Mold Remediation in Humble, TX

Humble became an oil boomtown after oil was found in 1904, and it gave its name to Humble Oil & Refining, later part of Exxon. Now a city of about 16,800 people (2020 Census) along Interstate 69 and FM 1960, it lies about 17 miles in a straight line northeast of central Houston, near Lake Houston.

What Harvey did here

In August 2017 the San Jacinto River and Cypress Creek breached their banks in Humble, flooding roads, bridges and homes. The river covered sections of Interstate 69 and crested above 68 feet, and rescues took place in the Northshire subdivision. The city manager later said 340 homes in Humble were affected, and many owners had no flood insurance. If a wall was closed up before it dried, mold can still be behind it.

Cost factors to expect

Angi's Houston cost data puts typical mold removal at $863 to $3,329, average $2,016, and mold inspection and testing at an average of $453. What moves the number in a Humble home:

• How large the affected area is and whether it's hidden in walls, attics or ducts
• How much drywall, insulation and flooring has to come out
• Access, especially attic work in summer heat
• Whether the moisture source is still active
• The separate assessor fee that Texas law effectively requires

City of Humble offices

The City of Humble Building Department at City Hall, 114 W. Higgins St. (281-446-6228), handles permits and inspections, and requires plan submission for new construction, interior remodels and floodplain work. Mold removal itself isn't permitted work, but an interior rebuild afterward may need plans. The city's Code Enforcement function covers property maintenance, nuisances and substandard or minimum housing inspections, which is where renters can raise unfixed leaks after notifying the landlord in writing. Texas Property Code 92.052 requires landlords to make a diligent effort to repair health and safety conditions once properly notified, if rent is current (general information, not legal advice). Harris County Public Health is the county health department.

Texas mold rules

Mold assessment and remediation are separate TDLR licenses, and the law keeps them apart on each project: the assessor writes the protocol, a different company removes the mold, and the assessor returns to confirm clearance. You then receive a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation.

Calling the line

You'll be asked where the mold is, whether it relates to old flood damage, and whether water is still getting in. You'll be connected with an independent company serving Humble.