Mold Inspection in Nokomis, FL

Signs that call for an inspection

• A smell in the guest room or a closet you rarely open
• Grey or green fuzz on the back of furniture against an outside wall
• Water stains on ceilings after summer storms
• Condensation dripping from AC vents on humid days
• Loose tile, soft drywall or cracked grout around a shower
• Any area that got wet during a storm and wasn't dried within a day or two

What Nokomis homes deal with

Nokomis is a small unincorporated community in Sarasota County, built around a 1917 subdivision on U.S. 41 between Osprey and Venice. It reaches the Gulf through Nokomis Beach and the Casey Key barrier island, and Dona Bay cuts through, crossed by the Legacy Trail's Shakett Creek bridge. Sarasota County calls flooding its most common and recurring natural disaster, noting that its Gulf location, flat terrain and subtropical climate bring coastal, riverine and urban flooding from heavy rain, tropical storms and surge.

Even without a flood, humidity does steady work here. The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County has an environmental health specialist who advises on indoor air problems including mold, and recommends using air conditioning to keep indoor humidity below 60 percent. State DOH guidance is to dry wet building materials and carpet within 24 hours.

What goes into the price

Angi reports Tampa-area mold inspections typically run $300 to $1,075; HomeAdvisor lists Tampa-area testing at about $327 to $903. In Nokomis the main variables are:

• House size and number of affected rooms
• Attic and air handler access
• Whether storm water reached multiple rooms
• Whether lab samples are added, which EPA says are usually unnecessary when mold is visible

After you call

You'll be connected with an independent local company. The assessor will ask about the house and any water history, then visit with a moisture meter and usually a thermal camera, check the AC system and attic, and leave a written report with a removal scope. Ask for the state mold assessor license number and verify it on DBPR's online search. Under Florida's s. 468.8419 the assessor can't do the removal on your home within 12 months.

Nokomis is unincorporated, so rebuilding permits come from the Sarasota County Building Division, with offices in Sarasota and at the R.L. Anderson Administration Center in Venice. Renters can bring unrepaired leaks to Sarasota County Code Enforcement. For flood map questions, the county has a Community Rating System coordinator.