Mold Testing in Channelview, TX

Signs that testing could help

• A stale, earthy odor that returns no matter how often you clean.
• Allergy-like irritation that eases when you leave the house; EPA notes mold can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs, and a health professional should weigh in on health concerns.
• A slow plumbing leak under a sink or behind a tub that ran for weeks before it was found.
• Wallpaper or paint that is loosening for no obvious reason.
• Condensation dripping from AC vents on muggy days.

Conditions in Channelview

Channelview is an unincorporated community on the east side of Houston, about 20 miles from downtown, set on the northeastern curve of the Houston Ship Channel where the San Jacinto River forms the Old River. Petrochemical plants sit nearby. Water on several sides, flat ground and Houston's long humid summers mean moisture problems show up in attics, under slabs and around AC equipment. Because Channelview has no city government, repairs that follow a mold project, such as rebuilding walls, are permitted by the Harris County Office of the County Engineer, whose Residential Group handles home projects. Work in a mapped floodplain carries extra requirements there, so ask before you rebuild.

What testing costs

Angi's Houston cost data reports inspection and testing averaging $453, with a low-to-high range of $245 to $845. The figure climbs with more samples, larger homes and hard-to-reach attics. Angi's national figures put a single air test at about $250 to $350 and a swab test at about $200 to $300. Testing is only the first bill if mold turns up: Texas requires the removal to be done by a different company from the one that assessed the project.

What happens when you call

A short conversation covers what you have noticed, how long it has been going on and whether there has been water damage. You are then connected with an independent assessor who holds a TDLR mold assessment license. Ask what they plan to sample and what the result will tell you. A good assessor may tell you sampling isn't needed at all and that finding the moisture is the real job. For rental units, unsafe or dilapidated conditions in unincorporated areas can be reported to Harris County Public Health's Neighborhood Nuisance program through Harris County 311.