Kingwood is part of the City of Houston, in the Lake Houston area, so City of Houston permits, 311 and the Houston Health Department apply here. Harvey flooded more than 80 percent of homes in several Kingwood neighborhoods, and humid summers keep AC systems wet. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local mold remediation company in Kingwood.
Mold services in Kingwood
Kingwood is Houston
Houston annexed Kingwood in 1996. The master-planned area sits about 24 miles in a straight line northeast of central Houston, flanked by Lake Houston, the West Fork of the San Jacinto River, Spring Creek and several bayous. Water released from Lake Conroe flows down the San Jacinto into Lake Houston, so heavy rain upstream can matter here too. Because Kingwood is inside the city, the offices you deal with are City of Houston offices, not Harris County's.
Harvey's mark on Kingwood
In Harvey, Kingwood Greens Village, Barrington and Fosters Mill each had water damage in more than 80 percent of homes, according to the district council member. Floodwater filled the first floor of Kingwood High School, damaged businesses in Kingwood Town Center, Kings Harbor and Main Street Kingwood, and reached six buildings at Lone Star College-Kingwood. Citywide, the Houston Health Department reported areas outside the identified floodplain under several feet of water and inspected flooded homes for mold. City floodplain guidance makes the same point: flooding is possible outside the mapped 1 percent annual chance floodplain. You can check your zone on FEMA's Map Service Center or with the City's Floodplain Management Office.
City of Houston offices for Kingwood
| Question | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Permits for rebuilding after mold removal | Houston Permitting Center (Building Code Enforcement) |
| Apartment leaks and habitability | Multifamily Habitability program, via Houston 311 |
| Single-family rentals, dangerous buildings | Community Code Enforcement, via Houston 311 (311 or 713-837-0311) |
| Indoor air in apartments, hotels, motels | Houston Health Department (832-393-4220) |
Most renovation, repair or addition projects need plan approval before a permit can be purchased. Mold removal itself isn't permitted work, but the drywall and framing work that follows usually falls under those rules. The Houston Health Department responds to indoor air quality issues in apartments, hotels and motels, but it does not do mold inspection or testing and refers those to TDLR. Renters should also give the landlord written notice; Texas Property Code 92.052 sets the landlord's repair duty for conditions affecting health or safety when rent is current (general information, not legal advice).
Texas licensing
A mold assessment consultant who holds a TDLR license inspects and writes the protocol; a separate company that holds a TDLR mold remediation contractor license does the work, since one company can't do both on a project. The consultant then confirms clearance and you receive a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation.
What to expect when you call
You'll describe the problem, its size and whether water is still getting in, then be connected with an independent company that serves Kingwood.
Common questions in Kingwood
Is Kingwood in Harris County's permit jurisdiction?
Will the city test my Kingwood apartment for mold?
My house isn't in the floodplain. Can it still flood?
Should I run the AC after finding mold near a vent?
Nearby cities and towns
Sources
- Wikipedia: Kingwood, Houston
- Community Impact: Rebuilding the Lake Houston area
- Houston Health Department: Hurricane Harvey report
- Houston Public Works: Flood Hazard
- Houston Permitting Center: Building Code Enforcement
- City of Houston: Multifamily Habitability (pdf)
- City of Houston: Community Code Enforcement
- Houston Health Department: Indoor Air Quality
- EPA: Mold Cleanup in Your Home
- Tex. Prop. Code 92.052: Landlord's Duty to Repair or Remedy
- TDLR: Mold Assessors and Remediators FAQs
- 16 Tex. Admin. Code 78.150: Photographs; Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation; Duty of Property Owner
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