Mold & Mildew Removal in Hendersonville, TN

Why do lake-area homes in Hendersonville get so much mildew?

Hendersonville runs along the shore of Old Hickory Lake, about 13 miles from Nashville, and Drakes Creek and its tributaries wind through the city. Air near large bodies of water stays humid much of the summer, and homes that sit closed up while the owners are away, or that run the AC on a low setting, can let indoor humidity creep above 60 percent. At that point mildew starts on the coolest surfaces: window frames, closet walls on the lake side, and the underside of furniture pushed against an outside wall. A hygrometer and a properly sized dehumidifier usually do more than any cleaner.

My house was built in the 1980s. Does that matter?

It can. The median year built in Hendersonville is 1989, and homes of that age are often on their original windows, bath fans and caulk. Single-pane or worn double-pane windows sweat in winter, which feeds the black line along the sill. Bath fans from that era are often undersized or vent into the attic instead of outdoors. Replacing a fan or resealing a window is often what finally ends a recurring mildew problem. The city is mostly single-family homes, and a little under 30 percent of households rent.

When should I stop scrubbing and call someone?

EPA's line is about 10 square feet. Past that, or if the mildew is on drywall, carpet or insulation, cleaning it yourself tends to spread spores without solving anything. The same goes for growth that showed up after a leak or after Drakes Creek runoff pushed water into a lower level. If cleanup leads to new drywall or framing, permits inside city limits come from the City of Hendersonville Building & Codes Department.

One local note

Sumner County's Flood Insurance Study notes that intense local rain makes streams rise fast, with major floods usually in late winter and early spring. That is a good time to check gutters, downspouts and the crawl space before summer humidity arrives. Health questions can go to the Sumner County Health Department, which has a clinic in Hendersonville; EPA notes mold can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs, and people with asthma should keep away from cleanup.