Recovery runs in a set order
Finding mold is unsettling, and the urge is to start tearing things out. In Tyler, a calmer order works better, because Texas law shapes who does each step: stop the water, get an assessment, hire a separate company for the cleanup, dry the house thoroughly, confirm it's clear, then rebuild. This guide walks through each step.
Step 1: Stop the water
Every mold problem starts with water that stayed too long. Look for the likely source:
- a roof or flashing leak after a heavy storm;
- a plumbing leak under a sink, behind a toilet, at the water heater or in a wall;
- an air conditioner, duct or drain line dripping into a ceiling or closet;
- ground moisture under a pier-and-beam house.
Shut off the leak if you can, or call the right trade to stop it. Cleanup can wait a day; the water can't.
Step 2: Protect the people in the house
Keep anyone with asthma, allergies or a weakened immune system away from the area. Close the room off. Don't run a fan that blows across the growth, and don't run the air conditioner if you suspect mold in the air handler or ducts until someone has looked.
Step 3: Photograph everything
Before anything is moved or removed, take photos of the growth, the water source and any damaged belongings. Note the date. If an insurance claim follows, these photos are the starting point.
Step 4: Hire an assessor
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses mold assessors, who inspect and test for mold, and mold remediators, who clean it up; contractors doing either work in Texas must hold a TDLR mold license, and the same license holder may not do both the assessment and the remediation on one project.
So your first hire is the assessor. Ask the assessor:
- where the mold is and how far it has spread;
- what caused it, and whether the cause is fixed;
- which materials need removal and which can be cleaned;
- how the area should be contained during the work.
Look the license up on TDLR's search before the visit.
Step 5: Hire a remediator, separately
Take the assessment to remediation companies and ask each to price that scope. Because the same license holder can't do both on one project, a company offering to assess and then clean up the same job is a reason to ask more questions. Compare quotes on the same scope rather than on totals.
Step 6: Containment and removal
A sound cleanup seals the work area with plastic, keeps it under negative air pressure with filtered air, and bags moldy porous materials inside the containment before carrying them out. Drywall and insulation with growth usually come out; framing is usually cleaned.
Step 7: Dry it properly
This is the step Tyler's climate makes hard. NOAA's engineering weather data counts about 1,918 hours a year at Tyler with a wet-bulb temperature at 73°F or higher, and about 330 hours at 93°F or hotter. Outdoor air in those hours adds moisture to a house rather than drying it. Drying means a closed space, dehumidifiers and air movers, and moisture readings logged until materials reach the dry target named in the plan.
Step 8: Confirm the area is clear
Before new drywall goes up, the cavity should be clean, dry and free of visible growth. Ask how this will be shown, ask to see it yourself, and keep the final readings in writing.
Step 9: If the insurer disagrees
If your home or renters claim is disputed, the Texas Department of Insurance suggests asking for an appraisal or hiring a public adjuster. It takes complaints online or through its Help Line at 800-252-3439, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time, Monday through Friday. Send copies of the assessment, photos and invoices, and keep the originals.
Step 10: Rebuild and prevent
Once the area is clear, the rebuild is ordinary repair work. Afterward:
- keep indoor humidity in check with the air conditioning and, where needed, a dehumidifier;
- have the condensate drain line checked each spring;
- look under sinks and around the water heater a few times a year;
- check ceilings below the attic after big storms.
Keep one file
Put the assessment, the remediation contract, moisture logs, photos and invoices in one folder. If you sell the house, the buyer will ask what was done, and the file answers that.