Longview Water Damage / Mold after water damage
Mold after water damage in Longview
In East Texas humidity, a wet wall that doesn't get dried can start growing mold within a day or two. If it has already started, Texas has specific rules about who can remove it and what paperwork you should get at the end.
Why it happens so fast here
The EPA's guidance is to dry wet materials within 24 to 48 hours to keep mold from growing. In Longview that window is tight. Summer nights average a low of about 73 degrees in July, and the air stays damp enough that a wet wall cavity or a soaked carpet pad doesn't dry on its own. When the water came from a slow leak behind a wall or under a sink, the mold has often been growing for weeks before anyone smells it.
Wondering what this might cost? Answer five quick questions for a ballpark range.
Open the cost calculatorWhat Texas law says about mold work
Texas licenses mold assessors and mold remediators, which many states don't. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) issues the licenses, and the rules matter when you hire someone.
- Size. A company hired to remove 25 contiguous square feet or more of mold must hold a TDLR mold remediation license. That is about a 5 foot by 5 foot patch.
- Two separate companies. A licensed mold assessor inspects and writes the protocol. A licensed remediator does the removal. State law says the same license holder can't do both on one project, and one person can't own an interest in both companies on the same job.
- The certificate. Within 10 days of finishing, the remediator has to give you a Certificate of Mold Remediation, signed off by the assessor.
- Your own house. A homeowner can clean up mold in a home they own without a license. The rules are aimed at companies doing the work for the public.
Why the certificate matters later
Keep that certificate with your house papers. Under the Texas Insurance Code, an insurer may not make an underwriting decision on a home policy based on past mold damage when the property has a certificate showing it was remediated. And if you sell the house, Texas law requires you to give the buyer a copy of every certificate issued for the property in the previous five years.
Skipping the licensed route on a big job can cost you those protections. It is worth asking any company that quotes mold work for its TDLR license number before work starts. You can look the number up on TDLR's website.
Water damage first, mold second
A crew drying out a house after a fresh leak is doing water damage work. If it opens a wall and finds mold, and the patch reaches 25 contiguous square feet, the removal has to follow the licensed process above.
In practice, the job usually goes in this order. Stop the water. Dry what can be saved and remove what can't. If there is a large area of mold, bring in the assessor for a protocol. The remediator works from that protocol, and the assessor comes back to check the work before the certificate is issued. Rebuild comes after.
Signs it is more than a surface spot
A musty smell that comes back after cleaning, staining that spreads on the drywall, baseboards that have gone soft, or allergy symptoms that ease when you leave the house. Any of those points to growth inside the wall or under the floor, where wiping won't reach.
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Questions
Do I need a mold test before anything is removed?
Usually not. TDLR says testing to find out what kind of mold is present isn't required before remediation or cleaning. The assessor decides what sampling the job needs.
Can the company that dried my house also handle the mold?
It can do the removal if it holds a TDLR remediation license. The assessment and the final check have to come from a separate, independent licensed assessor.
Is a small spot under the sink a big deal?
Under 25 square feet, you can clean it yourself. Fix the leak first, wear gloves and a mask, and throw out anything soft that stays stained or smells.