Spaces built for cars and tools, now used by people
Wheat Ridge is known for larger lots than many inner suburbs, and plenty of them carry detached garages, workshops, old greenhouse structures and sheds. Over the years many have been converted into bedrooms, studios, home gyms or rental space. Some conversions were permitted and built carefully. Others were finished by adding drywall and carpet to a structure that was never meant to be heated, cooled and lived in.
A garage slab usually sits close to grade with no vapor barrier below and no insulation at its edges. A shed may have a wood floor sitting near damp soil. When those spaces are heated in winter and closed up in summer, moisture from the ground and from the occupants condenses on the coldest surfaces: the slab, the base of exterior walls and the underside of the roof.
Weak points by structure
| Structure | Typical weak point | What mold looks like there |
|---|---|---|
| Attached garage converted to a room | Carpet laid directly on an uninsulated slab | Musty carpet and spotting on tack strip along exterior walls |
| Detached garage studio | Wall bases where siding meets the slab | Dark growth on the bottom of drywall and plates |
| Wood-floored shed office | Floor framing close to wet soil | Soft, spotted floor sheathing and a strong odor |
| Former greenhouse or plant room | Persistent humidity and organic debris | Growth on framing, shelving and ceilings |
| Space with a window AC or wall heater only | Little air movement in corners and closets | Spots in closet corners and behind furniture |
Checks before you rent, buy or move into a converted space
- Lift a corner of carpet at an exterior wall and look at the tack strip and pad
- Look at the base of each wall for staining or swollen trim
- Check how rainwater from the roof is directed away from the building
- See whether the floor level is above outside grade
- Ask whether the conversion was permitted and inspected
- Find out how the space is heated, cooled and ventilated
Remediate and keep using, or rebuild the details?
Remediation alone may be enough when
- Growth is limited to a single event such as a roof leak
- The floor and walls were built with moisture control
- Humidity stays in a normal range once the leak is fixed
The assembly likely needs rework when
- Growth returns along the floor every season
- Carpet or wood flooring sits on a bare, cold slab
- The floor is at or below the outside grade
General information for Wheat Ridge, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.