Mold & Mildew Cleanup in Zephyrhills, FL

Why does my manufactured home smell musty?

About 27 percent of housing units in Zephyrhills are mobile homes, and they have their own moisture habits. Rain gets in at roof seams, around vents and at window corners. Underneath, the skirting traps humid air, and if a supply line drips or the underbelly wrap tears, the insulation stays wet and the floor above smells musty. Start outside: walk the perimeter after a rain, look under the home for standing water or sagging insulation, and check the roof edges. Inside, gray spotting around window frames and in the back corners of closets is often the first visible sign.

Can I clean the mildew myself?

Often, yes. EPA says a moldy area under about 10 square feet is in most cases a homeowner job. Wear gloves, goggles and an N-95 respirator, open windows or run a fan, scrub hard surfaces with detergent and water and dry them completely. Cut out dark caulk rather than caulking over it. Nearly 30 percent of Zephyrhills residents are 65 or older, and EPA says people with asthma or weakened immune systems should stay away from moldy areas, so it's reasonable to have someone else do the scrubbing. Skip the job and call for help if the patch is bigger than about 3 ft by 3 ft, the drywall or paneling is soft, or the growth is around AC vents.

When is mildew really a leak?

When it comes back. The median home in Zephyrhills was built around 1990, and about 34 percent predate 1980, so plenty of roofs, windows and plumbing lines are past their first life. Mildew that returns to the same ceiling corner points to the roof; mildew low on a wall behind a vanity points to plumbing; mildew on vent covers and a damp air handler closet point to the AC drain. A company can open the area, find what's wet and remove material that won't clean up.

A local note

Zephyrhills is inland, so storm surge isn't the threat it is on the Pasco coast, but the city's Code Enforcement handles minimum housing issues such as roofs and windows, through its online service request portal. If repairs go beyond cleaning, the City of Zephyrhills Building Department issues building permits inside city limits.