What type of mold is it that's causing problems in homes? Is my grandmother getting conned?

My grandmother says she tested her home for mold from a kit she bought at Lowe's Improvement Center after hearing about a neighbor who had discovered a mold problem that cost her $40,000 to clean up. (Apparently it was a really bad black mold problem that resulted in many parts of her home having to be taken down to the studs to remove all the spores.) My grandmother's been concerned about a smell in the last several weeks indicating mold or mildew and she has had ongoing respiratory problems for many months that her doctor can't seem to help her get rid of. She's otherwise a very healthy adult.
Anyway, when she received positive results for this mold, she thinks it might be able to resolve her mystery respiratory problems but is fearful at what it may cost. She's planning on using the same company her neighbor did. No, the company didn't solicit her business or even encourage the testing.

$40,000 to remove mold. Is this real? Or is it the newest con?
What's the name of this mold that's supposedly so dangerous so I can google it myself?

She says this mold is under stuff (in the wood, under the linolium, etc.) and can't be seen. She's lived in this wood frame house for 50 years and has kept it as clean (disinfected and tidy) as anything I've ever seen. The area she's worried about is the bathroom area.

I just went through the very same situation with my parents house.

First, the mold test kits that you can buy at Lowes, etc are not very accurate. According to the professional we had come in and do mold abatement, the home self test kits are famous for getting people all worked up over what usually a false reading.

$40,000 sounds a little steep for that kind of service, but each case is different.

Since the mold problem was caused by water damage in my parent's place, the cost of the mold removal was covered by their Homeowners insurance. Check your police to see if you are covered, it may just cost you the amount of your deductible if you are lucky.

Before you let anybody do any kind of work in your house make sure you do a little checking up on them. Make sure they are fully insured for any damage they may cause in your home. We actually had to take the company that did our work to court because they ended up causing the mold to be spread to the rest of the house.... It was just one big headache!

Regular household bleach kills mold. Mold is on the surface of things, it does not have roots and burrow into wood etc. The moisture can cause the deterioration of wood and drywall etc. You might have to have it removed but $40,000 is a ridiculous sum for some character to come in and bleach your home. You would be better off spending the money to find the source of leaks or moisture in the house. good luck

I am sorry to hear about your grandmother. It does seem rather late in the day as far as the extent of the mold is concerned. Ventilation is the best way to avoid the developement of this fungus. It thrives in conditions of a combination of aspects. 1, A lack of ventilation, Dampness, Darkness and warmth. It is alive and therefore expanding its field. $40.000 is a lot of money, So why not find a handyman, who could come in, and using a "fungicidal wash" scrub all the affected walls. This would need to be done twice, to be effective, and you would only do this once you have eliminated the cause of the mold. Find the CAUSE of the damp and eliminate it, ventilate, get rid of dark areas by moving furniture away and let the light in. Help yourself and save your money. Finally in low dark corners you could install an "air brick" to increase air and light. Good luck.

The challenge the last respondent avocating a do it yourself approach failed to consider is the possibility of mold on the inside of the walls. The firms that do certifications of mold mitigation work have instruments to detect the existence of the mold and then to test that the mitigation was successful, both inside the house and between the interior walls and the siding. What your grandmother will need to have done to ease her mind, is to identify the locations of the mold, then proceed as has been described by others, but also, as a condition of the contract for removing the mold, have the home certified as mold free again. This step is essential and a significant portion of the contract price should be due only after the certification is obtained. This will keep the con men from wanting the job as well.

Good luck

The toxic mold you are thinking about is called Stachybotrys. I have attached the EPA website. The real problem with mold is the moisture issue. If the source of the moisture is not taken care of, then mold returns. I suggest finding an industrial hygienist in your area. They test the environment for mold. If it is not Stachybotrys, then you need to fix the source of the moisture and clean up the mold. I can see $40,000 being a realistic amount depending on what is found in the house. However, there are a lot of con artists out there. Make sure to have several different companies give estimates and make sure that whoever is out there to "clean up" the mold has references. If they say it is cleaned and you can still see black, then they just sprayed over the mold. I have attached the EPA's website on mold. I hope this helps.

Go to her home and look yourself for the problems. Walls and flooring may need to be replaced, the old material disposed of as a hazard. Mold is caused by water and lack of sunlight in some areas. It is very dangerous in many cases. Yoour best solution is to ask at least 10 companies that do this type of work if they could give an estimate, then consider which 3 might be best for your situation. The top and bottom bids are not what you need to use, just the midrange. Try to eliminate the source of the moisture, leaky roof, surface water drainage, lack of exhaust fans, could be the problem. The mold is the result. $40k is a bid that may be very fair, it depends on what the labor rates are in your area, what the damage to her home is and how extensive the repairs are. In Seattle that is about 20 man weeks of labor, but the job has about 1/2 of that in material and profit so it is probably 5 men for 2 weeks to remove walls and replace them, then paint and finish.