Mold Remediation in Atascocita, TX

Where Atascocita sits

Atascocita is a census-designated place of about 88,000 people (2020 Census) in unincorporated northeast Harris County, roughly 21 miles in a straight line from central Houston. Lake Houston forms its eastern edge, and neighborhoods such as Eagle Springs, Walden on Lake Houston, Summerwood and Atascocita Shores spread out between golf courses and parks along Will Clayton Parkway and Lake Houston Parkway. Building started in the 1970s, so homes range from early subdivisions to much newer ones.

What Harvey taught the area

During Harvey, tributaries of the West Fork of the San Jacinto River flooded parts of Atascocita. In Belleau Wood, off FM 1960 between Humble and Atascocita, 36 of 40 homes were damaged, and more than 17,000 homes flooded across the Lake Houston area. When drywall, insulation and flooring stay wet past 24 to 48 hours, EPA says to assume mold has started. Even without a flood, long humid summers keep air handlers, drain pans and duct boots damp in many attics, and slow-draining clay soil holds water against slabs after heavy storms.

Permits when you rebuild

Mold removal itself is not a permitted trade, but putting a house back together often is. Because Atascocita is unincorporated, the Harris County Office of the County Engineer issues permits; the county requires one for all development, including floodplain work. Projects in the 500-year floodplain need an elevation certificate, and drawings in the 100-year floodplain must come from a registered engineer or architect. Harris County Public Health points residents to the Harris County Flood Education Tool to look up a property's FEMA flood zone.

If you rent

Give your landlord written notice of the leak or moisture problem. Under Texas Property Code 92.052, a landlord must make a diligent effort to fix a condition that materially affects an ordinary tenant's health or safety once notified, as long as rent is current; this is general information, not legal advice. For a building that has become unsafe or dilapidated, Harris County Public Health's Neighborhood Nuisance program takes reports through Harris County 311 or 713-274-6300, though that program does not list mold itself. Harris County Public Health is also the county health department for health questions.

Two companies, by Texas law

TDLR licenses mold work in Texas. On one project, the mold assessment consultant who inspects and writes the protocol cannot be the company that does the removal. After the work, that consultant checks for clearance, and you receive a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation (CMDR), which you keep for insurance questions and for any sale within five years.

When you call

Expect a few questions about where the mold is, how large the area looks and whether water is still getting in. You will then be connected with an independent local company that serves Atascocita.