Mold Remediation in Gibsonton, FL

Oak Street and the Alafia

Oak Street runs out on a peninsula into the Alafia River, and during Helene most of its homes flooded. Residents said the street had never flooded before, and one family was rescued by boat from waist-deep water. Homes in Gibsonton face Hillsborough Bay on the west and the river on the north, so both surge and river flooding are possible. EPA's post-flood advice is to assume mold if the house couldn't be dried within 24 to 48 hours.

About Gibsonton

Gibsonton is an unincorporated community about 10 miles from Tampa, with U.S. 41 through its center. It's known as a longtime winter home for carnival and circus performers, remembered at the International Independent Showmen's Museum. Housing is newer than in many bay towns, with a median build year around 2002 and about 17.7 percent built before 1980. About 67 percent of homes are detached single-family and roughly 27 percent are mobile homes. About 30 percent of households rent.

Mobile and manufactured homes

Mobile homes collect moisture in different places than slab houses:

• Underbelly. Torn or sagging belly wrap traps water from plumbing leaks or flooding against the floor.
• Skirting. Closed skirting with no vents holds humid air under the home.
• Roof seams and windows. Leaks often run inside walls before they show.
• Ventilation. Small bathrooms and kitchens without good exhaust fans stay damp.

Soaked flooring and wall panels in a mobile home usually have to be replaced, not cleaned.

Permits and repairs

Hillsborough County Development Services handles building permits in Gibsonton. County guidance treats drywall removal and replacement as cosmetic, needing no permit but still requiring a Substantial Damage packet; structural repairs in a Special Flood Hazard Area need a permit, and repairs at 50 percent or more of market value fall under substantial-damage rules. Check your flood zone on the county's site before rebuilding.

Renters and health

If you rent and the landlord hasn't fixed a leak, Hillsborough County Code Enforcement handles property-maintenance complaints in unincorporated areas. The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County can answer health questions; it doesn't test for mold. EPA advises people with asthma or weakened immune systems to stay away from moldy areas.

Making the call

You'll be connected with an independent local company. Florida's s. 468.8419 bars a mold assessor from remediating a structure it assessed within 12 months, and a remediator from assessing one it remediated, so the two jobs are normally done by different businesses. Check the remediator's license on DBPR's online search.