Mold in Walls & Drywall in Lithonia, GA

Our walls got wet in a flood or a big storm. Do they have to be opened?

Usually, yes. EPA's post-disaster guidance says that if a home was flooded and could not be dried within 24 to 48 hours, you should assume mold has grown. Drywall soaks up water like a sponge, and the insulation behind it holds water against the studs. Even after the surface looks dry, the inside of the wall can stay wet for weeks. The standard approach is to cut the drywall a foot or more above the highest water line, remove wet insulation, clean and dry the studs, and only then rebuild.

Lithonia knows how quickly that can happen. During the September 2009 floods, the National Weather Service recorded the Yellow River at Georgia Highway 124 cresting at 27.47 feet against a 15-foot flood stage, and the Lithonia South River gauge cresting at 13.55 feet against a 12-foot flood stage on September 21. A home near either river should be checked closely after any major storm.

My house is older. Is that part of the problem?

It can be. Lithonia is a small historic granite-quarrying town in eastern DeKalb County, about 16 miles from downtown Atlanta, that grew around the railroad and quarries starting in the 1840s. Older homes near Main Street and the historic district may have aging pipes, original windows and roofs patched many times. Each of those can let water into a wall slowly. Wherever the house sits, slow-draining red clay and humid summers keep wet walls from drying on their own.

Do I need a permit for the rebuild?

Possibly. The City of Lithonia handles building permits under its Planning and Zoning office, so check with the city before replacing drywall or framing. Renters with a leak the landlord has not repaired can contact City of Lithonia Code Enforcement after giving the landlord written notice. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 44-7-13) requires landlords to keep rentals in repair; this is general information, not legal advice.

A local health note

DeKalb Public Health says its Environmental Health Division addresses indoor mold only in permitted facilities such as restaurants and hotels, and offers information to help homeowners. EPA says people with asthma or weakened immune systems should stay away from moldy areas, and children should not take part in flood cleanup.