Mold Testing in Richmond, TX

We flooded in 2016 and again in Harvey. Can a test tell us if the walls are clean?

It can help, as part of a bigger look. The Memorial Day 2016 flood pushed the Brazos to 54.37 feet at Richmond, more than a foot and a half above the old record, and Harvey damaged about 200 Richmond homes the following year. The Edgewood subdivision off Hwy. 90 flooded both times. In a house with that history, an assessor starts with moisture readings along the lower walls and at cabinet bases, then decides where samples belong. An air sample from a closed-up room compared with one taken outdoors can show whether something is releasing spores inside. A swab from a suspicious stain identifies what is growing there. Neither replaces opening a cavity that reads wet.

What will the report actually say?

Expect spore counts by type for each air sample, plus the outdoor comparison, and a lab identification for any surface sample. You won't see a pass or fail line, because EPA and federal agencies have set no limits for mold or spores. A good assessor explains the numbers in plain terms alongside what the walk-through found, and tells you whether remediation looks necessary. The color of the mold on a report or a wall says nothing reliable about how risky it is.

Who should do the testing, and what follows?

Hire someone who holds a TDLR mold assessment license, and confirm it on TDLR's license search. If remediation is needed, that assessor writes the protocol, and Texas law sends the removal to a separate company. The same consultant returns for the post-remediation assessment. Angi's Houston cost data reports testing and inspection averaging $453, typically $355 to $563, so plan on that fee plus a second bill for any removal.

A Richmond note

Rebuilding after removal runs through the City of Richmond Building Department at 600 Morton Street, (281) 232-6871, using the MGO Connect portal; the department also runs residential rental registration. Renters with leaks a landlord hasn't fixed can contact Code Enforcement at (281) 342-0559. Fort Bend County Health & Human Services does not take mold complaints, so testing here is a private matter.