Mold Removal & Remediation in Lakewood, WA

Where moisture comes from in Lakewood homes

Lakewood is a city of lakes and creeks. American Lake, Lake Steilacoom, Gravelly Lake, Lake Louise and Waughop Lake all sit inside city limits, Chambers Creek runs from Lake Steilacoom toward Chambers Bay, and Clover Creek has a mapped 100-year floodplain. The city says newer flood maps show a 1% annual-chance flood risk along Clover Creek in the Springbrook and Hillside neighborhoods, and some areas once shown in the 500-year floodplain now fall in the 100-year zone. Houses near those creeks and shorelines can sit on damp ground through the rainy months even without a flood. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department's guidance makes the same point: mold grows where there is too much water, so stop leaks, repair roofs and plumbing, and move water away from basement walls and slabs.

Clean it or cut it out?

Signs worth a call

• A musty smell that returns every fall once the rain settles in.
• Stained or soft drywall near a bathroom, laundry or exterior wall.
• Water marks or a damp feel in the crawl space or along a lower wall.
• Growth larger than about 10 square feet, the point where EPA and DOH suggest a professional.
• Spots that return after you have already cleaned them.

Timing and the wet season

Most moisture trouble here builds between October and April, when steady rain and short days keep materials from drying. Late summer, when crawl spaces are at their driest, is a good time to deal with a recurring problem before the next rainy stretch. After any leak, dry wet materials within 24 to 48 hours. Repairs involving new drywall or framing go through the city's Permit Center in Planning and Public Works.