Post-Flood Mold Removal in Missouri City, TX

Has Missouri City flooded before?

Missouri City is a city of about 74,000 people in eastern Fort Bend County, with a piece in Harris County, roughly 15 miles from downtown Houston. Oyster Creek flows south through town, and the city has been zoned since 1981, so it is mostly single-family homes in areas such as Quail Valley, Lake Olympia and Lakes of Brightwater. During the Brazos River flood around Memorial Day 2016, runoff came within feet of covering Highway 6, officers went door to door in neighborhoods of concern, Fort Bend County crews built an emergency access road in Sienna Plantation, and 14 city streets were impassable. Even without river flooding, heavy rain on flat ground and clay soils can push water under doors and into garages.

What will the mold company actually remove?

That is set by the mold assessment consultant's protocol, which lists the rooms, the quantities of each material, the methods and the clearance criteria. In practice, soaked drywall is cut out above the wet line, wet insulation and carpet pad come out, and studs and the slab are cleaned and dried. EPA notes that porous materials may need to be discarded once moldy and that painting or caulking over mold does not fix it. The remediation company writes a work plan to match and, for 25 contiguous square feet or more, notifies TDLR five days before starting.

Who do I call about permits and a landlord who won't fix leaks?

Rebuilding goes through City of Missouri City Development Services, Permits & Inspections, which takes residential building permit applications. For rentals, the city's Code Enforcement division enforces property maintenance rules, such as keeping exterior walls free of holes and rot. Texas Property Code 92.052 also generally requires landlords to make a diligent effort to repair conditions that materially affect health or safety after written notice. That is general information, not legal advice. Fort Bend County Health & Human Services does not take mold complaints.

One more Missouri City note

Keep every page of paperwork: the protocol, the clearance report, the before-and-after photos and the Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation. You must give a buyer copies of any certificate from the five years before a sale, and it can help with insurance underwriting.