LESLIE: Now we’ve got Al in South Dakota on the line who needs some help with mold removal. What can we do for you?
AL: My son has a house that has mold in his basement walls, say, like about 2 feet up from the floor up. And just wondering how to remove that.
TOM: Is it – is this basement finished or unfinished?
AL: Finished.
TOM: And the mold is on what? Drywall?
AL: No, it’s a poured basement and then there – I think it’s cemented over. It has a coating over it and then on the outside of that, there’s a – there’s mold that appears.
TOM: OK. So it’s coming through the concrete wall?
AL: Yes, correct. Mm-hmm.
TOM: Alright. So then it’s not finished. Does it look like grayish and white?
AL: Yes.
TOM: Yeah, that’s not mold. That’s most like efflorescence. Basically, water from the outside soaks into the concrete wall and then that moisture evaporates into the basement and it leaves its mineral salts behind. And you can prove it if you take some white vinegar and splash it on the salt; it’ll just melt away and wash right away. Highly unlikely that what you’re describing is mold.
AL: Oh. So use some white vinegar, you say.
TOM: Yeah. People confuse it with mold all the time but it’s not; it’s mineral salt.
LESLIE: I guess just because the location, you know?
TOM: Yeah.
LESLIE: It seems like that’s what it should be.
AL: Yeah, yeah. Great. Well, I thank you so much. Appreciate your help.
TOM: You’re welcome, Al. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
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