Proper restoration method for moisture damaged wal

[ramdino]

Got a call about a house that had experienced a newly installed HVAC drip pan overflow. The water damage got down into the lower level and was significant enough to damage the hardwood in one room and carpet in another. The incorrect installation of the HVAC is a given as the malfunction should not have occurred. No discussion needed there. The homeowner is now experiencing headaches and respiratory issues that she did not before and they get better when she goes away from the house. The restoration company replaced the hardwoods, they don't match. They tried to just repaint the ceiling but did remove a small section at the insistence of the owner. The owner feels they are shady. No insulation was removed. My opinion is that since it got wet inside interior partitions, that the sheetrock needs to be removed and replaced and any mold growth there should be remediated as well as remove all sheetrock ceiling that got wet. Is this too draconian? I plan on going out there and looking at the attic insulation to see if it got wet, and moving it around to see if I see stained sheetrock. Is there anyway short of removing the sheetrock walls to determine if there is mold growth in the wall. Your opinions please.

[Tom Raymond]

If it's wet it is safe to assume there is mold growth. If it has dried up the mold will soon follow.

Her headaches will go away when she hires a decent contractor.

[Marc]

Any mold in the wall, or anywhere actually, isn't the direct cause of health issues. The direct cause is mold spores in the air. So get a mold consultant, not a mold inspector mind you, to examine and confirm that there is indeed an elevated airborne mold spore count in the house, then hunt the growth down from there.

Sheer imagination can sometimes make people sick.

Marc