Mold & Mildew Cleanup in Spring, TX

Local conditions in Spring

Spring is an unincorporated community of about 62,600 people in north Harris County, roughly 19 miles from downtown Houston. It grew after the 1970s as subdivisions spread north, and Old Town Spring is its restored historic core. Much of the area drains to Cypress Creek, and many affected homes were built in low-lying areas along it. In the April 2016 Tax Day flood, about 1,700 homes along Cypress Creek flooded, and some flooded again that May. During Harvey, more than 8,700 homes along the creek took on water, with Inverness Forest, Northwood Pines, Ponderosa Forest, Westador, Champion Forest and Wimbledon Champions among the hardest hit. A wall that was closed up before it fully dried can feed mildew for years.

DIY or professional cleanup?

Signs of a bigger problem

• Baseboards that swell or separate from the wall
• A musty smell that returns soon after cleaning
• Paint that bubbles low on walls after heavy rain
• Mildew in more than one room at the same height

Growth that lines up at one height across rooms often marks an old waterline, and the drywall behind it usually has to be opened.

Timing

Mildew tends to spread fastest from late spring into fall, when outdoor humidity peaks, and in the weeks after heavy rain. EPA recommends drying wet materials within 24 to 48 hours and keeping indoor humidity under 60 percent, ideally 30 to 50 percent. Spring is unincorporated, so rebuilding after a cleanup needs a permit from the Harris County Office of the County Engineer, with extra requirements in the 100-year and 500-year floodplains. The Harris County Flood Education Tool shows a home's flood zone by address. On professional jobs, Texas requires a mold assessment consultant who holds a TDLR license and a separate remediation company.