Mold Removal & Remediation in Riverview, FL

My house is fairly new. Why is there mold?

Age has little to do with it. Riverview grew from about 71,000 people in 2010 to more than 107,000 in 2020, and the median home was built in 2006, with only about 7 percent built before 1980. Newer homes are tighter, which keeps humid air in when the AC isn't keeping up. The usual starting points are a supply line behind a toilet or refrigerator, a water heater in the garage or a closet, a condensate drain clogged with algae, or a shower pan that has started to seep. Drywall and the paper backing on it are food for mold once they stay damp, regardless of the build year. About 8 percent of homes here are mobile homes, where the floor system and belly wrap add their own moisture problems.

What if the Alafia River put water in the house?

The Alafia flows through the northern part of Riverview. During Hurricane Helene in 2024, homes on Parkway Circle along the river took up to five feet of water, higher than residents were used to. EPA's guidance after floods is direct: if a home couldn't be dried within 24 to 48 hours, assume mold is growing. That generally means cutting drywall above the waterline, pulling wet insulation and flooring, cleaning and drying the studs, and checking moisture readings before any new material goes up. River water also carries silt and debris, so everything it touched should be cleaned, not just dried.

Do I need a permit to put the walls back?

It depends on the work. Riverview is unincorporated, so Hillsborough County Development Services handles permits. The county's storm-recovery guidance says cosmetic repairs such as drywall removal and replacement don't need a permit, though a Substantial Damage packet is still required after a storm. Structural repairs in a Special Flood Hazard Area do need a permit, and repairs that reach 50 percent or more of the home's market value trigger substantial-damage rules. Mold removal on its own isn't permitted work, but the rebuild that follows can be.

A note for Riverview renters

Roughly a quarter of occupied homes in Riverview are rented. If a leak keeps feeding mold and the landlord hasn't fixed it, Hillsborough County Code Enforcement enforces the property maintenance code in unincorporated areas and takes complaints through an online form. For health questions, the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County is the local contact.