Post-Remediation Clearance Testing in Port Orchard, WA

Local conditions in Port Orchard

Port Orchard, the Kitsap County seat, sits on the south shore of Sinclair Inlet across from Bremerton, with its downtown along Bay Street. The city warns that king tides combined with winter weather can push water high enough to threaten shoreline areas and downtown businesses. In one heavy-rain event, runoff from the hill could not drain to the bay because the tide was too high, and the city closed part of Bay Street and the roundabout at Bethel Avenue and Mile Hill Drive until the water receded. The median home in Port Orchard was built in 2004, so many houses are fairly new, but newer framing still holds moisture when roof, window or plumbing leaks go unnoticed.

Which clearance check fits

Red flags at the end of a job

• The remediation company plans to grade its own work and nobody else will look.
• Readings on wood are still high but the drywall crew is already booked.
• Growth was painted or sealed over instead of removed; EPA says not to paint or caulk over mold.
• Containment came down before any check.
• Nobody can say whether the leak, tide entry point or drainage problem behind the mold has actually been repaired.
• The person signing off cannot explain which lab will read the samples or how results will be compared.

Timing and seasonal notes

Winter is when tides and rain combine near the waterfront, and it is also when cleaned framing dries slowest. Plan for dehumidifiers to run longer and leave a few days between the end of cleaning and the clearance visit. In summer, drying is quicker but a check is still needed. Once the area passes, the City of Port Orchard's Department of Community Development handles building permits through its Permit Center. Renters with a leak the landlord has not fixed can use the city's Code Compliance Complaint Form.