A case of picking the right General Contractor can come down to this simplest of details. Recently ServiceMaster SRQ was called by one of the “big box” hardware chains to solve a mold issue caused by one of its contractors in Sarasota FL. We are not saying this contractor didn’t do really good work; they were just not educated on moisture content.
The contractor was hired to install a new vanity and tile in a bathroom that the Jones Family was updating. The Jones’ had picked out a really nice wood vanity and sink with nice matching tile and grout. The installation had gone perfectly except on the day it was done, it rained in Sarasota. The vanity had gotten wet for about 20 minutes while the plumbing was being finished. The Vanity was wiped off and installed; the only problem was that water had soaked into the back and placed against the drywall. This resulted in the water soaking into the drywall, as it acted a lot like a sponge.
This mixed with the front door being in close proximity to the bathroom started a hidden mold problem. The reason for this is every time the door was opened all of the mold spores in the air outside were allowed to enter the house and in turn the bathroom. When mold spores come in contact with moisture especially in drywall they will attach and start to consume the material. This growth was also aided by a very slow drip in the vanity plumbing behind the drywall. Granted the leak was not the contractors fault because during the installation there was no sign of its presence. That being said, the small amount of mold that was already there now had a constant food source and water to help it flourish.
When were called there was contamination was growing above the back-splash of the vanity. The only thing that could be done was to remove it and the drywall behind it. To do this we had to contain the area with plastic walls and to set up air scrubbers. This prevented contamination to the rest of the home and insured that we would only have to clean the affected area and the hall leading to the front door.
After everything was uninstalled and the area cleaned we had the leak fixed and treated with anti-microbial solution. We dried the vanity in the garage to insure when it was reinstalled the moisture content would not cause the same problem again. When all was said and done, it was a week of hassle and inconvenience the family should have never had to go through.
That being said, it was probably good for the Jones Family in the long run. The drip behind the drywall could have damaged more than just that one bathroom if it wasn’t found and dealt with properly. The moral of this story is that education doesn’t stop with the ability to install a product or do a job.