The rule
Texas licenses mold professionals through the Department of Licensing and Regulation, and the Texas Mold Assessment and Remediation Rules apply to projects involving more than 25 contiguous square feet of contamination. Built into that framework is a simple prohibition: a license holder may not perform both the mold assessment and the mold remediation on the same project. The person or company that determines how big the problem is cannot be the one paid to fix it.
The logic is obvious once you say it out loud. A remediation contractor who also does the assessment has every incentive to find more mold. An assessor who will never touch the remediation has no reason to inflate the scope — or to minimize it to make a sale.
How a compliant project runs
- Assessment. A licensed mold assessment consultant investigates, maps the moisture, samples where it matters, and documents the extent of contamination.
- Protocol. The assessor writes a project-specific remediation protocol — areas, materials, containment, methods, and the clearance criteria the work must meet — and provides it to you before remediation begins.
- Notification and work plan. The remediation contractor prepares a work plan that follows the protocol and notifies TDLR at least five days before starting.
- Remediation. The contractor performs the work under containment, addressing the moisture source as well as the visible growth.
- Post-remediation assessment. The assessor returns to verify the protocol was met — visual inspection, moisture readings, and clearance sampling as specified.
- Certificate. Within 10 days of completion, you receive a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation documenting the project and the clearance.
Why the certificate matters to you
The Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation is the document that follows the property. Insurers ask for it when underwriting or settling claims, buyers ask for it during due diligence, and Texas seller's disclosure asks about prior mold remediation. A certificate backed by an independent assessor's clearance is worth a great deal more than a contractor's own letter saying the job is done.
Red flags
- A company that offers to "test and remove" mold in one visit or one contract.
- A remediation quote with no written protocol behind it — or a protocol written by the remediator.
- No mention of a post-remediation assessment or a certificate.
- Sampling by the pound: dozens of air samples with no moisture investigation. Sampling should answer a question, not pad an invoice.
What TSEC does — and doesn't
TSEC is licensed by TDLR as a mold assessment company (ACO1193). We perform assessments, write protocols, and perform post-remediation clearance. We do not remediate, we don't take referral fees from contractors, and we'll gladly work with any licensed remediator you choose. Read about our mold assessment service or request an estimate.