Most mildew in Dunwoody homes and apartments is surface growth you can clean with detergent and water once you deal with the dampness, and the EPA says patches under about 10 square feet are generally a homeowner job. Larger areas, damaged drywall or growth that keeps returning call for a professional. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local mold remediation company in Dunwoody.
Dunwoody in brief
Dunwoody, about 14 miles north of downtown Atlanta, is largely suburban. Residential development took off in the 1960s with neighborhoods such as Georgetown, where single-family subdivisions grew up alongside apartments, and the edge-city job center around Perimeter Mall added more. Many of those houses are now 50 to 60 years old, with original bathroom layouts, aging windows and ductwork that has been patched over the years. In apartments, a neighbor's leak or a tired air handler is a frequent starting point.
What to do now
- Find the wet spot first. Look under sinks, around the toilet base, beneath the air handler and at the ceiling below any upstairs bathroom.
- Get a reading. A hygrometer tells you whether the room is above the EPA's 60 percent humidity ceiling.
- Ventilate. Run the bath fan through the shower and for 20 minutes after, and leave closet doors open on humid days.
- Protect yourself with gloves and eye protection, and keep anyone with asthma out of the room.
- Scrub tile, glass and other hard surfaces with detergent and water, then dry them completely.
- Discard porous items that stay musty, such as old bath mats or ceiling tiles.
- If you rent, report the problem to the landlord in writing and keep a copy.
What you see and the likely cause
| What you see | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Speckling around the bathroom exhaust grille | Fan venting poorly or into the attic |
| Dark line along the bottom of a bedroom wall | Leak from a nearby bathroom or exterior water |
| Mildew on the ceiling of a top-floor unit | Roof leak or condensation in the attic |
| Musty smell when the AC starts | Wet drain pan or clogged condensate line |
Cost factors
Angi's Atlanta cost guide reports bathroom mold work at about $587 to $1,174, and most jobs at about $12 to $29 per square foot. Removing drywall or treating ductwork adds to the cost. For rebuild permits, contact Dunwoody Community Development's Permits and Inspections office at [email protected] or 678-382-6821. Dunwoody's tenant resources page lists mold as a non-enforceable code violation, but interior water leaks, roof disrepair and broken gutters are enforceable; renters can report them through the Central Square portal or the Compliance Hotline at 678-382-6890.
Mold & Mildew Cleanup questions in Dunwoody
What is the difference between mold and mildew?
Should I use bleach on mildew?
Should I run the air conditioning while mildew is being cleaned?
My landlord won't fix the leak behind the mildew. What can I do?
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