Black Mold Removal in Gig Harbor, WA

Our house is fairly new. Why is dark mold showing up?

Newer doesn't mean drier. The median Gig Harbor home was built in 1996, according to Census-derived figures, and houses from that era tend to be tighter than older ones. A tight house holds onto the moisture from showers, cooking, laundry and breathing. Through a gray Puget Sound winter that moisture condenses on the coldest surfaces: aluminum and vinyl window frames, the drywall behind a dresser on an outside wall, and the corners of closets. Dark speckles in those spots mean the air is too wet for too long, not that the house is falling apart.

We live on a slope above the bay. Could water be coming in from outside?

It's worth checking. Gig Harbor sits on the shoreline of its bay, and the city's critical areas code covers landslide, erosion, bluff and ravine hazard areas along with flood hazard areas, a sign of how much of the town is built on grades. Rain soaking into an uphill yard can push through the soil toward the foundation, and a daylight basement or lower bedroom built into the hill is often where black mold first shows: along the base of the wall, behind carpet tack strip, or on the back of baseboards. Gutters that dump at the footing make it worse. A company that only sprays the stain and leaves without asking about drainage is missing the cause.

Does the color mean we need special handling?

No. A dark patch is handled by its size and location, not by its shade. EPA says sampling visible mold is usually unnecessary and there are no federal limits for mold. Under about 10 square feet, EPA and the Washington Department of Health say a homeowner can usually clean it. Larger areas, mold inside a wall cavity, or growth that keeps coming back call for a professional who will contain the space, cut out moldy drywall and insulation, HEPA vacuum and clean the framing, and confirm it is dry before anything is closed up. Washington has no state mold license, so confirm the company is registered with Washington L&I as a construction contractor on L&I's Verify a Contractor tool.

A note for Gig Harbor owners

If removal leaves open walls or damaged framing, repair permits inside city limits come from the City of Gig Harbor Building & Fire Safety Division through its online permit portal. Renters with a leak the landlord hasn't fixed can report it to City of Gig Harbor Code Enforcement; Pierce County says complaints inside the city go to the city. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department's Healthy Homes program offers mold resources.