HVAC & Air Duct Mold Removal in Cottontown, TN

Warning signs in a Cottontown heating and cooling system

• An odor like a wet towel that rolls out of the registers when the blower kicks on.
• Dark speckling on the inside of the return grille or on the filter frame.
• A drip pan with standing water or slime, or a drain line that no longer runs outside.
• Duct insulation under the house that is damp to the touch, torn or lying on the ground.
• Water spots on a ceiling below an attic duct or register boot.
• Allergy-type irritation that eases when you leave the house. EPA notes mold can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs; see a health professional with concerns.

What wets the system out here

Cottontown sits in open, rolling country, and Sumner County's Flood Insurance Study describes how intense local rain makes headwater streams climb fast and spill over their banks, usually in late winter and early spring. That happened on the morning of May 19, 2017, when flash flooding hit Cottontown before the water began to recede later in the day. A few hours is enough to soak duct wrap or the bottom of an air handler sitting in a crawl space, and EPA says anything not dried within 24 to 48 hours should be assumed to have mold.

Between storms, the usual culprit is humidity. Air under a vented floor in July is warm and wet, and supply ducts carrying 55-degree air pull that moisture right out of it. If the insulation wrap has gaps, water drips off the metal and the wrap stays soggy for weeks.

What goes into the price

Angi reports national ranges of about $600 to $2,000 for duct mold cleaning and $3,000 to $10,000 for HVAC system mold work. Prices in rural Sumner County vary. Expect the total to depend on how much insulated duct has to be replaced, whether the coil, blower and plenums need cleaning, crawl space clearance, and whether a vapor barrier or drainage fix is added. Jobs of $25,000 or more need a contractor with a Tennessee contractor's license, and mold remediation is the S-F classification.

When you call

The number on this page connects you with an independent local mold remediation company. Tell them where the equipment sits, when the smell began, and whether water got under the house. A good visit ends with photos and a written scope. Cottontown is unincorporated, so if ducts or equipment are replaced, ask whether a permit is needed from the Sumner County Building & Codes Department in Gallatin.