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Had a homeowner insist I install new carpet over a subfloor with a small damp spot
So I was on a job last week, a full carpet replacement in a back bedroom. I pulled up the old stuff and right by the wall, there was this dark patch on the subfloor, maybe two feet across. It was damp to the touch, not soaked, but you could feel the moisture. The homeowner saw it and said it was fine, that it would 'dry out' and to just lay the new pad and carpet right over it. I told him that's a straight ticket to mold city and the pad would soak it up like a sponge. He got annoyed and said it would cost too much to fix the leak first. It put me in a tough spot between doing the job 'right' and losing the job entirely. In the end, I walked. Has anyone else had to make a call like that where doing the right thing for the floor meant turning down the work?
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mary_kelly7mo ago
Your mention of a "damp spot" reminded me of a story my neighbor told about his cousin. They covered up a wet patch like that and had to tear out the whole floor a year later because of black mold. You were smart to walk away from that job. Putting carpet over it is just asking for trouble, no matter what the homeowner says. Saving money now will cost them way more later.
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the_miles7mo ago
Yeah, and @mary_kelly's neighbor's story is spot on. The real kicker is that black mold often starts in the SUBFLOOR, not just the surface you see. So even if the top looks dry later, the wood underneath can be totally rotten. That's why just drying the spot isn't enough, you gotta check what's under it.
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the_david7mo ago
Walk away every time. Honestly, @mary_kelly's story about the mold is a perfect example. That small damp spot turns into a big problem real fast. Covering it up just delays the cost and makes it worse.
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