Commercial mold work in Atascocita runs under the same TDLR rules as the rest of Texas, but owners and staff of a business or a 10-plus-unit apartment property lose their exemption once growth reaches 25 contiguous square feet. A mold assessment consultant writes the plan, and a separate remediation company carries it out. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local mold remediation company in Atascocita.
Atascocita buildings and the water around them
Atascocita is a large unincorporated community in northeast Harris County, roughly 21 miles from downtown Houston, with Lake Houston on its eastern side. Construction started in the 1970s, and the area now carries golf courses, country clubs, parks and retail strung along FM 1960, Will Clayton Parkway and Lake Houston Parkway. In Hurricane Harvey, tributaries of the West Fork of the San Jacinto River sent water into the area; 36 of 40 homes in Belleau Wood, off FM 1960, were damaged, and more than 17,000 homes flooded across the Lake Houston area. Commercial spaces deal with the same storms plus problems of their own: flat roofs that pond, rooftop units that drip into ceiling cavities, and kitchens and locker rooms that stay damp all day.
Who does what on an Atascocita project
| Party | Role |
|---|---|
| Owner, tenant or property manager | Hires both firms, keeps occupants informed and fixes the water source |
| Mold assessment consultant | Inspects, writes the protocol and later decides whether the area passes clearance |
| Mold remediation company | Writes a work plan, notifies TDLR on jobs of 25 contiguous square feet or more, sets containment and removes damaged material |
| Harris County Office of the County Engineer | Issues permits for development and rebuilding in unincorporated Atascocita, including floodplain work |
Texas law keeps the consultant and the remediation company separate on the same project, so expect two contracts.
Warning signs in a commercial space
- Brown rings or sagging in drop-ceiling tiles under a rooftop unit
- A musty odor in a clubhouse, locker room or fellowship hall that returns each morning
- Dark spotting on supply diffusers or the grilles around them
- Soft baseboards or bubbling paint along an exterior wall after heavy rain
- Tenant complaints that cluster around one air handler zone
Timing around the seasons
Long cooling seasons keep air handlers running nearly all year, and condensate lines in busy buildings clog without anyone noticing. Late summer and early fall bring the tropical rain that flooded the Lake Houston area during Harvey. After any water event, EPA says to dry materials within 24 to 48 hours; past that window, plan on an assessment before the space reopens. If drywall or framing has to be rebuilt in unincorporated Atascocita, check with the Office of the County Engineer, since rebuilding after demolition needs a permit there.
Commercial Mold Remediation questions in Atascocita
Can our own maintenance staff clean up a small mold problem?
Can the business stay open during remediation?
Can one company assess and remediate the same building?
Do we need a building permit to rebuild afterward?
More mold services in Atascocita
Commercial Mold Remediation nearby
Sources
- TDLR: Mold Assessors and Remediators FAQs
- TDLR: Texas Mold Assessors and Remediators Law
- TDLR: Texas Mold Remediation Notification Requirements
- EPA: Mold Cleanup in Your Home
- EPA: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings (pdf)
- Harris County Office of the County Engineer: Permits FAQ
- Harris County Flood Education Tool
- Community Impact: Recovery continues for Lake Houston area residents one year after Hurricane Harvey
- Wikipedia: Atascocita, Texas
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