Mold Removal & Remediation in Marietta, GA

Do older homes near Marietta Square need special handling?

Often, yes. Marietta, the Cobb County seat about 17 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta, has six historic districts, including the Whitlock Avenue, Church-Cherokee Streets and Northwest Marietta districts. Older homes there commonly have plaster walls, heart-pine floors, crawl spaces with limited ventilation, and decades of additions tied into original roofs. Mold in those houses usually comes from roof and chimney flashing, old plumbing, or humid air under the floor. Plaster can often be cleaned rather than removed, and old-growth lumber is worth saving when it is sound. Ask the company how it handles original materials and how it protects areas it is not removing.

Have Marietta's creeks flooded?

They have. During the September 2009 floods, National Weather Service gauges at Marietta showed Sope Creek cresting at 18.35 feet against a 12-foot flood stage and Sewell Mill Creek at 13.26 feet against 12 feet. Homes near those creeks took on water, and EPA's guidance after flooding is to assume mold is growing if the house could not be dried within 24 to 48 hours. Soaked carpet, insulation and drywall generally have to go. If you live near a creek, check FEMA's flood map for your address.

Who inspects the rebuild?

The City of Marietta Building Inspection Division inspects and enforces the Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes for new and existing construction, remodels, plumbing and HVAC work, so check with the city about permits before walls go back up. Georgia has no state mold license or certification. When removal turns into rebuilding, 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 board. Georgia law defines a residential contractor by work over $2,500.

A note for renters

Cobb and Douglas Public Health says it has no authority over mold in private residences or rentals, but tenants whose mold comes from a mechanical or structural failure may contact the local building inspections department, which may be able to address the moisture problem. Under O.C.G.A. 44-7-13 the landlord must keep the premises in repair. Put requests in writing and keep copies. This is general information, not legal advice.