In Lakewood, commercial mold calls often come from apartment and townhome communities and from businesses near Clover Creek, the lakes and the Downtown area. A good job starts with the moisture source and a written scope that protects occupants while affected materials come out. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local mold remediation company in Lakewood.
What drives mold in Lakewood buildings
Lakewood is Pierce County's second-largest city, a suburban community beside the McChord Field side of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, with a large share of rental housing and commercial strips along South Tacoma Way and the I-5 corridor. Water is never far away: American Lake, Lake Steilacoom, Gravelly Lake and Lake Louise sit inside city limits, Chambers Creek drains toward Chambers Bay, and Clover Creek has a mapped 100-year floodplain. The city says new maps show flood risk along Clover Creek in the Springbrook and Hillside neighborhoods, with a major flood also reaching I-5 and parts of Downtown, and some areas once in the 500-year zone now in the 100-year zone.
Rental mold has also been in the news here. KIRO 7 reported on Lakewood townhome residents with apartment mold complaints, and the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department said it was seeing more housing complaints such as mold but has no regulatory power over rental housing. The city's Planning and Public Works runs a Rental Housing Safety Program focused on rental unit safety.
Small job or full remediation?
| Situation | Usual approach |
|---|---|
| A few square feet on a bathroom ceiling in one unit | Maintenance staff can clean it with care, fix the fan, and watch for return |
| Stain that keeps spreading after storms | Find the roof, window or siding leak, then remove damaged drywall under containment |
| Growth across several units or a corridor | Written scope, sealed work areas, tenant notices and phased scheduling |
| Water from Clover Creek or another flood source | Treat soaked materials as contaminated if not dried in 24 to 48 hours, then clean and dry before build-back |
Signs a building needs a professional
- Several tenants reporting musty smells in the same building or stack of units
- Ceiling tiles in an office or shop that stain, sag or show spotting
- Drywall that feels soft along exterior walls or near water heaters
- Growth on supply registers or around an air handler
Timing in Lakewood
Most moisture problems show up between October and April, when rain keeps siding and roofs wet for weeks and closed windows trap humidity indoors. Plan inspections and repairs before the wet season where you can, and move fast after any leak, since EPA advises drying within 24 to 48 hours. Rebuild permits go through the city's Planning and Public Works Permit Center.
Commercial Mold Remediation questions in Lakewood
What do Washington landlords owe tenants about mold?
What should we tell tenants or staff?
Should we turn off the HVAC system when mold is found?
What should a written remediation scope include?
More mold services in Lakewood
Commercial Mold Remediation nearby
Sources
- Wikipedia: Lakewood, Washington
- City of Lakewood: Clover Creek Floodplain
- City of Lakewood: Planning and Public Works
- KIRO 7: Pierce County sees uptick in housing complaints such as mold
- Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department: Mold FAQs
- EPA: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings (pdf)
- EPA: Homeowner's and Renter's Guide to Mold Cleanup After Disasters (pdf)
- RCW 59.18.060: Landlord, Duties
- RCW 59.18.070: Landlord's failure to remedy, Tenant's remedies, Notice
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