Mold Removal & Remediation in Atlanta, GA

Why Atlanta houses grow mold

Atlanta summers are long, hot and sticky, and the winters are mild and wet, so many homes stay damp somewhere for most of the year. A lot of older houses sit on vented crawl spaces where muggy outside air meets cold supply ducts and sweats onto the joists. Hillside lots often carry daylight or full basements, and the red clay around them holds water against the foundation after a thunderstorm. Add an air conditioner that runs from spring into fall, with a condensate line that can clog in the attic, and you have the usual starting points.

Sizing the problem before you call

• Under about 10 square feet (a 3 by 3 foot patch) on a hard surface: EPA says most people can clean it themselves after the leak is fixed.
• Larger than that, hidden in a wall cavity, or across crawl space framing: bring in a company.
• Anything that stayed wet more than 24 to 48 hours after a flood or pipe break: EPA says to assume mold is growing.

If you suspect the ducts are involved, leave the HVAC off until someone looks at it, since running it can carry spores through the house.

What a careful company does on site

1. Points to the water source and tells you who should repair it, whether that is a roofer, a plumber or a grading fix outside.
2. Hangs plastic sheeting around the work area and runs air filtration so dust stays put.
3. Removes and bags porous material that cannot be saved, such as drywall, insulation and carpet. Painting or caulking over growth is not a fix.
4. Cleans and dries framing, then takes moisture readings before anything is closed in.
5. Hands off to rebuild. Replacing structural parts inside city limits may need a permit from the City of Atlanta Office of Buildings.

Atlanta price ranges

The square footage affected, how hard the area is to reach, how much material comes out, and whether rebuild is included move the number most.

Checking the company

Georgia has no state mold license or certification, and Georgia DPH says mold remediation has no enforceable state or federal standards. When a job includes tearing out and rebuilding drywall, subfloor or framing, it can become contractor work: Georgia law defines a residential contractor by work over $2,500, so ask whether the company holds a Georgia residential or general contractor license, check it on the Secretary of State's GOALS Verify Now lookup, and confirm current rules with the state licensing board. Many owners also hire an independent inspector to scope the job and confirm it was done.