Mold Inspection in New Caney, TX

Our street flooded in May 2024. What should the inspector look at?

That spring, heavy rain north of the Lake Conroe watershed flooded the Lake Houston area, and New Caney residents were directed to the Montgomery County Disaster Recovery hotline. If water reached your floors, the inspector should check the lowest few feet of drywall, the base of cabinets, door frames and anything under flooring that stayed wet. EPA's disaster guide says a flooded home that could not be dried within 24 to 48 hours should be treated as having mold. The community grew up along Caney Creek, so homes near the creek deserve the closest look after any big storm.

Who issues permits for repairs out here?

New Caney is unincorporated, so building and floodplain matters go to the Montgomery County Permit Department under Environmental Health, which keeps a separate East Montgomery County phone line. Its FAQ says new enclosed structures and additions need a Development Permit, and so do substantially damaged structures in the floodplain. County floodplain rules mark special flood hazard areas, some of them floodways the county treats as extremely hazardous because of fast-moving water, and part of the aim is to make sure buyers learn when a property is in a hazard area. Ask the county before major rebuilding after mold removal.

Will the inspector also handle the cleanup?

No. Texas law bars the company that assesses a project from also doing the remediation on it. The mold assessment consultant writes a protocol listing the areas, the material to remove, containment, protective gear and the clearance criteria, and you get it at least one calendar day before work starts. A separate company that holds a TDLR mold remediation contractor license follows that plan, and the consultant who wrote it returns to check clearance.

A local note

New Caney, about 30 miles from Houston along US 59/I-69, has no city building department or code office of its own. The Montgomery County Public Health District does not list mold or housing conditions among the complaints it takes, though after Harvey its flooding and storm resources page pointed residents to mold removal tips on its Facebook page. For an actual assessment, a private inspector is the route, and Angi's Houston cost data puts the average around $453.