How We Tackled Mold Remediation at an Issaquah Rental Property | Valta Homes Blog
Behind the Scenes
How We Tackled Mold Remediation at an Issaquah Rental Property
We remediated attic mold at an Issaquah rental for under $500 in materials using Concrobium and hydrogen peroxide. Here is the full process, cost breakdown, and what every King County landlord should know.
Mold in a rental property is one of those problems that makes landlords lose sleep. It is not just a cosmetic issue. In Washington State, mold can trigger legal liability, tank your tenant retention, and cost thousands in remediation if you wait too long.
We recently handled a mold remediation project at a rental property in Issaquah that started with a roof leak and ended with a multi-week remediation effort. The landlord had already seen our team discover the mold during a routine roof inspection. Now it was time to actually fix it.
Here is the full story of how we remediated the mold, what products we used, what it cost, and what every King County landlord should know before hiring a mold remediation company.
How the Mold Problem Started
The property owner had noticed water stains on the ceiling but assumed it was a one-time leak from a heavy rainstorm. That is a common assumption we see from landlords with one or two rental properties. They patch the visible damage and move on.
But water stains rarely tell the whole story.
When our team inspected the attic, we found active mold growth spreading along the roof decking and into the insulation. The roof leak had been feeding moisture into the attic for months, creating the perfect environment for mold: dark, damp, and undisturbed.
If you are a landlord dealing with similar ceiling stains, our guide on mold in rental properties covers everything you need to know about your legal obligations and when to act.
The Decision: Specialist vs. In-House Remediation
The first question the property owner asked was the same one every landlord asks: "How much is this going to cost?"
Professional mold remediation companies in King County typically charge $3,000 to $8,000 for attic mold, depending on the square footage and severity. For larger infestations, quotes can climb past $15,000.
We gave the owner a different option.
Because the mold was limited to the attic space and had not penetrated the living areas, our team could handle the remediation in-house using EPA-registered products. This is not the right call for every situation. If mold has spread into HVAC ductwork, wall cavities, or areas tenants occupy, you need a certified specialist. But for contained attic mold caused by a roof leak, an experienced property maintenance team can handle it safely and effectively.
This is the kind of decision-making that saves landlords real money. We wrote about a similar situation where we saved a Mercer Island landlord $3,000 by properly diagnosing a crawl space issue before jumping to expensive solutions.
The Products We Used
Our team lead Jason sourced two products for the job:
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Concrobium Mold Control - This is an EPA-registered mold control product that kills mold without bleach or toxic chemicals. We bought five gallons for the project. Concrobium works by creating a thin film over mold spores that crushes them as it dries. It also prevents regrowth on treated surfaces.
Why not bleach? Bleach kills surface mold but does not penetrate porous materials like wood decking. It also introduces moisture, which can make the problem worse in enclosed spaces like attics. Concrobium is specifically designed for porous surfaces.
Hydrogen Peroxide Solution - We bought three gallons of 12% hydrogen peroxide from Home Depot and diluted it 1:1 with water to create six gallons of 6% solution. This concentration is strong enough to kill mold on contact but safe for use on wood surfaces when applied properly.
The combination of these two products gave us a one-two punch: hydrogen peroxide for the initial kill, Concrobium for long-term prevention.
Total materials cost: under $300.
Compare that to the $3,000-plus quotes from remediation companies, and you start to see why having a property management team that can handle this work matters. Our membership program exists specifically so landlords have access to this kind of expertise without paying emergency contractor rates.
The Remediation Process: Week by Week
Week 1: Preparation and Initial Treatment
Before anyone touched the mold, we addressed the source. There is no point remediating mold if the moisture source is still active. Our team had already been comparing roofing quotes for this property, and the roof repair was completed before remediation began.
Once the attic was dry, Jason and the crew followed this process:
Containment - We sealed off the attic access point and set up negative air pressure with a commercial fan and HEPA filter. This prevents mold spores from migrating into the living space during treatment.
PPE protocol - Full Tyvek suits, N95 respirators, safety goggles, and nitrile gloves. Mold remediation is not a job for a dust mask and t-shirt.
Dry removal - We scraped loose mold from the roof decking using wire brushes. No water at this stage. Wet mold releases more spores than dry mold.
Hydrogen peroxide application - We sprayed the 6% solution across all affected surfaces and let it sit for 30 minutes. The fizzing reaction tells you it is working. We applied two coats.
Drying period - We ran dehumidifiers in the attic for 48 hours between treatments.
This first week was the most labor-intensive. Jason logged daily updates with photos in our project management system, documenting every surface treated and every area cleared.
Week 2: Concrobium Treatment and Insulation
After the hydrogen peroxide treatment dried completely, we moved to the Concrobium phase:
Concrobium spray application - We applied Concrobium Mold Control to all previously affected surfaces plus a three-foot buffer zone around the visible mold boundary. Mold often extends beyond what you can see.
Insulation removal - Any fiberglass insulation that showed mold contamination was bagged and removed. You cannot clean moldy insulation. It has to go.
Second Concrobium coat - After the first coat dried (24 hours), we applied a second coat for maximum protection.
Ventilation assessment - We checked the existing attic ventilation and found two soffit vents partially blocked by insulation. We cleared them and added baffles to maintain airflow. Poor ventilation is the number one reason attic mold comes back after treatment.
The final week focused on making sure the remediation worked:
Visual inspection - Every treated surface was inspected under work lights. No visible mold remaining.
Moisture readings - We used a pin-type moisture meter on the roof decking. All readings came back below 15%, which is the threshold for mold growth on wood.
Insulation replacement - We installed new R-38 fiberglass batts in the areas where contaminated insulation was removed.
Final documentation - Jason took comprehensive photos of every treated area for the property owner's records. This documentation matters if you ever need to disclose remediation work to future buyers or tenants.
What This Project Cost
Here is the full cost breakdown:
Item
Cost
Concrobium Mold Control (5 gallons)
$140
Hydrogen Peroxide 12% (3 gallons)
$45
HEPA filter replacement
$35
PPE supplies (Tyvek suits, respirators, gloves)
$60
Replacement insulation (R-38 batts)
$180
Soffit vent baffles
$25
Materials total
$485
Labor (3 crew members, ~40 hours total)
Covered under membership
For landlords on our membership plan, labor for projects like this is included. The property owner paid only for materials and supplies. Even if you factor in labor at market rates, the total would have been roughly $2,500 — still well under the $5,000-plus quotes from dedicated mold remediation companies.
Why Daily Documentation Matters
One thing that sets our approach apart is how we document every project. Jason logged daily entries with photos throughout the remediation: before shots, during treatment, product application, and final results.
This is not just for our records. It protects the landlord in three ways:
Tenant disputes - If a tenant claims mold was not properly addressed, the landlord has timestamped photo evidence of every step taken.
Insurance claims - Some homeowner insurance policies cover mold remediation caused by sudden water damage (like a roof leak). Detailed documentation strengthens your claim.
Property sales - Washington State requires disclosure of known material defects. Having a complete remediation record with photos shows buyers that the problem was handled professionally.
We want to be clear: not every mold situation is a candidate for in-house remediation. You need a certified mold remediation specialist when:
Mold covers more than 10 square feet in occupied living spaces (EPA guideline)
Mold is inside HVAC ductwork - this requires specialized cleaning equipment
The property has immunocompromised tenants - higher safety standards apply
You cannot identify or fix the moisture source - remediation without source correction is wasted money
Mold is behind walls or under flooring - these areas require demolition and rebuilding
For attic mold caused by a fixable roof leak, with no spread to living areas, in-house remediation with proper products and PPE is a legitimate option. But only if your team knows what they are doing.
Preventing Mold From Coming Back
Remediation is only half the job. Prevention keeps it from becoming a recurring expense. Here is what we recommend for every King County rental property:
Fix roof issues immediately. A small roof leak becomes an attic mold problem within 48-72 hours in our climate. Our roofing services include annual inspections that catch problems before they cause interior damage.
Maintain gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters push water under roof edges and into soffits. Our gutter services keep water flowing where it should go. We also covered how routine roof cleaning prevents costly damage at a commercial property in Bellevue.
Ensure proper attic ventilation. Your attic needs balanced intake (soffit vents) and exhaust (ridge or roof vents). We check ventilation on every roof inspection.
Control indoor humidity. Rentals in King County should maintain indoor humidity below 50%. Bathroom exhaust fans, kitchen range hoods, and properly vented dryers all help. If your property does not have adequate ventilation, consider adding it during your next renovation. Our kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects always include proper ventilation upgrades.
Schedule annual inspections. The spring maintenance checklist we published covers exactly when and where to look for early signs of moisture problems.
Use mold-resistant products. When replacing drywall or insulation in moisture-prone areas, specify mold-resistant options. The incremental cost is minimal compared to future remediation.
What King County Landlords Should Take Away
Mold remediation does not have to be a five-figure emergency. When caught early, with the right products and an experienced team, attic mold can be treated effectively for a fraction of what specialist companies charge.
The keys are:
Fix the moisture source first. Remediation without repair is temporary.
Use EPA-registered products. Skip the bleach. Use Concrobium and hydrogen peroxide.
Know your limits. Large-scale or occupied-space mold needs a certified specialist.
Prevent recurrence. Ventilation, gutters, and annual inspections cost far less than repeat remediation.
If you are a landlord with a rental property in King County and you have noticed water stains, musty smells, or visible mold, do not wait. The longer mold sits, the more it costs to fix.
Give us a call at (425) 800-8268 or visit our contact page to schedule an inspection. If you manage multiple rental properties, ask about our membership program — it is built for landlords who want a single team handling everything from plumbing to HVAC to pest control, with priority scheduling and reduced rates.
Valta Homes provides property maintenance, renovation, and management services for rental property owners across King County, WA. Every project is documented with daily logs and photos so our clients always know exactly what is happening at their properties.
