Mold in Walls & Drywall in Fife, WA

Does Fife's low ground make wall mold more likely?

It can. Fife is a tideflat community on the low, flat land that runs out from the Port of Tacoma, and its southern portions lie in the Puyallup River floodplain. In some parts of the city the water table is only 10 to 15 feet below the ground. Damp soil keeps crawl spaces humid, and that moisture rises into floor framing and the bottom of walls. Homes here still get the usual Puget Sound sources too: leaks at plumbing walls, rain getting past windows and siding, and condensation on outside walls in cold rooms. A company's moisture readings will show whether the wet zone starts at the floor, at a window or around a fixture, which decides the repair.

I rent. Who can help with mold in my walls?

Start with your landlord, in writing. Washington law requires landlords to keep units weathertight and walls and plumbing in reasonable repair, and written notice starts the timelines in RCW 59.18.070. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has said it does not have regulatory power over rental housing issues, though it has seen an uptick in complaints such as mold, and its Healthy Homes program offers resources for tenants. For a building problem the landlord will not fix, ask the City of Fife which office handles housing complaints. This is general information, not legal advice.

Are there special rules for rebuilding in the floodplain?

Fife Municipal Code includes a flood damage prevention chapter administered by the community development director, so major repairs to a home in a mapped flood area may face extra review. The City of Fife Community Development Department issues building permits, and its permit coordinators review applications (253-922-9625). Drywall replacement alone may be simple, but framing, plumbing or electrical repairs found once the wall is open are worth confirming before you rebuild.

Local note

Much of Fife is commercial, with warehouses, dealerships and motels along I-5 and Pacific Highway. Mold in walls of a business or multi-unit building follows the same rules of finding and fixing the water first, but the work is often larger. Angi's Seattle cost guide puts residential wall mold at about $825 to $16,550, depending on how much wall is opened.