How to rent a house?

How do I reasonably determine the risk of health problems from mold in the house I rent?

• I rent a 100-year old house in San Francisco.  We have a couple windows that can leak a bit of water during rainy season, and the landlord has been attempting to fix those leaks. I cannot smell mold or mustiness in the house.  The walls have been opened in some places (they replaced some old plaster that had moderate water damage, with drywall), but there was nothing but a musty smell inside the walls....nothing that looked particularly bad. So, basically, my own intuition says this is not a big issue: it's just an imperfect, old house. My wife, however, is concerned, especially since she is pregnant, and is pushing to have the house checked out by a specialist, and to possibly ask for expensive repairs beyond what the landlord sees as reasonable. She has some mold allergies (and I was tested as having them as well, but I haven't personally had problems in this house). I also have a bit of a concern that since the house is under rent control, that if we push the landlord too hard on this he could just use it as an excuse to evict us so he can renovate and rent it for a higher price (which might actually be in his interest, mold or not). Are there mold specialists that don't have a vested interest in overestimating the risk? Who could give us a good, unbiased opinion on whether or not we should be concerned?  I certainly want to do what is best for the health of my wife and newborn, but I want to make sure we act out of rationality, not fear.

• Answer:

  According to DH, who repairs old houses such as this, and has been certified in mold eradication and repair, unless the house is absolutely riddled with black mold and you or your spouse have a pulmonary disease or allergy to mold, it won't hurt you. I know many people do not accept that answer;  problem is, it's true. You can certainly hire a mold expert company to come out and get readings on the house.  The first thing they will do is take those readings outside-  where there is likely far more mold than inside your house.  Only then will they enter the house to do readings.  If the readings inside the house are equal to or less than those outside, nothing efficacious will be done-  no matter what "treatment" these guys sell you.  You'll be paying for no improvement, at all. If, and from your description it doesn't sound likely, but if, by chance, mold readings are actually higher inside the dwelling, there's not a lot that can be done without lots and lots of money and time for the hassle of repairs.  Walls are opened, a bleach solution is sprayed in and allowed to dry, then walls are repaired. It can take months.  And the only difference it will really make to you is only if you or your spouse (or coming child) has a pulmonary issue already, or an allergy to mold.