wrote:
I just found a quite serious mold problem in my unfinished
basement---after peeling off the plastic covers and isolations (the
first owner or the builder covered the isolation with the plastic
sheets), I found an area of 10ft. X 5ft size on the wallboard are
dark-black with several small spots rotten...I guess it's so-called
black mold due to the long-time dampness. It's my first time buying a
house and I feel very panic and depressed...would you please tell me
how to do next? Contact my insurance company first? or find a mold
cleanup company to have a free estimate first?

Since the bad situation and it involves some vertical supporting wooden
poles for the first floor, I don't think the mold cleanup would do the
work...maybe those wallboard and poles should be replaced---it's the
huge work I think, which kind of company should I turn to? A
construction company? I really don't have any experience about this
issue. Please teach me. Thanks a lot in advance. - Mike


Don't panic! And don't make any hasty decisions.

Spend some time on the Internet studying about mold problems.

Mold cleanup (remediation) companies are generally rip-off,
quick-buck firms, although there may be some reputable ones.

Step #1 should be to find out *why* the mold grew.
Is it too humid in the basement? If so, that needs to be
fixed (dehumidifier).

If it is wallboard (drywall) that is moldy, the best answer
may be to remove it rather than attempt remediation. The "poles"
(studs?) could be saved, perhaps.

Here are a few links to get you started :

http://www.dehs.umn.edu/iaq/fungus/
http://www3.sympatico.ca/ross.fraser/Richard9.htm
http://www.toxic-black-mold-info.com/moldsigns.htm
http://www.moldcheck.com/MoldCleanUp.asp
http://www.molddamagecontrol.com/list.htm
http://www.moldinspector.com/mold_removal.htm


Do a
http://google.com/
search for: Mold + Remediation

Thousands of pages.
Many are from commercial "cleanup" companies,
but there are some helpful sites out there as well.

Jim