:eek:

We had recently discovered a crack in our basement at the property we rent from. It's a huge crack that moves all along the foundation as well as causing the entire wall to bow out and crack. You can see where they originally tried to patch it by drywall tape and some mud. The owner has been here twice in the last six months, came in looked at basement and left, which leads us to believe they knew this was a problem. Now, they are coming to fix it, my concern is the mold that might be growing back there, they have not mentioned testing for mold before they come in to tear the wall apart. I am concerned for my daughter and our health, they seem completely unconcerned however. When ask what if they find mold she stated, well we will clean it up. They won't let us out of the lease unless a doctor says we have been exposed? Is this right? Is there something I can do to make them test for it before they destroy the sheetrock??

I have different reservations on the Mold scares.

Most of the time we use clorax and water to kill. It. I have seen on shows where they treat mold like it's a nuclear hazard. Of all the contractors I know and also me working on and around mold for over the 30+ years never had a problem except one person.

I know do know a woman that cleaned out her window Air conditioner filter and inhaled some mold spores and did die.

BUT if you are that worried then get a mold expert to take a look behind the drywall. Either or you need to find it before you panic. Think how many millions of homes and structures that have some form of mold somewhere.

If they don't find mold then all this was for no reason to panic and move.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2982waB8bz0&feature=PlayList&p=9D204191666B78F1&index=6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38r3uCpAIfo&feature=PlayList&p=9D204191666B78F1&index=7

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hlonQuKizo&feature=PlayList&p=9D204191666B78F1&index=9

If the LL makes any reasonable attempt to repair you will not be able to walk away from the lease. You could try to stir things up by asking the health department to make a determination regarding habitability of the unit, they have the power to shut it down.