Have you ever wanted to complete a home improvement project that your spouse would rather you skipped?
This has been the case with the carpet in our bonus room. It's original to the house (that means it's over 20 years old) and has the following stains: an iron burn, rust rings, purple tints from red wine, fruit juice, and popsicles, and the invisible but disgusting memories of urine (durind daughter's potty training), cat poop, and rodent body parts (again thanks to the cats). In short, I felt like I was in a cheap motel every night - you know the kind - you wouldn't dream of stepping foot on the carpet without your slippers!
Despite my husband's protests (too much money, the kids will trash it, I don't want to move the furniture) I ordered new carpet at a clearance price. Feeling smug, the installation date was scheduled and even though I promised to move out the billion books and toys, I hurt my back and my other half had to do all the work.
Finally, the glorious day of New Carpet arrived (Tuesday) and the installers pulled out the old carpet and called me in alarm. "You've got mold under here, lady. Lots! You've got to prime this floor. We'll be back Thursday."
MOLD? Prime? Me?
Indeed, the floor, hall, and stairs were covered with the stuff, so I spent all afternoon and a bit of this morning covering the floor with thick coats of Kilz. I wanted this, right? Well, I got it! Our house is a disaster, but I feel like I have rid us of a potential sickness, so this new carpet might have saved our very lives.
(Yeah, my husband doesn't see it that way, but I hope our world will be back in order tomorrow)
What home improvements would you love to make if time, money, and a grumbling spouse were of no consequence?
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7 comments:
Will the Kilz get rid of the mold? No need to bleach and all that fun stuff?
Hope the installation today goes without a glitch!
Mold can be scary--I have a friend who had to move out of her house and strip all the wallboard out of it. Have you checked in other places?
We live in a Victorian house where the dining room floor is original--or was until someone sanded it badly, quite a few years ago. Plus it's not a waterproof finish, so every time a cat barfs... I would love to lay a new floor in there, but it's not happening fast.
I hope your carpet installation went well. Carpet and new closet doors are on my house to do list that hopefully we will get to sometime in the next year or so.
No beautification projects this year. It's been the year of home maintenance. Started in December when the water heater died. Then, new tile under water heater area. Then garage door opener died, still in Dec. Then sewer drains had to be unclogged in March. Not glamerous but necessary. And this summer, two new screens on screen doors, one for patio which Super Max charged thru when thunderstorm scared him. Other to replace aging screen on door to garage. Hmmmm, let's see....oh yes, new window blinds in my bedroom bec others got too old to function. And pruning trees, clearing gutters, cutting branches, and other weird maintenance stuff.
Ain't home ownership grand?
JB....I totally know about back problems!!!!!! But what a mess to find under the carpet. But all is well now.
I want to started redoing walls and such....but hubby is too busy on weekends.....maybe this fall I'll get to it...after all my pain management appointments. Take care of your back!!!!!!!
You have taken the best decision ever...but cleaning the mold has to be done in a more professional way so that it does not come back again.There are very good services which you can hire through the net and get rid of them.
take good care of the carpet installation.Molds are scary and they may even be a cause of your death sometimes.
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