Black Mold Removal in Lakewood, WA

What feeds dark mold in Lakewood

Lakewood has more water inside its limits than most South Sound suburbs: American Lake, Lake Steilacoom, Gravelly Lake, Lake Louise and Waughop Lake, plus Chambers Creek running out of Lake Steilacoom and Clover Creek. The city says new flood maps show a 1% annual-chance flood risk along Clover Creek in the Springbrook and Hillside neighborhoods, with some areas that used to be in the 500-year floodplain now in the 100-year floodplain. Homes in those areas should treat any wet carpet or drywall after high water as a mold risk.

Away from the creek, the usual culprits are ordinary ones: window condensation through the winter, bathrooms without a working fan, and roof or plumbing leaks. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department's mold guidance says molds grow where there is too much water and points to stopping leaks, repairing roofs and plumbing, and moving water away from basement walls and slabs. The health department has also reported an uptick in housing complaints such as mold, while noting it has no regulatory power over rental housing.

Clean it or cut it out?

Signs it is more than a surface spot

• Black staining that returns within weeks of cleaning.
• Baseboards, paint or wallpaper bubbling or pulling away.
• A musty smell in a closet or room with no visible growth.
• Spots on a ceiling under a bathroom or below the roofline.

Timing in a wet climate

EPA says to dry wet materials within 24 to 48 hours. From October to April, Lakewood's air is damp enough that a wet wall can take far longer to dry on its own, so fans and dehumidifiers matter. Summer is often the easiest time for larger removal and rebuild work, since drywall and framing dry faster. Repairs that need permits go through the City of Lakewood's Planning and Public Works Permit Center, and renters can contact the city's Rental Housing Safety Program about unsafe rental conditions.