Mold Testing in Friendswood, TX

Our house was one of the Harvey rebuilds. What can testing tell us?

It can show whether indoor air differs from outdoor air and whether a specific stain is mold, which helps when a rebuilt room still smells off. Harvey brought 500-year flood conditions along Clear Creek through Friendswood; an early estimate put about 3,000 homes under water, and the city issued 1,787 permits for Harvey repairs in 2017. In homes rebuilt that quickly, a wall closed up while the framing was still damp, or insulation that stayed wet, can feed growth that never shows on the surface. A good assessor pairs moisture readings low on the walls with samples placed where the readings or the smell point.

Is there a number that tells us we're in the clear?

No. EPA and federal agencies have not set limits for mold or spores, so results are judged by comparison: indoor against outdoor, one room against another, and lab findings against what the assessor saw. Mold color doesn't tell you how risky it is. People with asthma or weakened immune systems should stay away from moldy areas, and anyone with health concerns should see a health professional.

What does it cost, and who does the removal?

Angi's Houston cost data reports inspection and testing averaging $453, usually between $355 and $563; extra samples, an HVAC sample and rush lab results add to that. If remediation is needed, the assessor writes a protocol and Texas law requires a separate company to do the work. The same assessor comes back for the post-remediation assessment, and the remediator owes you a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation within 10 days of the project stop date.

A Friendswood note

Friendswood, founded as a Quaker colony in 1895, sits about 24 miles from Houston, mostly in Galveston County with part in Harris County. Building permits come from Community Development's Building Permits and Inspections. Code Enforcement investigates substandard and dangerous buildings through its Submit a Concern form. The Galveston County Health District does not take mold complaints. Keep every report and certificate from testing and remediation, because Texas sellers must give buyers each Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation issued in the five years before a sale.