Mold Removal in Des Moines, WA

Des Moines, Washington

This Des Moines is a waterfront city in King County on the east shore of Puget Sound, about 16 miles south of Seattle. The city runs its own marina, and Saltwater State Park and Des Moines Beach Park sit on the shore. Neighborhoods such as Redondo, Woodmont and Zenith spread out along Pacific Highway (SR 99) and Kent-Des Moines Road.

Age and slope

The median home in Des Moines was built in 1974. Houses from that period often have original single-pane or early double-pane windows that sweat in winter, bath fans that are undersized or missing, and roofs and plumbing on their second or third round of repairs. About 60.6 percent of homes are owner-occupied, so a good share of residents are renters relying on a landlord to fix problems.

The city slopes broadly down to the Sound and is cut by the ravines of Des Moines Creek and Massey Creek. On sloped lots, water moving downhill through the soil can show up as damp lower walls, efflorescence on concrete or a crawl space that never dries. Signs worth checking:

• White, chalky deposits on foundation walls or a damp line partway up a basement wall
• Black spotting on window frames and the wall below them
• A musty smell that is stronger after rain
• Peeling paint or bubbling drywall in bathrooms

Painting over growth doesn't fix it. EPA says not to paint or caulk over mold; the moisture has to be solved and the growth removed.

City offices and Public Health

The City of Des Moines Building Division, part of Community Development, reviews plans, issues building permits and inspects construction. Removing mold doesn't need a permit, but rebuilding walls, replacing structure or making major repairs may.

Renters should notify the landlord in writing about leaks or moisture first. If the problem isn't fixed, the city takes complaints through its online code enforcement complaint form. Public Health - Seattle & King County doesn't do mold assessments and advises reporting the underlying water or maintenance problem to local building or code enforcement, since those offices won't act on mold alone.

What happens when you call

You'll be connected with an independent local mold remediation company. Washington has no mold license or certification, so the check that matters is L&I contractor registration, which you can look up on L&I's Verify a Contractor tool. Get the scope, price and payment schedule in writing before work starts.