Mold Inspection in Crosby, TX

Is an inspection worth it for a small spot?

Often not. EPA says patches under about 10 square feet are usually something a homeowner can clean with a scrub brush and detergent, provided the moisture problem is fixed. Where an inspection earns its fee in Crosby is when the source is hidden: a smell with nothing visible, staining that keeps returning, or damage after a storm. The October 2015 storm is a reminder of how fast water arrives here, with about 13 inches of rain measured by the Harris County Flood Control District flooding businesses at a Crosby shopping center under more than four inches of water. Homes that took water from any storm can hold moisture in wall cavities and under flooring long after the surface looks dry.

Who is allowed to do the inspection?

Texas regulates mold assessment through TDLR. A homeowner can sample or clean in their own home, but anyone paid to assess mold for you needs a TDLR license unless an exemption applies. You can look up any name on TDLR's license search or call TDLR at 1-800-803-9202. Before work begins, a license holder must hand you TDLR's Consumer Mold Information Sheet. If an inspector offers to do the removal too, that is a red flag, because the law forbids one company from doing both on the same project.

What happens after the inspector leaves?

You get a written report. If remediation is needed, the mold assessment consultant writes a protocol that lists the affected rooms, how much material comes out, containment, protective gear and clearance criteria, and you receive it at least a day before removal starts. A separate remediation company then follows that protocol with its own work plan. Afterward, the consultant comes back for a post-remediation assessment, and within 10 days of the job's end you should receive a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation.

A note for Crosby

Crosby is an unincorporated community in east Harris County, about 25 miles from downtown Houston, along U.S. 90 near Hare Road and Miller-Wilson Road. Rebuilding after mold removal goes through the Harris County Office of the County Engineer, and any project in the 100-year floodplain needs sealed drawings from a Texas architect or engineer.