Dear Friends,
My apologies for my slight disappearance these last few months friends. I have found myself (and family) knee deep in black mold. First we found it in our bedroom bathroom, behind the toilet and inside the wall. So Ryan then removed it. Then we suspected it in the kitchen, so he demoed that too. Which he found more mold in the walls of the cabinets and sink. The island and storage next to the fridge is what is currently intact.
While this was being taken care of my very kind Aunt and Uncle let us stay with them. Since I am highly allergic, it’s not smart for me to be in the environment when removal is happening. In fact we ended up finding it because I had become a cesspool of sickness for months, and even though hidden behind walls I was still reacting from it. Finally once the mold was removed and air was clean again (about a week) we went back home.
A few days after returning home, we had some heavy rains here. I was doing some work on my computer and heard some noises. I investigated finding a leak in the dinning room ceiling. I noticed a water bubble in the wall and I just started nervously laughing, someone is “punking me”. Where is ASHTON? I know he will pop up here soon….
So we called the insurance again, it took about a week for them to come out. The adjuster came and inspected the leak. He Chatted with Ryan about how there is nothing he or the insurance could do; unfortunately this was just normal home wear and tear. But he suggested, because of the leak you should pull out the drywall and make sure there is no mold growth under there. That evening, I took the kids to dinner and Ryan ripped out the wall.
Guess what? We found the source… a large I mean, large amount of black mold right there in the ceiling. That night we stayed in a hotel. Now we needed to sort out how to make sure it was gone for good! This owning a home is serious business folks.
Plan of action (to defeat MOLD!):
-Make sure we get the mold out, Clean (spray down with mold control, the area, and check the rest of the house for hidden spots)
-Get it dry, Tarp it off, put dehumidifier in the space, Keep the air cool
-Figure out how to function in house without kitchen
-Sort out health, do more research, breathe, breathe again
-Make sure to listen to my therapist; she said looks like another opportunity to practice being “easy going” listen to this advice
-Stay Calm
-Call contractors
-Call roofing companies
-Call tree removal services
- Breathe again
-Plan a home remodel
-Be excited about new kitchen, bedroom bathroom, dinning room, painting the house, (cutting down a tree that is causing your house to fall apart)
-Don’t feel guilty about cutting down a tree that is making your house fall apart
-Embrace Change
- Act like you are camping
- Cook outside, Cook food on induction burners, use crockpot, and get creative
- Wash dishes in the bathroom (no judgments please!)
- Get kids to pitch in
- Use survival instincts
- Push through until its finished
- Be easy going with the timeline of projects (contractors are busy)
- Remember this can be fun!
-Embrace the uncertainty
In some odd way I am glad we found it. Even though my house is currently a construction zone, and it’s not nearly “perfect”. I can actually say I’m okay with it.
Life didn’t give me lemons, but I’d say more like some blank canvas to start creating on. This is an opportunity instead of loss. It’s just a house, its just “stuff”.
Mold will not be the death of me. Challenge accepted.
- Cheers Friends, Nicole
P.S. As we progress with the house I will slowly add updates, thanks for listening friends!