I had a couple shingles fly off in a windstorm, then it snowed. The
slow thaw was perfect for leaking into the attic. I didn't find it
until I smelled something, then found the guest bedroom closet ceiling
almost completely green with mold.

I took most of the things out of the closet, sprayed the ceiling with
full strength clorox, and left a small electric heater in there. Fixed
the roof, then gained access through the gable end sheathing. Pulled
out all the wet insulation I could find/reach, (the insulation was
blown in, gray looking, and a little on the itchy side. I don't know
what it is?). Had a few nice weather days so I screwed some wire lathe
over the gable end hole to keep birds and critters out, but allowed it
to air out some more.

Before bad weather came again I laid down 3 1/2" fiberglass with no
vapor barrier just to give it a little insulation and still ventilation
and closed up the hole (for now) The closet ceiling has been dry and up
to about 100F+ for a week and only a few dark spots show were there was
a lot more mold. Also up in the attic had some mold but was out of
clorox and bad weather coming.

So finally here is the question, If I go in the top again and spray it
with clorox, let it dry, and insulate will I be OK, or will I always
have mold spores there just waiting for some moisture? And should I
remove the drywall in the closet so I can clean and clorox things better
and replace the drywall, or will it be OK with the dry chlorine left
from the evaporated clorox ready to kill any mold if it gets damp?

On Feb 11, 11:05*am, Tony wrote:
I had a couple shingles fly off in a windstorm, then it snowed. *The
slow thaw was perfect for leaking into the attic. *I didn't find it
until I smelled something, then found the guest bedroom closet ceiling
almost completely green with mold.

I took most of the things out of the closet, sprayed the ceiling with
full strength clorox, and left a small electric heater in there. *Fixed
the roof, then gained access through the gable end sheathing. *Pulled
out *all the wet insulation I could find/reach, (the insulation was
blown in, gray looking, and a little on the itchy side. *I don't know
what it is?). *Had a few nice weather days so I screwed some wire lathe
over the gable end hole to keep birds and critters out, but allowed it
to air out some more.

Before bad weather came again I laid down 3 1/2" fiberglass with no
vapor barrier just to give it a little insulation and still ventilation
and closed up the hole (for now) *The closet ceiling has been dry and up
to about 100F+ for a week and only a few dark spots show were there was
a lot more mold. *Also up in the attic had some mold but was out of
clorox and bad weather coming.

So finally here is the question, If I go in the top again and spray it
with clorox, let it dry, and insulate will I be OK, or will I always
have mold spores there just waiting for some moisture? *And should I
remove the drywall in the closet so I can clean and clorox things better
and replace the drywall, or will it be OK with the dry chlorine left
from the evaporated clorox ready to kill any mold if it gets damp?

Mold spores are everywhere just waiting for the right condition to
grow. If you stopped the moisture problem they will die by themselves,
bleach will kill them now quick, but if any mold comes back anywhere
in the attic then you have to figure out why. You cant get rid of the
spores, they are airborn and will return, you can only keep it dry, if
drywall is dry I would probably leave it.

Tony wrote:
I had a couple shingles fly off in a windstorm, then it snowed. The
slow thaw was perfect for leaking into the attic. I didn't find it
until I smelled something, then found the guest bedroom closet ceiling
almost completely green with mold.

I took most of the things out of the closet, sprayed the ceiling with
full strength clorox, and left a small electric heater in there. Fixed
the roof, then gained access through the gable end sheathing. Pulled
out all the wet insulation I could find/reach, (the insulation was
blown in, gray looking, and a little on the itchy side. I don't know
what it is?). Had a few nice weather days so I screwed some wire lathe
over the gable end hole to keep birds and critters out, but allowed it
to air out some more.

Before bad weather came again I laid down 3 1/2" fiberglass with no
vapor barrier just to give it a little insulation and still ventilation
and closed up the hole (for now) The closet ceiling has been dry and up
to about 100F+ for a week and only a few dark spots show were there was
a lot more mold. Also up in the attic had some mold but was out of
clorox and bad weather coming.

So finally here is the question, If I go in the top again and spray it
with clorox, let it dry, and insulate will I be OK, or will I always
have mold spores there just waiting for some moisture? And should I
remove the drywall in the closet so I can clean and clorox things better
and replace the drywall, or will it be OK with the dry chlorine left
from the evaporated clorox ready to kill any mold if it gets damp?


First, read up on mold and avoid the panic messages. Mold spores are
everywhere there is air....they don't start growing unless they find
adequate moisture and food.

I would be inclined to replace the damaged drywall and would do the rest
of the work when weather is warm and dry. Once wet, it is not as sound.
And be careful with the dang electric heater....keep room warm and air
circulating.

wrote:
Tony wrote:
I had a couple shingles fly off in a windstorm, then it snowed. The
slow thaw was perfect for leaking into the attic. I didn't find it
until I smelled something, then found the guest bedroom closet ceiling
almost completely green with mold.

I took most of the things out of the closet, sprayed the ceiling with
full strength clorox, and left a small electric heater in there.
Fixed the roof, then gained access through the gable end sheathing.
Pulled out all the wet insulation I could find/reach, (the insulation
was blown in, gray looking, and a little on the itchy side. I don't
know what it is?). Had a few nice weather days so I screwed some wire
lathe over the gable end hole to keep birds and critters out, but
allowed it to air out some more.

Before bad weather came again I laid down 3 1/2" fiberglass with no
vapor barrier just to give it a little insulation and still
ventilation and closed up the hole (for now) The closet ceiling has
been dry and up to about 100F+ for a week and only a few dark spots
show were there was a lot more mold. Also up in the attic had some
mold but was out of clorox and bad weather coming.

So finally here is the question, If I go in the top again and spray it
with clorox, let it dry, and insulate will I be OK, or will I always
have mold spores there just waiting for some moisture? And should I
remove the drywall in the closet so I can clean and clorox things
better and replace the drywall, or will it be OK with the dry chlorine
left from the evaporated clorox ready to kill any mold if it gets damp?


First, read up on mold and avoid the panic messages. Mold spores are
everywhere there is air....they don't start growing unless they find
adequate moisture and food.

I would be inclined to replace the damaged drywall and would do the rest
of the work when weather is warm and dry. Once wet, it is not as sound.
And be careful with the dang electric heater....keep room warm and air
circulating.

Oh, forgot to mention the ceiling has a weird finish. Not popcorn. It
looks like they took a rectangular trowel with lots of mud, pushed it up
flat on the ceiling then pulled it straight down. The ceiling is full
of little "stalactites". Anyone know what I mean? Does my method sound
right?

It was sagging but I had it propped up while drying and is staying up
much better than I had thought. It had sagged across the span of 3
joists, it let loose in the center joist. From up top looks like it was
only glued to the joist and the glue let loose. If I don't replace it,
since it's in a closet, I was thinking of 2 or 3 screws with fender
washers and splash some white on that. But then again, if I ever have
to repair this finish out where it shows, the closet ceiling would be a
good place to practice! I think maybe I'll screw it up (that doesn't
sound right) and when the weather is nice decide whether to tear it out
then since I will never be able to reach all of the insulation from up
top, part of it has to be insulated from below. I'll be able to fix it
right if I have access from the bottom and the top at the same time.

I guess I'm answering some of my own questions but I do appreciate the
opinions and especially not freaking out about the mold!

Tony wrote:
I had a couple shingles fly off in a windstorm, then it snowed. The
slow thaw was perfect for leaking into the attic. I didn't find it
until I smelled something, then found the guest bedroom closet ceiling
almost completely green with mold.

I took most of the things out of the closet, sprayed the ceiling with
full strength clorox, and left a small electric heater in there. Fixed
the roof, then gained access through the gable end sheathing. Pulled
out all the wet insulation I could find/reach, (the insulation was
blown in, gray looking, and a little on the itchy side. I don't know
what it is?). Had a few nice weather days so I screwed some wire lathe
over the gable end hole to keep birds and critters out, but allowed it
to air out some more.

Before bad weather came again I laid down 3 1/2" fiberglass with no
vapor barrier just to give it a little insulation and still ventilation
and closed up the hole (for now) The closet ceiling has been dry and up
to about 100F+ for a week and only a few dark spots show were there was
a lot more mold. Also up in the attic had some mold but was out of
clorox and bad weather coming.

So finally here is the question, If I go in the top again and spray it
with clorox, let it dry, and insulate will I be OK, or will I always
have mold spores there just waiting for some moisture? And should I
remove the drywall in the closet so I can clean and clorox things better
and replace the drywall, or will it be OK with the dry chlorine left
from the evaporated clorox ready to kill any mold if it gets damp?

Why the heck would you have to go through the gable like a giant
squirrel to gain access? There is no attic hatch ANYWHERE in your house?
I can almost understand it if you only have one of those hatches sized
for a ten year old in a closet ceiling, but in that case I would convert
the hole you created into a proper access door. Frame it out, make a
hinged door panel with double latches, with some sort of weather seal
and cap flashing above. Idiot who insulated my attic, instead of
tracking through the house to the main hallway access panel (which would
have required cleaning up after himself), sawzall'd a hole in the buried
gable to the added-on attached garage. If I didn't have a firestop
ceiling in the garage, I would have been really ****ed at him. But now I
have to keep the attic hatch in the garage covered (a bit of a pain 12
feet off the floor), and sometimes in a windstorm, it get sucked up into
the attic by gusts passing through the attic vents. SOB even used my
extension ladder to get up there, without asking me first.

(I'll never have a tradesman doing any inside work without me being home
again. It is worth it having to use up a vacation day, just to avoid the
callbacks.)

--
aem sends...

aemeijers wrote:
Tony wrote:
I had a couple shingles fly off in a windstorm, then it snowed. The
slow thaw was perfect for leaking into the attic. I didn't find it
until I smelled something, then found the guest bedroom closet ceiling
almost completely green with mold.

I took most of the things out of the closet, sprayed the ceiling with
full strength clorox, and left a small electric heater in there.
Fixed the roof, then gained access through the gable end sheathing.
Pulled out all the wet insulation I could find/reach, (the insulation
was blown in, gray looking, and a little on the itchy side. I don't
know what it is?). Had a few nice weather days so I screwed some wire
lathe over the gable end hole to keep birds and critters out, but
allowed it to air out some more.

Before bad weather came again I laid down 3 1/2" fiberglass with no
vapor barrier just to give it a little insulation and still
ventilation and closed up the hole (for now) The closet ceiling has
been dry and up to about 100F+ for a week and only a few dark spots
show were there was a lot more mold. Also up in the attic had some
mold but was out of clorox and bad weather coming.

So finally here is the question, If I go in the top again and spray it
with clorox, let it dry, and insulate will I be OK, or will I always
have mold spores there just waiting for some moisture? And should I
remove the drywall in the closet so I can clean and clorox things
better and replace the drywall, or will it be OK with the dry chlorine
left from the evaporated clorox ready to kill any mold if it gets damp?

Why the heck would you have to go through the gable like a giant
squirrel to gain access? There is no attic hatch ANYWHERE in your house?

No. Sorry to say it's a double wide. As far as the access, I first
carefully pried the outer fake T-111 at it's edges as not to do any
damage to it. Then I used a sawzall to go through some OSB which gave
me access to the attic. From some previous work on the opposite gable
end I have a can of custom matched paint for touching up nails/screws
when the outer layer gets put back up. I use the paint sort of
artistically making lines to simulate the two tone fake woodgrain as it
was originally. In other words, nail heads don't just get a dab of
paint on them, they get a mostly vertical paint line over them so they
better blend in with the fake grain.
--
Secret Squirrel Hulk

Tony wrote in
:

aemeijers wrote:
Tony wrote:
I had a couple shingles fly off in a windstorm, then it snowed. The
slow thaw was perfect for leaking into the attic. I didn't find it
until I smelled something, then found the guest bedroom closet
ceiling almost completely green with mold.

I took most of the things out of the closet, sprayed the ceiling
with full strength clorox, and left a small electric heater in
there. Fixed the roof, then gained access through the gable end
sheathing. Pulled out all the wet insulation I could find/reach,
(the insulation was blown in, gray looking, and a little on the
itchy side. I don't know what it is?). Had a few nice weather days
so I screwed some wire lathe over the gable end hole to keep birds
and critters out, but allowed it to air out some more.

Before bad weather came again I laid down 3 1/2" fiberglass with no
vapor barrier just to give it a little insulation and still
ventilation and closed up the hole (for now) The closet ceiling has
been dry and up to about 100F+ for a week and only a few dark spots
show were there was a lot more mold. Also up in the attic had some
mold but was out of clorox and bad weather coming.

So finally here is the question, If I go in the top again and spray
it with clorox, let it dry, and insulate will I be OK, or will I
always have mold spores there just waiting for some moisture? And
should I remove the drywall in the closet so I can clean and clorox
things better and replace the drywall, or will it be OK with the dry
chlorine left from the evaporated clorox ready to kill any mold if
it gets damp?

Why the heck would you have to go through the gable like a giant
squirrel to gain access? There is no attic hatch ANYWHERE in your
house?

No. Sorry to say it's a double wide. As far as the access, I first
carefully pried the outer fake T-111 at it's edges as not to do any
damage to it. Then I used a sawzall to go through some OSB which gave
me access to the attic. From some previous work on the opposite gable
end I have a can of custom matched paint for touching up nails/screws
when the outer layer gets put back up. I use the paint sort of
artistically making lines to simulate the two tone fake woodgrain as
it was originally. In other words, nail heads don't just get a dab of
paint on them, they get a mostly vertical paint line over them so they
better blend in with the fake grain.

Be nice to know a mobile home up front. Totally different construction
basics.