Tips to Avoid Renting a Moldy Apartment in Los Angeles

By some estimates, there are over 550,000 apartments in Los Angeles that make up over 40% of all housing in the city. These apartments are managed by landlords and professional management companies and range from low income apartments to luxury living accommodations.

As is the case with virtually any type of building, water damage and elevated humidity levels can result in the growth of mold in apartment complexes. The presence of mold can cause a wide range of health concerns from triggering asthma and causing allergies to hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), infections and exposing people to toxins known as mycotoxins.

Mold occurs naturally in the environment. It can begin to grow in as short as 48 hours if the mold lands on surfaces where there is moisture such as where leaks may have occurred in roofs, pipes, walls, or where there has been flooding or excessive humidity. Many apartment building materials, furnishings and belongings provide suitable nutrients that encourage mold to grow when moisture is present. Wet cellulose materials, including paper and paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood, and wood products, are particularly conducive for the growth of some types of mold. Other materials such as dust, paint, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery, also commonly support mold growth. Mold may even be on or in many building materials before they were ever even used to construct the apartment complex.

“Tenants rarely know if there has been water damage and mold issues in a unit before they move in,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager of LA Testing’s Garden Grove facility. “It’s important that they ask if the unit they are considering for a lease has ever suffered water damage or mold concerns. Taking a simple test inside the unit can also reveal the presence of mold. At LA Testing, we offer mold analysis, sampling supplies and easy-to-use test kits so renters can make informed decisions.”

LA Testing has sponsored a video about apartments, mold and indoor air quality that can be seen at: http://youtu.be/AFjuj-Asb5I. 

To learn more about mold and indoor air quality testing or other environmental, occupational, health and safety issues, please visit www.LATesting.com, email  info@LATesting.com  or call (800) 755-1794. For access to consumer-friendly indoor environmental test kits, please visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.

About LA Testing

LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other substances.  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, CDC ELITE, NVLAP, 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.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

LA Testing

(1) 8563032503

Contact via E-mail