Cathedraltown Homeowner's Mold Nightmare and the Fix That Worked
This is a story we tell carefully, because it's one of the reasons we do this work.
A young Cathedraltown family called us because of a faint musty smell in the basement. Their 4-year-old had been coughing for months. Their pediatrician had ruled out asthma but couldn't pin down a cause. They suspected mold but couldn't see any.
We pulled back a section of finished drywall behind the laundry room. The cavity was black. Mold had grown across two studs and into the insulation, fed by a slow leak from a cracked foundation wall behind it. The smell was barely noticeable in the room because the wall held it in — but the spores had been entering the air through electrical outlets and the gap behind the baseboards for over a year.
What we did
Removed and properly disposed of all affected drywall and insulation. Cleaned framing with a fungicidal treatment. Repaired the foundation crack with polyurethane injection AND exterior membrane on that section. Replaced insulation and drywall with mold-resistant materials. Followed up with an air-quality reading two weeks later.
What happened to the cough
It cleared up within three weeks. We are not doctors and we won't claim our work cured anything — but the family's pediatrician was the one who told them to look for hidden mold, and three weeks later their daughter slept through the night for the first time in a year.
The takeaway
If anyone in your home has a persistent cough, recurring sinus issues, asthma symptoms, or unexplained allergies — and you have a basement with any history of dampness — get it inspected. Free of charge from us. We'd rather check and find nothing than have another family wait too long.
Get a free inspection in Markham
If you've noticed dampness, cracks, or musty smells in your basement, don't wait. We offer free on-site inspections across Markham, Unionville, Cornell, Berczy Village, Cathedraltown, Markville and Thornhill — and our work is backed by a written workmanship warranty.