Post-Flood Mold Removal in Richmond, TX

Our street flooded in 2016 and again in Harvey. Should we expect mold this time too?

If the house took water and couldn't be dried within a day or two, yes, plan on it. Richmond knows the pattern. Over Memorial Day 2016 the Brazos reached 54.37 feet at Richmond, more than a foot and a half above its previous record, and the city put out a voluntary evacuation advisory. Fort Bend County reported about 1,200 homes affected across Richmond, Rosenberg and unincorporated areas. Then Harvey damaged roughly 200 Richmond homes, and the Edgewood subdivision off Hwy. 90 beside the river flooded in both events. A repeat flood often hits materials that were replaced only a year or two earlier, so the consultant should look at the full wall height, not just the new waterline.

What actually comes out of a flooded Richmond house?

Usually wet drywall, the insulation behind it, carpet and pad, and often baseboards, lower cabinets and doors made of pressed wood. EPA notes porous materials may have to be discarded once moldy, and it says not to paint or caulk over growth. Studs and bottom plates are usually cleaned and dried in place. Older buildings near downtown, many reused as shops and offices, can have plaster, wood floors or raised floors that need their own approach, so tell the consultant what kind of structure you have.

Who do I deal with in the city once the mold is gone?

The Richmond Building Department's Permit Office at the City Hall Annex, 600 Morton Street, handles permits and inspection requests through the MyGovernmentOnline (MGO Connect) portal, and the city has adopted the 2024 building and residential codes. Pull permits for the rebuild, not for the mold removal itself. The same department runs residential rental property registration. Renters with flood damage the owner hasn't addressed can contact the Code Enforcement Department at 281-342-0559 or code@richmondtx.gov about leaks and building conditions.

A note on the order of work

Stop the water and dry the structure first; that is a different job from mold remediation. Keep children out of the cleanup, wear at least an N-95 if you handle wet debris, and photograph everything before it goes to the curb. Then get the protocol written and check both companies on TDLR's license search. Fort Bend County Health & Human Services lists mold complaints among the services it does not provide, so the TDLR process is the path to follow.