A man warned home buyers against purchasing houses that have been built in the rain.
Devon Farina, who posts on TikTok as Vinviddotcom (@slavetotheframe), shared the tip while driving in his car in the rain.
“If your house is newly built and it is being built during the rainy season, most likely they are using particle board or OSB instead of regular plywood,” he says as he drives up to the timber frame of a house being built along the road.
Farina then explains the problem. “It’s getting drenched, and then they cover it, put a roof on it. They put drywall up. And before you know it, you got black mold in your house that you have never lived in,” he says.
“So if you just bought a new house, make sure that you are running a dehumidifier constantly for the first six months,” he advises.
“I cannot tell you how many houses I’ve seen that are brand new, and they end up having mold issues because they are using the cheapest possible plywood they can get, and it rains, at least in Washington State, a lot. So keep that in mind,” he warns.
Viewers agreed with the TikToker
Farina’s video received 1.1 million views, and users shared their thoughts in the comments. Many thanked the TikToker for answering a question that had played on their minds for years.
“I’ve honestly wondered about this my whole life,” one person said about the houses being built in the rain.
“I’ve always wondered why they built in the rain because mold?!” another wondered.
Several pointed out that the real issue was the use of poor building materials.
“The real issue is building houses with wood and cardboard and charging $400k+ it’s joke at least here in Florida they use concrete block for most of the houses,” one person complained.
“Even in 2021 our realtor warned us not to get a new build. The lumber shortage meant downgrading materials & cutting corners. Sad they never went back to normal,” another said.
“Most construction sites where I live all use OSB these days. People think $2M buys a quality home, it doesn’t. Better off buying a 100 yr old home,” someone else advised.
@slavetotheframe #newconstruction #wa #rain #mold #blackmold #inspection #construction #home ♬ original sound – VINVIDdotCOM
Many viewers also reminded potential buyers that if they were considering a house that was built in the rain, they should not skip a home inspection.
“Buyers, you can also demand ongoing inspections from trusted inspectors you hire! So important,” one person said.
“Codes are only suggestions if the inspector can’t test it! Remember that, it’ll save you some serious [money],” another said.
The Daily Dot reached out to Farina via email but did not hear back as of this writing.
How does rain affect houses under construction?
Yes, it is perfectly safe to build houses in the rain. Framing materials like plywood and oriented strand-board (OSB) are made to withstand exposure to moisture. Even the glues used to manufacture OSB are water-resistant.
However, if the house frame is made of particle board, like Farina claims, home owners should be wary. According to Lowe’s, particle board “can swell and become unstable when exposed to water.” This makes it an unsuitable material for home building and should not be used for the structure of the house.
The Washington Post recommends several steps to help minimize any potential damage if it rains while your house is under construction. It recommends keeping the job site clean and sweeping after the rain to ensure water does not pool or get trapped under debris. It also suggests the use of a clear penetrating water repellent on the timber of the frame.
If you do happen to find any growths, clean them with an oxygen or chlorine bleach solution. Once the wood is dry, the construction process can continue.
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