Commercial Mold Remediation in Bethpage, TN

Is a small building in Bethpage really a commercial job?

If the public, a congregation, employees or tenants use the space, it is worth handling it the way EPA's guide for commercial buildings describes, even when the building is modest. That guide sorts jobs by area. A patch under about 10 square feet can often be cleaned by trained staff with gloves and an N-95. Areas up to about 100 square feet call for limited containment, and anything larger calls for full containment and a crew with respirators and protective suits. A fellowship hall with a leaking roof over a whole wall of drywall usually lands in the middle or upper group, which is the point where bringing in a remediation company makes sense. Wherever the job falls, the moisture has to be fixed first or the growth returns.

Who handles permits for repairs afterward?

Bethpage is unincorporated, so building permits and inspections come from the Sumner County Building & Codes Department at 355 N. Belvedere Drive in Gallatin. The mold removal itself is not usually permitted work, but replacing walls, framing or mechanical equipment afterward generally is. If the property sits in a FEMA flood zone, Sumner County Engineering and Floodplain Administration handles development requests there, including floodplain development permits and elevation certificates. The county codes office also takes property maintenance and health and safety complaints from tenants whose landlord will not fix a leak.

What should we expect when a company comes out?

Bethpage sits about 34 miles from Nashville in a rural corner of Sumner County, so ask about travel when you get a quote. A good company will want to see the water source, measure the affected area and look at the HVAC equipment if it serves the space. You should get a written scope that lists what will be removed, how the area will be sealed and how the company will show the work is finished. For any project of $25,000 or more, confirm the company holds a Tennessee contractor's license with the mold remediation (S-F) classification on TDCI's Verify a License search.

A note on local water

The Sumner County Flood Insurance Study notes that headwater streams across the county can rise quickly in intense local rain and that major floods have tended to come in late winter and early spring. That is the season to check low corners, crawl spaces and storage rooms in older rural buildings. For health questions, the Sumner County Health Department's main office is in Gallatin.