Yesterday, I had an exchange that perfectly encapsulates why honesty is at the core of our work at Array of Solutions Honesty Policy. It was a conversation with an elderly gentleman who was absolutely convinced that his home had a roof leak. He had lived there for 30 years and was certain that the water damage he was experiencing was due to a faulty roof. He had even gone as far as having ACME Roofing, the company that installed his roof, return no less than four times to check for leaks. Each time, their reports came back the same: no leak.
Despite this, he was determined that the ceiling stains, drywall swelling at the joints, and rusted nails were all evidence of a roof leak. Frustrated, he wanted me to test for mold so he could hold the roofing company accountable. As I pulled up to his home, he greeted me with a candid comment, “I don’t like people, but Joe Smith has been a customer of mine for years and speaks highly of you, so I thought I’d give you a try.” I could tell this was going to be an interesting case.
Array of Solutions, a trusted name in mold removal in Greenville South Carolina since 2007, stands ready to tackle your mold woes. With our expert mold inspection Greenville services and EPA-Registered credentials, we’re equipped to detect, remove, and prevent mold growth in your home or business.
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The Initial Inspection
As with any job, I started with a walk around the perimeter of the home to look for anything unusual. It didn’t take long to spot the first red flag: the house was built in a slight depression, a sort of bowl where the surrounding landscape was higher than the foundation. This setup is problematic because, without proper drainage or a sump pump, all the rainwater from the street, nearby homes, and the roof would naturally flow down and collect under the house.
Adding to this issue were the Gutter Guards the homeowner had installed. Now, I’ve worked with these before, and while they do a decent job in light rain, they can fail spectacularly during heavy downpours. Instead of capturing the water, they allow it to overshoot the gutters entirely, sending it straight down to where it shouldn’t be—right under the house.
The “Petri Dish” Beneath
My suspicions were confirmed when I crawled underneath the home. The crawl space was a swamp—literally. Standing water and plant growth were everywhere, a perfect breeding ground for mold and moisture problems. I took out my moisture meter and started taking readings. The highest levels were, unsurprisingly, in the lower parts of the home.
When I stepped back inside, the homeowner directed my attention to the tile floor, which had begun to pop up. He was convinced the roof was the cause. I measured the moisture in the tiles—28%. However, when I took readings in the attic, the moisture levels were 0%, and they gradually increased as I moved closer to the source: the saturated crawl space below.
The Real Culprit: Condensation
The issue wasn’t the roof at all; it was condensation. The portable air conditioner in the workshop was pumping out cold air, which was meeting the hot, humid air from the 140-degree attic above. When hot air meets cold surfaces, condensation forms, creating moisture on the walls and ceilings that can easily be mistaken for a leak.
I explained this to the homeowner, but he wasn’t pleased. Even after reducing my fee by more than half, he was upset, convinced that I must have been in cahoots with ACME Roofing. As I was leaving, I heard him grumble to his buddy, “He works for ACME Roofing!” It was a tough pill for him to swallow, but the truth is often like that—it hurts before it helps.
Why Array of Solutions Honesty Policy Matters
At Array of Solutions, we pride ourselves on being truthful, even when it’s not what a customer wants to hear. In this case, the homeowner’s frustration stemmed from years of misunderstanding the true cause of his problems. But by identifying the actual issue—poor drainage and condensation—we were able to guide him toward the right solution, even if it wasn’t what he initially expected.
The truth is, when you’ve done this work as long as I have, you become informed—or, in my case, an expert. And part of being an expert is delivering the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it might be. So if you’re dealing with mold, moisture, or any other home issue, call Array of Solutions. Let’s find the real problem together and fix it before it causes even more damage.
Tomorrow, I’ll be sharing insights from my workload this week and discussing how many illnesses can be directly linked to exposure to black mold (Stachybotrys), Penicillium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and other harmful fungi. These issues are more common than you might think, and the health risks are real.
Douglas R. Whitehead
Arrayofsolutions.com