Mold & Mildew Cleanup in Crosby, TX

Can I clean the mildew myself?

Usually, yes. Texas lets homeowners clean mold in their own homes without any license, and EPA's guidance is that a moldy area smaller than about 10 square feet, roughly a 3 foot by 3 foot patch, is normally a do-it-yourself job. Scrub hard surfaces such as tile, glass, sealed wood and painted trim with detergent and water, then dry them completely. Wear rubber gloves, goggles and an N-95 respirator. Porous items that have grown mold, like an old bath mat, a ceiling tile or a cardboard box in the closet, are usually easier to replace than to save. One rule matters more than the cleaner you choose: do not paint or caulk over mildew, because the growth keeps going underneath.

Why does it keep coming back in my Crosby house?

Crosby is a small unincorporated community in east Harris County, about 25 miles from downtown Houston, that grew from an 1820s settlement into a railroad shipping point for lumber and farm goods. Like the rest of the region, it has long, humid summers and heavy downpours. In an October 2015 storm, the Harris County Flood Control District measured about 13 inches of rain, and a Crosby shopping center had more than four inches of water on shop floors. Indoors, mildew returns when something keeps the air or a surface damp:

• A bathroom fan that is too small, runs too briefly, or vents into the attic
• An AC that cools quickly but leaves the air humid
• A clogged condensate line or a slow plumbing leak behind a wall
• Closets on exterior walls with little air movement

EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, and ideally 30 to 50 percent. A simple hygrometer tells you where you stand.

When should I bring in a company?

Call for help when the area is larger than about 10 square feet, when drywall is soft or stained through, when there has been flooding, or when the smell persists after cleaning. On a professional project, Texas law requires two separate companies: a mold assessment consultant who holds a TDLR license writes the cleanup protocol and checks the result, and a company with a TDLR mold remediation contractor license does the work. Angi's Houston cost data reports mold removal averaging $2,016.

A local note

Crosby is unincorporated, so building permits for replacing drywall or other repairs after cleanup come from the Harris County Office of the County Engineer.