Mold Removal in Bellevue, WA

Bellevue at a glance

Bellevue is the largest city on the Eastside, about 8 miles east of Seattle across Lake Washington. Its high-rise downtown is the second-largest city center in Washington, but most of the city is residential, running from neighborhoods near Bellevue Square and Crossroads to Factoria and the slopes of Cougar Mountain. The median house in the city was built in 1981, so plenty of homes are now on their second or third roof and their original windows and bath fans.

Lakes, a slough and a creek watershed

Lake Washington forms the west edge of the city and Lake Sammamish the east. Mercer Slough lies south of downtown, and much of Bellevue drains through the Kelsey Creek watershed. The city posts real-time levels for Lake Sammamish and Mercer Creek, and it recommends flood insurance even outside mapped floodplains, because standard homeowner policies generally exclude outside water. You can check the city's FEMA flood maps and its list of elevation certificates to see whether a lot is in the Special Flood Hazard Area.

Inside the house, the bigger risk is time. A gray stretch from October through April means wet framing dries slowly, and homes closed up against the cold collect moisture from cooking, showers and drying laundry. Look for:

• Black spotting along window sills and in bathroom ceiling corners
• A musty smell from the crawl space access or a finished lower level
• Staining around attic sheathing where a bath fan dumps air into the attic
• Soft or discolored drywall below a window or near a dishwasher

Who to contact in Bellevue

Mold cleanup isn't a permitted activity, but rebuilding after it may be. City of Bellevue Development Services reviews plans and issues construction permits through its Permit Center. Renters who have given a landlord written notice about a leak or moisture problem and seen no repair can contact Bellevue Code Compliance, which handles housing code inquiries and nuisance property complaints. Its page doesn't mention mold, so report the leak, the water damage or the broken fan. Under state law, landlords must also give tenants Department of Health information on mold.

Public Health - Seattle & King County has environmental health specialists who consult on indoor air quality and mold concerns, and the Washington Department of Health mold page covers cleanup basics.

What to expect on the call

You'll be connected with an independent local mold remediation company. Before anyone starts, look the business up on L&I's Verify a Contractor tool; anyone doing repair work in Washington must be registered with L&I, but the state has no mold license or certification. An independent inspector for the assessment and the final clearance check is good practice, though no Washington rule requires two companies.