Comments on: What's growing out of my wall?

Question: What's growing out of my wall?

DoomGerbil — Sun, 27 Feb 2005 16:22:15 -0800

A couple of days ago, I noticed something very odd in my bathroom - something seemed to be growing out of the wall. It looks kind of like a plant sprout than anything else I can think of, but it doesn't really behave like one - for one, it shriveled up after about two days.

It doesn't look like any type of fungus I've ever seen, but I'm at a loss as to what else it could be.

One detail that might be helpful: about two weeks ago, the shower in the apartment above mine started leaking water down into the walls. When we noticed this, we talked to them, they had it fixed, and the apartment manager had someone come in and rip out and replace the plaster, drywall, etc, all the way down to the frame. The handyman said that he checked out the other walls in the bathroom for water damage, but I kind of doubt it at this point.

The "plant" is not growing out of the area that was replaced, but it is in the same general area of the bathroom. All I really need to know is: is this something that could be bad? Could it maybe signify more thorough water damage than was found at first?

By: Lynsey

Lynsey — Sun, 27 Feb 2005 16:50:52 -0800

Without seeing it, that sounds suspiciously like the "ear fungus" we had growing out of the walls in our old house. The room it grew in was under a bathroom that also leaked, also on an opposite wall. It freaked me the hell out when I saw something I thought belonged in a damp and dark forest growing out of the walls in my house! Sorry I couldn't find a better picture of it. Anyway, this was during a very wet California winter, such as I hear LA is experiencing this year. We lopped it off with a knife and scrubbed all the areas with bleach, and eventually moved to a house in a sunnier location. Good luck!

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Sun, 27 Feb 2005 18:13:18 -0800

If it is a fungus, move. The health implications are dire. Any number of respiratory and neurological problems are associated with fungus, mildew, and mold problems.

By: R. Mutt

R. Mutt — Sun, 27 Feb 2005 19:34:53 -0800

Fungus! .... We had the same thing as lynsey ... steam + mold = growth.

By: gastevens

gastevens — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 08:29:12 -0800

There was an article in a popular weekly magazine a while back that had front-cover treatment, focusing on "killer" or "deadly" mold. I believe it was either Time or Newsweek. Either way, what I can recall from the article is that the mold or fungus that you have described can be very, very dangerous.
CNN Article
Mold Pictures
Mold Help- looks to be a community dedicated to the stuff. I suspect a removal guide could be found

By: gastevens

gastevens — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 08:38:34 -0800

Well I can't seem to find the issue that I was thinking of. This may have been the article. From the Time archives: Beware: Toxic Mold. Anita Hamilton, Jul. 2, 2001

By: berek

berek — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 14:22:49 -0800

Did it have pods? Human shaped pods? Human shaped pods from outer space bent on total global domination?

If so, RUN!