4742. We purchased our home last September and prior to the purchase found mold in the basement. We hired Jim to perform a thorough inspection of the house. Then based on the test results, we hired Jim to remediate the mold. He and his staff did a super job! |
Ruck1977
Citizen
Username: Ruck1977
Post Number: 75
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 12:28 pm: | |
Not to cause panic, but mold can be a serious problem. from what i know, many times they have to basically break down walls to find it. I have seen one or two programs on tv with the mold sniffing dogs as well. I have also seen programs where the mold was causing a lot of sickness to the poeople who lived in teh house.
Good luck to you. |
marian
Citizen
Username: Marian
Post Number: 150
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 12:42 pm: | |
Kraines,
You should really call the lawyer who represented you with the sale before you start calling mold remediation folks. The seller had an obligation to reveal that information to you and should be held liable for whatever costs you incur to remedy the damage.
Good luck.
|
TomR
Citizen
Username: Tomr
Post Number: 160
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 1:31 pm: | |
In this, as well as other threads, ther's been talk of a seller's disclosure obligations.
Whence arises this obligation? Did Trenton pass a law that I missed?
TomR. |
marian
Citizen
Username: Marian
Post Number: 151
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 2:22 pm: | |
TomR,
You are correct in assuming that our state legislators have not passed any recent laws to my knowledge on the obligations of sellers in New Jersey.
However, in most residential home sales there is a disclosure form included in the contract of sale. If Kraines checks his contract carefully, he will hopefully find that one of the disclosure form questions pertained to leaks, water damage and/or flooding.
If the seller claimed that he/she has no knowledge of any of these conditions in the house but Kraines found out that the Fire Dept. has a record of a major flood during the time the previous owner lived there, Kraines will likely have a cause of action. |
Lizziecat
Citizen
Username: Lizziecat
Post Number: 198
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 4:04 pm: | |
Did you have the house inspected by a licensed home inspector beore you bought it? |
kraines
Citizen
Username: Kraines
Post Number: 6
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 6:12 pm: | |
Yes, the house was inspected by a licensed home inspector, who found no evidence of mold. We only discovered it after pulling down the paneling and exposing the original plaster. We are having the house inspected by a indoor environment specialist this week, who should be able to tell us more about the water damage and the indoor air quality.
I'll update this when we know more... |
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