Black Mold Removal in Port Orchard, WA

Local conditions

Port Orchard is the Kitsap County seat on the south shore of Sinclair Inlet, across from Bremerton and about 16 miles from Seattle. Its housing is young; the median home was built in 2004, according to Census-derived figures. Newer homes are built tight, which saves heat but also holds moisture from showers, cooking and drying laundry. Without steady ventilation, that moisture lands on window frames and cold corners and black mold follows.

Downtown has its own water story. The city warns that king tides combined with winter weather can threaten shoreline areas and downtown businesses, and it has made sandbags available. Heavy rain running off the hill during high tides has flooded Bay Street, closing part of it and the roundabout at Bethel Avenue and Mile Hill Drive until the tide went out. Buildings along the waterfront should treat any water that reaches floors or walls as a mold risk.

Clean it or remove it?

Signs to take seriously

• Black spots returning on the same window every winter.
• Growth in a bathroom where the fan is loud but weak.
• Stains on drywall after water got into a ground-floor space.
• A musty smell in closets on outside walls.

Seasonal notes

Most condensation mold peaks between November and March, when indoor and outdoor temperatures are furthest apart. EPA advises keeping indoor humidity below 60%, ideally 30 to 50%, and drying wet materials within 24 to 48 hours. A bath fan that runs for 20 or 30 minutes after each shower, and a few inches of space between furniture and outside walls, prevent a lot of repeat growth. Rebuild work after removal is permitted through the City of Port Orchard's Department of Community Development, and code complaints go through the city's Code Compliance Complaint Form.