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We had a bad leak around a window last month. We ripped out all of the drywall and insulation and had a contractor come by to fix the leak. There was a little mold on some of the drywall, but we cut it out and threw it out. We definitely got it all because we were cutting into clean drywall by the time we were done. The contractor who fixed the leak told us the wood framing looked good to him and we should just treat it with a borax/water solution to prevent or kill mold. We did that and the are has not been any leaking around that window since then.
The wall is still opened up in that room and it doesn't smell moldy, but it smells damp and stale. We need to close it up, but the smell concerns me. I have showed it to a couple of friends who are fairly knowledgeable about home repairs and they just say that it's an old house with old wood framing that has been closed up for decades, so it stinks a little bit. Are they right? Has anyone else opened up old walls during a reno and just had a damp/stale smell? There really is no evidence of lingering mold.
The wall is still opened up in that room and it doesn't smell moldy, but it smells damp and stale. We need to close it up, but the smell concerns me. I have showed it to a couple of friends who are fairly knowledgeable about home repairs and they just say that it's an old house with old wood framing that has been closed up for decades, so it stinks a little bit. Are they right? Has anyone else opened up old walls during a reno and just had a damp/stale smell? There really is no evidence of lingering mold.