Panicking about mold

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Travelisaverb
Weekend Camper
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2014 5:27 am
B190 Year: 1995
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Location: Chicago, IL

Panicking about mold

Post by Travelisaverb »

So I've had my RV stored in a storage lot with other RV for the winter. Something or someone messed with my fridge access panel and it was wide open when I arrived. Water I guess leaked in from a storm. I had a few rubber backed carpets on top of the carpeting and discovered black mold today underneath. There are some mushroomy like fungus coming out the bottomof the fridge cabinet.!!!!! (See photos)So I'm pissed and upset, mainly im supposed to leave for a trip in 3 days. Needless to say if you look at the carpet, it needs to come out. But WTF happened to the inset aluminum table stand base? It looks like someone poured detergent all over it!!!!! It's gunky white goo all over it and smells a little bit like chrolrine. And the screws are dissolving!?!

Anyone have an idea what happened here? And had experience taking out carpet without removing the cabinetry?

I'm taking it to the Nevada desert for. Burning man in two weeks so that should dry it out.
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weekender
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Re: Panicking about mold

Post by weekender »

Looks like quite a mess, and mold is not something to mess around with. I've removed the carpet from my rig easily, cutting at the cabinet base (put down adhesive tiles), but I suspect you will need to do a lot more. Under the carpet is simply plywood, which is likely also now full of mold. First step will be to get the carpet you can see-- out, then be able to determine what is below. Idea's only on the table base. It is aluminum, and who knows how water and the chemicals in the carpet (both the wall to wall and the area rugs on top) reacted -- I would bet the base will clean up enough-- have to get the screws out. Sure hope it can be salvaged without having to replace the plywood sub floor.
Travelisaverb
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Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2014 5:27 am
B190 Year: 1995
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Location: Chicago, IL

Re: Panicking about mold

Post by Travelisaverb »

Me too. Me too.im cutting carpet along the cabinets but you are right that carpets underneath the cabinets and the fridge needs to come out too. I'm not particularly handy about these things (pulling the woman card). And I'm perplexed where the cabinetry is secured to the floor. It is it?

I' haven't turned on the fridge yet. Anyone think that water caused any damage?


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Tucsonan
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Re: Panicking about mold

Post by Tucsonan »

Travelisaverb wrote:Me too. Me too.im cutting carpet along the cabinets but you are right that carpets underneath the cabinets and the fridge needs to come out too. I'm not particularly handy about these things (pulling the woman card). And I'm perplexed where the cabinetry is secured to the floor. It is it?

I' haven't turned on the fridge yet. Anyone think that water caused any damage?


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Hi, Travelisaverb

I just saw your last post on this thread. Strange that I didn't see it back in August. I had a similar issue with moisture from the refrigerator causing the subfloor to rot. (previous owner). I eventually pulled everything out down to the metal and replaced the entire subfloor in front of the divider wall. Not that you want to do that, but if you have any questions on how cabinetry is attached, etc. please let me know.

I would definitely pull up the carpet, seal over any moldy subfloor, and replace with something that can't absorb moisture. I used Trafficmaster Allure "Ultra" synthetic woodplank. I've been happy with it so far. Now, I just need to finish getting all of the cabinetry back in! LOL ;-)
1994 B190, Sahuarita Arizona

"... but it's a dry heat!"
Ricci
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Re: Panicking about mold

Post by Ricci »

How did you turn out? I was evacuated from my home and all of my possessions contaminated from the mold growing under the house. By the time we could smell it it was too late. It left me extremely ill for 3 years until I was able to find a doctor that could identify it as biotoxin illness or mycotoxin poisoning. I couldnt drive, stand the light or noise, cognitive issues, on and on. I am better after 16 months of intense detox and treatment but can often get little hits if Im exposed again. I hope you are ok and wore a respirator when dealing with it. The invisible spores are microscopic and get into your system through nose, skin and eyes. I could not do a remediation on my own.
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