Mold Inspection in Dover, FL

Signs it's time for an inspection

• A smell like wet cardboard that's strongest in the morning or after the house sits closed
• Gray or black speckling on the back of a closet wall or behind a dresser
• Ceiling stains that darken after afternoon storms
• Rust, staining or standing water around the AC air handler or water heater
• Floors that cup, lift or feel soft near a bathroom or laundry area
• Recurring mildew on window sills even after cleaning

What's behind mold in Dover homes

Dover is a small unincorporated community in eastern Hillsborough County, around U.S. 92 and Strawberry Crest High School, surrounded by farmland. Without bay frontage, the common sources are the ones every Tampa Bay home deals with: humidity that hangs on from late spring into fall, an AC system that runs most of the year and drips condensate into a pan and drain line, roofs that take a beating in hurricane season, and slab plumbing that can leak under flooring unseen. EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent; above that, closets and corners with little air movement are where growth appears first.

Flooding isn't only a coastal issue, either. Hillsborough County explains that its high-risk Special Flood Hazard Areas carry a 1 percent annual chance of flooding and that most homeowner policies don't cover flood damage, so check your property on the county's flood-zone map if a low spot on your lot holds water.

What affects the cost

Angi reports Tampa-area mold inspections typically run $300 to $1,075. Rural properties can add time if there's a detached garage, a workshop or an older outbuilding to check. Other factors are the size of the home, attic access, how many rooms show signs and whether the assessor recommends samples. EPA says sampling usually isn't needed when mold is visible, so ask what question any proposed test would answer.

What happens when you call

You'll be connected with an independent local company that does mold assessment. Florida's s. 468.8419 means that assessor can't do remediation on your home within 12 months, so the written scope comes from someone with no interest in enlarging the job. If you rent and the landlord won't fix a leak, Hillsborough County Code Enforcement takes housing-standards complaints, and mold is on its list. Drywall replacement afterward is cosmetic and needs no permit, though Hillsborough County Development Services handles anything structural.