Mold Inspection in College Grove, TN

Do older farmhouses in College Grove need a different kind of inspection?

The method is the same, but the checklist grows. College Grove is a mostly rural community along U.S. Route 31A, and several of its buildings, including the Bank of College Grove, College Grove Methodist Church and the William Ogilvie House, are listed on the National Register. An older house may have plaster walls, original wood floors, a stone or block foundation and additions built decades apart. Each of those changes how moisture moves. A good inspector checks where old and new sections join, looks under porches and along sill plates, and uses a moisture meter on plaster as well as drywall, because plaster can hide dampness longer than you'd expect.

How do creeks and ditches affect homes out here?

Williamson County's emergency management office names the Harpeth River and its creeks as the main flood sources in the county and warns that flash floods can come with little warning. It also says most streams and creeks are the property owner's responsibility, and that blocked culverts, ditches and drains cause flooding too. On a rural lot, a ditch full of debris can keep water against a foundation long enough to soak a crawl space. The May 2010 flood showed the county can get 20 inches or more of rain in two days. Homeowners policies don't cover flooding, so the county suggests checking your property on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center.

Can the inspection cover a shop or office building on 31A?

Yes. College Grove mixes commercial and rural structures, and an inspector can assess a small office, store or workshop the same way as a house: moisture sources, growth, size of the affected area. For a large commercial building or heavy water damage, EPA points to its guidance on mold remediation in schools and commercial buildings, and the remediation scope will be larger. Angi's national range for a residential inspection is $303 to $1,075; commercial pricing is usually quoted per building.

One local note

College Grove is unincorporated, so repairs that need a permit after cleanup go to the Williamson County Building Codes Division on West Main Street in Franklin. Electrical permits for the unincorporated county come through the State of Tennessee, which matters if wiring has to be replaced in a wall opened during remediation. The Williamson County Health Department, also on West Main Street in Franklin, can help with health questions.