Leaky Toilet in California Home Results in Mold Growth and Multiple Lawsuits

In August, KNBC in Los Angeles broadcasted a report about a couple’s rental property that has turned into a nightmare.  A leaky toilet is blamed for damaging the home’s first floor and issues associated with the homeowners’ insurance company and two water damage restoration companies have now resulted in multiple lawsuits.  

According to the report, the restoration company that the insurance company referred the couple to removed carpeting and laminate flooring that was damaged. However, the company did not remove the expensive hardwood floors.  Instead, they attempted to dry them with fans due to the cost to replace them according to the homeowners.  The homeowners then hired a contractor who found existing water below the hardwood floor along with mold growth, which also resulted in walls being removed. 

The investigative report stated that the insurance company claimed the mold was not from the flooding event and only agreed to pay for minimal work. The couple has now hired an attorney who has filed three lawsuits against the insurance company and two restoration and cleanup companies.

“Unfortunately, cases like this occur on a regular basis where water remains out of sight after a flooding event,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager at LA Testing’s Garden Grove facility.  “It takes less than 48 hours for mold to begin to grow when most building materials, belongings or furnishing become wet and are not properly dried.  Not only can the mold ruin or destroy these materials, but anyone in the home or building may then be exposed to elevated levels of mold in the air they breathe.  This can result in allergic reactions, trigger asthma in sensitive people and even result in infections in people with a weakened immune system under some circumstances.”

For anyone who has experienced water damage, LA Testing offers mold and bacteria testing services, moisture meters to measure the moisture content in materials, and even easy-to-use test kits for mold and other allergens often associated with these types of events. For access and more information about any of these test kits, please visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.   

To learn more about water damage and indoor environmental testing services, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794.  


About LA Testing 
LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals.  In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, NVLAP, CDC ELITE, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states.  LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Garden Grove, San Leandro and San Diego.
 

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LA Testing

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