Room gutted to the framing with mold-stained ceiling joists. Example of the work involved; the photo does not show a specific property or a job for this site.
Northridge-area homes at a glance
- Typical era
- Early 1980s through the early 1990s, the first phases of the community
- Common types
- Two-story and ranch-style single-family homes, plus townhome clusters
- Basements
- Common; many finished by later owners rather than the builder
- Permits
- Highlands Ranch is unincorporated; ask the Douglas County building division
- Exterior changes
- Check with the Highlands Ranch Community Association about architectural review
Why age matters for mold here
Homes built in the first decade of Highlands Ranch are now around forty years old. Many have had several water heaters, and some still have original supply lines, shutoff valves and toilet connections that have hardened with age. Some homes from that era were plumbed with polybutylene piping, which has a reputation for failing at fittings; if you are unsure what your home has, a plumber can tell you.
Original aluminum or early vinyl windows, where they remain, are more prone to winter condensation. Flexible bath fan ducts installed when the houses were new have had decades to sag or slip off. And basements finished in the 1990s or 2000s by owners may have drywall run tight to the slab, sometimes over an earlier water event no current owner knows about.
Mature landscaping is another factor. Trees planted when the neighborhoods were new now drop enough leaves to fill gutters and window wells each fall, and decades of irrigation can let soil settle and slope back toward foundations.
Common sources in older Highlands Ranch homes
| Source | What to look for | Where mold tends to appear |
|---|---|---|
| Aging water supply connections | Corrosion, crusty valves, brittle hoses | Under sinks, behind toilets, laundry |
| Original bath fan ducting | Weak fans, no exterior flap movement | Attic sheathing above bathrooms |
| Settled grading | Soil sloping toward the house, pooling after irrigation | Basement walls, window wells |
| Leaf-filled window wells | Debris and standing water after storms | Basement bedroom and family room walls |
| Old basement finishes | Swollen baseboards, musty corners | Bottom of exterior basement walls |
Questions to ask locally
- Does the Douglas County building division require a permit for the rebuild or plumbing work after remediation?
- Do the HRCA's architectural guidelines require approval for regrading, window well covers or new exterior vent caps?
- If you are in a townhome, what does your sub-association maintain?
- Has a previous owner left any record of water events or past remediation?
General information for Highlands Ranch, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.