Black Mold Removal in Camano Island, WA

Why does dark mold keep showing up in our beach house?

Camano is a rural, residential island of small communities, reached by road only over the Camano Gateway Bridge from Stanwood, and about 38 miles from Seattle. Its shoreline wraps around Saratoga Passage, Port Susan, Davis Slough and Skagit Bay. Island County says flooding here generally comes in winter, when intense storms line up with high tides and wind-driven waves overtop shore protection, while lakes and low-lying areas flood more often but less severely. A beach house that takes even a little water, or simply sits unheated and shut through the wet months, gives dark mold the dampness and still air it needs. Look on walls behind furniture, inside closets, on window frames and on mattresses.

We had water near the house in the December 2022 king tide. Should we worry now?

If water got inside, yes, check it. That late-December 2022 king tide and coastal storm flooded Camano Island State Park, closing the boat launch for several days, and Cama Beach State Park closed its cabins when water came within an inch of some front doors. Homes on similar low ground that took water may have wet insulation or the bottoms of walls that never fully dried. EPA says to assume mold is growing if materials couldn't be dried within 24 to 48 hours. A company can take moisture readings and open a small inspection hole rather than tearing out a whole wall on a guess.

Does black mold need a different kind of company?

No. EPA says sampling visible mold is usually unnecessary and there are no federal limits for mold. Black growth gets the same treatment as any other: contain the area, remove moldy drywall, insulation and carpet, HEPA vacuum and clean framing, and dry it before rebuilding. Washington has no state mold license or certification, so look for a company registered with Washington L&I as a construction contractor and check it on L&I's Verify tool.

On-island help

Camano is unincorporated, so repair permits come from Island County's Building Department, which has an office at the Camano Annex. Island County Planning & Community Development handles code enforcement, and Island County Public Health is the local health department.