Moldy Surround? Fix the Cause
Bleach treats the symptom. We remove the wet wall it grows on.
Musty smell when the shower runs hot? Soft spot at the tub line? Grout that crumbles when you pick it? Those are the three signs of a surround leaking into the wall, and we see them weekly across Farmington. This page explains what we check, what remediation actually involves, and when a section repair suffices versus a full surround rebuild. Either way you get photos of what we found, not just a bill.
- Moisture check first. Meter readings at the tub line, corners, valves and niche before any quote.
- Open only what's wet. Targeted demo — we don't gut dry walls to pad the job.
- Treat the framing. Dry, treat and document studs; replace only what's compromised.
- Rebuild dry. Cement board + membrane + sealed fasteners, so it can't recur.
- Epoxy grout option. Non-porous joints that starve surface mildew going forward.
- Ventilation advice. Half of 'moldy baths' are really exhausted-fan failures — we check.
Farmington notes
The Farmington pattern: a 1980s fiberglass shower pan gone dull and flexy next to dated brass trim. Shower-floor and pan re-tiles outnumber full redos here, and buyers notice new shower floors first. Farmington sellers refresh the shower floor and re-grout the walls before listing — it reads as a renovated bath in photos for a fifth of the price. Bring us the smell and the stains; we will bring the meter and tell you the truth, including when the truth is 'just re-caulk it.'
From musty to sealed in Farmington
Surround tile we set most in Farmington — each suits different baths and budgets.
Common questions
Typically $200–$600 for contained treatment during a rebuild: demo of wet board, drying, treatment and documentation. Extensive framing damage is priced with photos first.
Not from the wall — cement board and membrane don't feed mold, and silicone joints don't wick. Keep the fan running and squeegee glass; we'll show you the 30-second routine.
Mold calls jump the queue — usually within 48 hours in Farmington. The moisture check and honest verdict are free.
Surface mildew, yes — a deep clean and seal fixes it. But grout that regrows black within weeks signals water behind the tile, which cleaning can't reach. We meter-test to tell the difference free.