Mold Removal in Sammamish, WA

Where Sammamish sits

Sammamish is a King County city on the plateau east of Lake Sammamish, about 14 miles from Seattle as the crow flies. The lake forms its western edge and the Snoqualmie Valley lies to the east. Klahanie, Sunny Hills and the neighborhoods strung along East Lake Sammamish Parkway and 228th Avenue make up much of the plateau, and two sizable lakes, Pine Lake and Beaver Lake, sit inside the city.

What keeps houses damp up here

The plateau does not flood the way a river valley does, but water is still the story. King County notes that flooding of landscaping and recreational areas happens regularly around Lake Sammamish, which tells you how high the water table and shoreline can run in a wet winter. Homes near the lakes, at the foot of slopes, or under tall trees that keep roofs and siding in shade tend to dry slowly from October into spring.

Inside, the usual Puget Sound patterns apply. Vented crawl spaces pick up moist air and groundwater seepage. Bath fans that vent into the attic instead of outdoors leave frost and then drips on the underside of the roof deck. Bedrooms with closed doors and cool exterior walls fog the windows each morning and grow mildew along the sills and behind furniture.

• Check crawl space vapor barriers for gaps and standing water after heavy rain.
• Look at the attic sheathing near bath fan ducts for dark staining.
• Pull dressers and beds a few inches off outside walls in winter.

Permits, code complaints and health questions

Cleaning mold off framing is not something you pull a permit for, but rebuilding afterward can be. Sammamish permit applications go through the City of Sammamish Permit Center in Community Development, so ask there before replacing drywall, framing or subfloor. City Code Compliance takes reports about zoning, dangerous or abandoned buildings and environmental violations; it does not describe itself as handling rental disputes or mold. Renters should give the landlord written notice of leaks under Washington's landlord-tenant law, which also requires landlords to give tenants Department of Health information about mold.

For health questions, Public Health - Seattle & King County has environmental health specialists who consult on indoor air quality and mold concerns. EPA notes mold can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs, and people with asthma or weakened immune systems should stay away from moldy areas.

Hiring help in Sammamish

When you call, you are connected with an independent local company that can look at the space, find the moisture source and quote removal. Washington has no state mold license or certification, according to the Department of Health. Anyone doing repair or construction work must be registered with Washington L&I as a construction contractor, and you can look up any company on L&I's Verify a Contractor tool before you sign. Ask for the scope in writing, including how the area will be contained and dried.