What should I do about mold in the subfloor under the Tub?

[Iamnotrich]

Hello I am new to the Forum and completely new to Flooring repair.

I pulled up the our Bathroom floor and the layer underneath that and found mold in the Subfloor from a leaking toilet connection.

I'm concerned about the mold that may remain under the tub.

Do I have to remove the Tub also?

If I do have to remove the Tub I will have to tear out a really nice tile job around the tub.

As for the subfloor, can I clean it or should I remove it and replace it? I'm thinking of cutting a section open anyway for inspection to see if there is any damage underneath?

 

[oldognewtrick]

Are there any soft spots in the flooring?

 

[bud16415]

Welcome to the forum.



Sometimes in older homes you have pick a point and stop expanding the search for new problems.



Not to say if the sub flooring is failing under the tub the tub shouldn’t be pulled and the flooring fixed. In your case there is somewhat a judgment call to be made. Can you see the bottom of the sub floor from a basement or crawl space?



The time to pull a tub is when the rest of it is tore up as you also don’t want to in a few years be damaging your new work removing the tub.



I would pull all the trim at the base of the tub and also try and get a feeling for the wood condition under the tub from other angles that wont disturb the tile. Maybe even by opening the wall on the end or behind the tub down near the floor line.

If you cut out the flooring around the toilet as you get close to the tub you will also have a good clue if the water made it under. My gut feeling is you will be ok.

 

[Iamnotrich]

Thank you very much. The house is actually twenty years old. And I think the leak occurred over a period of maybe three or four years at the most. The wood is still hard. I will take your suggestion and cut an access panel and try to reach under the tub to do an inspection.

 

[Iamnotrich]

Are there any soft spots in the flooring?

No the wood is still very hard.

 

[bud16415]

If the wood is solid around the toilet and it was the source of the leak I wouldn’t be that worried under the tub. I have seen much worse floors around toilets. If it isn’t real hard to get a peak under the tub then do it otherwise clean up the floor and get a good seal on the toilet with your new flooring.

 

[Iamnotrich]

Thanks I just want to look a buyer in the face if someday we move and say everything is okay

 

[Iamnotrich]

I cleaned it up with Vinegar, Soap and Hot water. It wasn't putrid or rancid or "biological" but I am not an amateur. Should I have someone test it?

 

[papakevin]

I would paint it with a mold killing primer like Zinsser before reinstalling the tub. Not sure what others think, but that’s what I would do.

 

[Iamnotrich]

good idea!

 

[Sparky617]

I would paint it with a mold killing primer like Zinsser before reinstalling the tub. Not sure what others think, but that’s what I would do.

He didn't remove the tub, that is the area around and in front of the toilet.